1253
this one goes out to the arts & humanities (mander.xyz)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[+] -11 points 2 years ago (2 children)

This has a secondary effect of making average people incapable of estimation in their heads. Hopefully in the future people won't be incapable of writing and art.

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  • [–] 13 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    The entire point behind the much maligned New Math is to teach approximate solutions that you can do quickly in your head. It's the realization that if you want an exact answer, use a calculator, but quick head estimates are still useful.

    It was opposed by generations who were told to memorize multiplication tables because they wouldn't always have a calculator available.

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  • [+] -9 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Well you should memorize those anyway. It's useful all your life for easy calculation. If you want 7 items and they cost $3.50 each, it's between $21 and $28.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I check on the calculator I have with me at all times. It's $24.50

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    I calculated it in my head without memorising all the multiplication tables. I just realised that 7*3.5 is equal to (7*5+7*2)/2. And that 49/2 is equal to 40/2+9/2. Easy peasy. This is why I failed second grade math, because multiplication tables are only useful for doing operations a few seconds faster.

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