Re: Myth about mathematicians and mental arithmetic


"T.H. Ray" <thray123@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7146798.1168381154045.JavaMail.jakarta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Peter Webb wrote:

In reply to the original question about people who
assume mathematicians can
add, whilst I do not have this problem, I have
always assumed a response
like "thats like asking a novelist if he can spell"
would be appropriate.

Yes, spelling to a novelist is a very close analogy!

The great majority of novelists are excellent
spellers and the great
majority of mathematicians are excellent at mental
arithmetic. The
only reason some disagree with me on this thread is
that they have no
idea how bad most people are at mental arithmetic.
So they make insane
statements like "most 4th graders can multiply 27 x 6
in their heads in
less than 10 seconds" !!

There's nothing insane about that statement. A 4th
grader can easily comprehend that 27 X 6 is the same
as 120 + 42. Yes, certainly there is a wide difference
in the way children learn mathematics. Many don't
learn early, and most not early enough, these "tricks" of
calculation. Ask most professional mathematicians for
a list of the most important issues in mathematics today,
and I will be very surprised if you don't find
pedagogical reform near the top of the list. Personally,
I rate it the highest.

As I have posted elsewhere there are amazing examples of arithmetic feats
amongst people who certainly don't have degrees.

To play darts at top level you have to be able to very quickly calculate the
combinations of 3 darts that you need to finish a darts game.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4146783.stm

"They have to subtract large scores - often multiplied because of hitting
"doubles" or "trebles" - from a starting level of 501 points."

I believe that the US board is different to the British board but the rules
are contained in

http://www.mastersgames.com/rules/darts-rules.htm

"Most professional matches are "501 up". This is the simplest of games.
Each player starts with a score of 501 and takes turns to throw 3 darts.
The score for each turn is calculated and deducted from the players total.
Bullseye scores 50, the outer ring scores 25 and a dart in the double or
treble ring counts double or treble the segment score. The objective is to
be the first player to reduce the score to exactly zero, the only caveat
being that the last dart thrown must land in a double or the bullseye.

If a player reduces the score to 1 or goes below zero, the score is bust,
that turn ends immediately and the score is returned to what it was at the
start of that turn. e.g. if a player has 32 to go out and the first dart is
a 16, the second is a 15, the player is bust and the score is returned to
32. So on the last turn, it is not necessary to throw all 3 darts - a
player can win with the first or second dart of the turn.

Because a player who misses a targeted double is likely to score the single
of that segment, good players attempt to leave themselves with a repeatably
bisectable number such as 24 or most ideally 32 - double 16. So for
instance, if a player has double 16 left, and hits a 16, he has double 8
left and if he then hits an 8 he has double 4 left and so on - this is
advantageous because no extra darts need to be thrown in order to reduce the
score to an even number... It so often happens that people reduce their
score to 1 (typically while aiming for double 1), some people play a very
unofficial rule called "splitting the 11". This rule says that when the
score is reduced to 1, instead of going bust, the player must "split the 11"
by throwing a dart between the two numbers forming the number 11 on the edge
of the board. This is tricky."

Consider the last paragraph.

In competition, one must be able to make lightening decisions about
finishing, with the TV cameras and in front of a large number of people.

See also "Darts and Numeracy"
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/Darts_and_numeracy
See also "Market Traders promote Skills for Life"
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/market_traders
"Joe Harrison, president of the National Market Traders Federation said:
"We are delighted to be supporting the 'Get On' campaign and to be promoting
the importance of numeracy and literacy skills for adults. As market
traders, we are proud of the skills we have developed and use as part of our
daily work and we think we could really help to spread the learning message
to the thousands of customers we serve each day.""
See this UK promotion to show 14-16 year-olds the use of maths in everyday
life.
http://www.mathscareers.org.uk/14_-_16/maths_in_everyday_life.cfm
Changing the subject I know but interesting all the same.
Nick


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