Re: Is this math test too easy?

From: Mxsmanic (mxsmanic_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 11/23/04 

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 06:53:41 +0100

Acid Pooh writes:

> There is a point -- if nobody were taught basic algebra in middle-high
> school, colleges would be burdened with teaching their engineering and
> physics students the material.

But students who didn't need the material would not be wasting time
studying it. Which is more efficient?

> Presumably, students should have the
> opportunity to choose what they want to study after high school,
> instead of being forced into a track system in middle school.

They should have that opportunity at any time.

> Imagine
> what would happen if one of these high-school physics track students
> decided to study english instead. They would be six years behind
> their peers since they only learned what was essential for continuing
> a physics education.

They can always catch up. And if they decided to stay in physics,
they'd be finished a lot faster than students who had to cover a lot of
useless, irrelevant material as part of their physics education.

> Says one who undoubtedly has *not* taken a proof based course.

I don't depend on courses for proofs.

> Obviously, if you think that mathematics can be learned by rote,
> you've never taken a proof based course.

That's not what I think. I simply think that mathematics is largely
unnecessary to most people in most circumstances. Teaching higher
mathematics is mostly a waste of time. 

-- 
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

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