OT: Where do I find job statistics?

I'd start with the DOL. They ought to have the most credible data. If they don't, chance are that reliable data doesn't really exist.

Not much in terms of statistics on this page but this would be their link:

The Census Bureau? They like to ask lots of prying questions. ;-)

Something for the newspaper column?

Where you should go for the data will depend on what conclusion you are trying to justify.

The column will address a local controversy about how much math should be offered at the High School level.

My suspicions are that very few High School graduates need much more than how to make change.

But I was looking for statistics... for example, what percentage of the population actually need Algebra? Geometry? Calculus?

I'm of the old old school... highest math in High School was Solid Geometry, but I did just ducky at MIT... 5 semesters of Calculus (thru Tensors) ;-)

My argument is that we don't need more math topics, we need more math intensity... practice makes perfect.

Pick any kid on the street and ask them to answer...

My bet is most kids AND adults can't solve it without a calculator :-(

...Jim Thompson

And with a calculator, they would get a rounded off decimal answer. The next question is how many would know that the answer wasn't exact? Or how many would know enough to consider that question?

I hearing you say that you took SOME kind of math each year you were in school and kept things honed.

Well, I don't always carry a pencil with me on the street and I needed one to keep the tally. 8-)

Yes.

Now-a-days, kids don't even know their multiplication tables ;-)

...Jim Thompson

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

I wish I was taught how Archimedes derived pi in high school rather than having to monotonously do different forms of the same equation. I think the method far more important as it can help us all develop a more creative/logical thought process which is handy no matter what your job is.

Best regards,

AJ

I don't think that the manipulation of figures is as important as the understanding of mathematical concepts.

Whilst they may never need to do any actual calculus or even algebra, the idea of what it means for one thing to be proportional to another thing, or the idea of exponential growth, or derivatives or integrals (not manipulating the symbols, but the concept) is essential if they are to be able to properly scrutinise the policies of the various politicians that they will elect, and to keep themselves out of debt (e.g. compound interest etc.) E.g. I would not generally vote for someone who proposed benefit laws such that the derivative of total income with respect to hours worked can ever be negative for a portion of the population. I'd like other voters to understand that idea too - not with the fancy words but rather the idea. Some people will figure that out without having been exposed to the mathematical concept of derivatives, but when the politicians are trying to disguise the outcome and motivation of their policies, the voters need all the analytical skills they can get.

Now certainly a lot of people in influential positions would not stand to gain from having a population with a better understanding of these concepts, and to some people it would be better if the average citizen only knew the minimum necessary in order to consume, but I have higher hopes for the world than that.

Chris

"Jim Thompson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Have you tried monster.com and the others?

Cheers

Our roofer was great, did top notch work. However, he underestimated the (rather expensive) material by four yards or about 10%. Ok, it's a very intricate roof. But I guess geometry wasn't their strength.

Amen!

There are people with degrees and all that who can't figure out why their heating bill is higher. Some can't even figure what the gas mileage was after filling up. The topper: I called our tax collector's office because some numbers on the property tax bill didn't compute. "Hmm, we've sent out tens of thousands and nobody has called and it all sure has been audited like usual. Can you fax it over?" .. "Sure" ... ... "Well, drat, there sure must be a bug in the database here".

They sure do in Montgomery County, Maryland! They are required to know them out to 13. We only had to do 10.

-Chuck

He probably forgot to allow for waste that naturally occurs in cutting.

Since your roof was pretty intricate, he probably should have increased the waste allowance.

Unfortunately that's rare :-(

...Jim Thompson

Well, yeah, but that requires a good dose of math considering the extremely flared gables here.