I sincerely hope this is a fake news story
I have a lot of strange hobbies and one of them is finding horrible headlines and posting them into groups of other like-minded people for us all to laugh at. One was recently posted that looks legitimate but I think it might be a fake. I hope that it is or that it was intentionally written ironically.
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That looks legitimate but with today's AI and PS skills, it could be easily faked, the person didn't specify where they got it from so I doubt that this made it past an editor but you never know. Math skills have diminished over the years where everyone has a calculator in their pocket at all times. Given the fact that they state "maths" instead of "math" this is likely from the UK if it is real at all. This next story though, unfortunately is very true.
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In the 80's A&W attempted to compete with McDonalds by offering a 1/3 pound burger to compete with the McDonalds "quarter pounder." Anyone with elementary school level math skills knows that 1/3 is larger than 1/4 but the burger flopped as an offering even though it was cheaper than the McDonalds smaller burger. When they asked the populace why that is many responded that it was because 1/4 is bigger than 1/3.
I find this hard to believe but then again, I choose to hang out with people that aren't ignoramuses. How it is that these people managed to make it to adult age and presumably have jobs is a wonder to the education system and suggests that people who shouldn't have passed 4th grade math were pushed through the system.
I understand if you don't remember all of your trigonometry stuff because not very many people use that sort of thing but fractions are a basic part of everyday life so this is inexcusable.
While this was the 80's we live in a far more idiotic time today then we did back then. Smartphones have made us all stupider even when it comes to really simple things. The other day a friend of mine and I were splitting a bill and we had the same thing and I thought my friend was messing with me when he pulled out his phone to split a bill that was $12.50 in half. "Seriously? You can't do that in your head?" Is what I said.
I think this might be part of the reason why quiz shows that require actual intellect aren't nearly as popular as they used to be but the Kardashians can release any old terrible show and it instantly becomes one of the most watched shows on television.
I think we could all do ourselves a favor by not using our smartphones to solve really small things that happen in our life for just a week or so. Our brains have become so dumbed down by having a computer in our pockets at all times that people, like my friend at the restaurant the other day, don't even bother to try to use it in very simple situations.
Two things are happening here. We don't teach math well, and we teach math wrong.
Every few years, they change math and how it is taught. So that parents cannot help with their children's math homework. Not because of arithmetic itself, but because of the processes.
We have never taught math well. Because the people who love math, do not share a language with the majority that doesn't like math. Math can be fun and easy. But, instead of doing basic algebra and then go into accounting (everyone can use it) they go into trigonometry (most people will never use, except me) and calculus (which isn't useful at all, except to shut up people who might see that math is wrong. I know what it is used for)
So, basically, we should go 'a sprinkling of algebra' and then into bookkeeping and accounting. And so, make sure all know their basic math (and how to balance check book)
And all the other maths, for math nerds, algebra, trigonometry, linear algebra, fourier transforms…
We don't make math fun. (i think this is a conspiracy theory)
The pressure in the academic community is to come up with new things. The education community should be focused on finding the best way to teach students.
Posted using STEMGeeks
Unfortunately, govern-cement schools have a different opinion. They wish for confusion and to make a divide between parents and children.
The teachers have no choice but to teach whatever stupidity is handed down to them. And the teaching boards keep changing the stupidity.
It is not by chance. It is by plan.
I recall the math classes I had to take in high school and while I know it is a cliché to say this, I have never used anything beyond algebra in my professional life. Math can be fun and I actually really enjoyed physics. However, i think this is a far cry from a person not being capable of understanding simple fractions.
There are many good paying jobs that don't require familiarity with math or logic. The list includes politics, journalism and law.
In some of these professions knowledge of logic is a detriment. Journalists trained in logic are likely to balk at the things they are required to publish. Politicians who studied logic would cringe at the law they pass.
The headline has some funky math. The fact that people have littie interest in learning math does not surprise me.
!WINEX
Posted using STEMGeeks
I see what you did there! I like it!
It looks like an April Fools joke to me - at least I don't think my maths is that bad to not recognise the joke. Keep posting to all your like-minded fans
If you don't understand quantum physics I think that is ok. But 4th grade math? That's an embarrassing level of dumb.
I do believe this as I know helping my kids with homework so much has changed from when we were at school. The burger thing is ridiculous but I can well believe it. Just ask people where certain countries are on the world map and they look in the wrong continent.
In relation to geography or just general ignorance I recall there was a guy that played a prank on people but giving away "Africa Pride" medallions at some sort of rally and the people were very happy to receive these free gifts. The only problem was that the continent that was on the medallions was actually South America and this was done intentionally by the maker of the video in an effort to show that the people at the rally were completely clueless. While I am sure the video was doctored and edited, so many people had absolutely no idea what continent they were looking at and genuinely thought it was Africa.