Screwing up math to add to the confusion

[PeoplesElbow]

Puzzles like these are gotcha math because they use your experiences with the real world against you.

This is how mathematicians and engineers differ in how math should be taught. In engineering 101 we learned that math should have been taught to us as it is in the real world. Since every problem in real life is a word problem they should use units when they teach it.

An example of a math problem would be 4 / 2 = ?

If engineers taught math they would have made this problem: You have four apples, you need to divide them evenly among two people, how many apples does each person get?

 

[vraiblonde]

I also just noticed that they multiply by a piston, how the hell do you multiply by a piston? I saw it as addition originally. That is also how i got $17.

 

[vraiblonde]

If engineers taught math they would have made this problem: You have four apples, you need to divide them evenly among two people, how many apples does each person get?

I used to ask my college math teachers, "What is a real world use for this?" If the answer had the words "rocket scientist" in it, I learned it long enough to pass the test, then promptly cleared it from my organic cache. Talking to you, imaginary number.

 

[TCROW]

I used to ask my college math teachers, "What is a real world use for this?" If the answer had the words "rocket scientist" in it, I learned it long enough to pass the test, then promptly cleared it from my organic cache. Talking to you, imaginary number.

But you underestimate the life points you get from being able to dazzle social media with your recall of seemingly elementary concepts. ;p

But seriously, this is data mining of some sort. If this stuff is on Facebook, you can be certain it has nefarious intent.

 

[vraiblonde]

But you underestimate the life points you get from being able to dazzle social media with your recall of seemingly elementary concepts. ;p

But seriously, this is data mining of some sort. If this stuff is on Facebook, you can be certain it has nefarious intent.

I use FB to show off my latest nail art creation.

 

[TCROW]

An example of a math problem would be 4 / 2 = ?

If engineers taught math they would have made this problem: You have four apples, you need to divide them evenly among two people, how many apples does each person get?

Calc I as a freshman in college was very much applied problems like that.

 

[TCROW]

I use FB to show off my latest nail art creation.

View attachment 135073

I dig that turquoise base. It’s a great color. I have a turquoise bolo tie that I love and my spouse and kids hate. Also, FB is great for sharing things like that. We all have a passion, and we love to share and connect with similar passions.

I will never trust these memes that garner as many comments as the one you were describing. They want our data and our souls.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Calc I as a freshman in college was very much applied problems like that.

By then it is far too late, most people never take Calc I in college. The point is that they should be teaching math with units from the start. Maybe people that have decided by the 6th grade that "they just don't get math" could have learned how math is useful and could get it.

I have had more math than even most engineers have heard of, but to enjoy it and truly learn it I had to look at it in a completely different way starting around Calc 2 in college.

 

[my-thyme]

I've run into a few times where the bulk price is higher than if you bought them individually. As in, apples 20 cents each or 4 for $1.

haha We sold our school newspaper in the cafeteria at lunchtime. Had a young man selling papers '10c each, 2 for a quarter'. Brought back quite a few quarters.

 

[Toxick]

This is how mathematicians and engineers differ in how math should be taught. In engineering 101 we learned that math should have been taught to us as it is in the real world. Since every problem in real life is a word problem they should use units when they teach it.

 

[vraiblonde]

View attachment 135085

Stomp on the ground and one of those set of forks isn't going anywhere.

 

[Toxick]

Stomp on the ground and one of those set of forks isn't going anywhere.

Gotta love applied science.

 

[vraiblonde]

Gotta love applied science.

Which is not to denigrate cool bar tricks.

 

[vraiblonde]

 

[This_person]

I'm older than 40 and we didn't have that when I was a kid.

We did where I grew up

 

[jazz lady]

I thought about this thread when I saw this post on FB. The number of answers was staggering as was the venom people used in defending them.

 

[stgislander]

I got 2.

 

[GWguy]

I got 2.

Yup. Gotta read.

 

[This_person]

And, that's the problem with "real world" examples. In the real world, you have a lot of extraneous data and it becomes a riddle instead of a math problem - where reading comprehension is more important than understanding math.

My chemistry teacher used to say, "let's say you need X amount of such-and-such chemical, and you have this compound and that solution - how do you get such and such chemical?" My answer was always, "order it and wait for it to come in." He did not like that answer, because he was trying to give me a "real world" problem, and I was giving him an "actual world" solution.

Generally speaking, if you are trying to figure out how many cubic yards of cement you need for your patio, you get all your measurements and then put them all on the same units (convert inches to decimals of feet, etc.), then you do the maths without the units or "word problem". THAT is real world math.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

And, that's the problem with "real world" examples. In the real world, you have a lot of extraneous data and it becomes a riddle instead of a math problem - where reading comprehension is more important than understanding math.

My chemistry teacher used to say, "let's say you need X amount of such-and-such chemical, and you have this compound and that solution - how do you get such and such chemical?" My answer was always, "order it and wait for it to come in." He did not like that answer, because he was trying to give me a "real world" problem, and I was giving him an "actual world" solution.

Generally speaking, if you are trying to figure out how many cubic yards of cement you need for your patio, you get all your measurements and then put them all on the same units (convert inches to decimals of feet, etc.), then you do the maths without the units or "word problem". THAT is real world math.

Real world problems don't necessary have to be filled with extraneous data to make it a "gotcha" or "trick" problem.

Your example of leaving out the units leads to mistakes. It may not be too bad when they are all similar units such as length in your concrete example, but in more complex problems the units should be left in for dimensional analysis. There are many times I didn't remember an equation off the top of my head but when thinking about the units of what I wanted out and what went in I could figure it out quickly that way forgoing the derivation. For those that don't know what dimensional analysis is here is a good example http://www2.ucdsb.on.ca/tiss/stretton/Basic_skills/Dimensional_Analysis_Contents.htm

So many of my non-degreed coworkers ask me about math, they say the only answer they ever got when they asked their math teacher what is this used for was "you will need this in the next math class you take", their reply to that was "well what if this is my last math class I ever take?"