Question for the young'uns - calculators in school?

[Hey Ladi]

when i was in middle school we were forced to write down everything even if it was easy to do in our head,

me either

is that all that time when they went on about how important it is to show your work, was all just a waste of time

for the most part yes, but some teachers would do the whole "I'll give partial credit if I see you were on the right track & just got the numbers wrong, but the procedure right."



Edited By Hey Ladi on 1037591782

[crx girl]

i took the ap calculus exam and i don't think i got any actual answers on the written part, but i did write out all my work and i got a 4. so yeah, it was a waste of time early on but i never had to take math again after hs :thumbs-up:

also, when things get more advanced you can't just punch numbers into a calculator and get the right answer...

[Weird NJ]

I started using a calculator in freshman year. But any assignments that i handed in had to have my answers detailed on paper on how I got to the answer. My calculator was basically used to speed up the process or for graphing functions.

[AdolescentMasturbator]

My school requires that all students have a graphing calculator(i.e ti83, ti86, ti89) for all math classes from freshman year up. THey do ban the ti92 because that sucker will take in word problems and then solve them for you AND give you the process for solving it.

What's bad about graphing calculators is that you can cheat with them so easily by just putting in formulas instead of actually knowing them.



Edited By AdolescentMasturbator on 1037590177

[Sweet Angel]

See? This is my point. They're making the kids completely dependent upon the calculators. They DON'T have to show their work (although they did in 3rd & 4th grade for addition, subtraction, multiplication & division). These teachers are generating a bunch of basically stupid kids. What's gonna happen when they get older and can't figure out a basic tip (15%-20%) or discount without the help of their calculators?

[Hey Ladi]

without the help of their calculators?

they will be good little capitalist consumers & buy a pocket calculator or 7. :thumbs-up:

[Sweet Angel]

Grrrr...that's not the answer I was looking for. :-p

[Keyser Soze]

they should be able to do it all in their head.

[PollyannaFlower46]

I wasn't allowed to use a calculator until high school when we started doing more advanced math. Allowing them to use calculators is going to be damaging to them when they take standardized tests that don't allow calculators, etc.

[Sweet Angel]

They should at least know how to do it with pen & paper, and not HAVE to rely on a calculator.

[AdolescentMasturbator]

I actually try to force myself to learn the material because I always think I'm going to fuck myself when I take AP Calculus next year.

Most teachers don't give a shit though how you do it. And we do spend way too much time on the calculator, learning about advanced calculator functions when we could be learning about actual theorems.

[PollyannaFlower46]

I just took the GRE and you're not allowed to use a calculator on that test...the dependency that you have on your calculator really tends to fuck you when you least expect it.

[Hey Ladi]

Grrrr...that's not the answer I was looking for.

well we all obviously agree with you, so I don't see what the point is

[PeterDragon]

It is ridiculous to have students "learn" to do basic math with a calculator.
If my son (in 5th grade) came home with that as homework I'd be down at the principal's office right away.

What's bad about graphing calculators is that you can cheat with them so easily by just putting in formulas instead of actually knowing them.

That's why in my daughter's school they can use the graphing calculators during the year, but they know they will not be allowed to bring them for the standardized tests.

[The Jays]

... when the math becomes more reliant on knowing the steps to achieve the answer, the calculator should be used. Once students reach a certain grade, they come in with the teacher's assumption that they know how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. In algebra, geo, trig, pre-cal and cal, one must know how to do each step to acheive the answer. To just write in the answer and show no work does not sound like a test of mathematical skill.

[Goatweed]

I wasn't allowed to use a calculator in school until I got to freshman year in high school (way back in 1986) and even then it was for limited use. Once I started taking computer classes and pre-calculus, I started using them more.

At work, I do all of my math on my adding machine (a glorified calculator) and at home I use a calculator to balance my checkbook because I like to be exact when it comes to my checkbook.

Most times I do simple math in my head (like when I go shopping, figuring out % discounts on clothes, etc.) but for anything that requires major formulas, I turn to the calculator.

[HedCold]

i dont remember when i started using calculators, but i do know i used them in junior high. it was never where they made me totally dependant on them, and especially not like that problem you posted earlier where they tell you what to put in.

[The Painter]

We got to use a slide rule. It's a few steps above a abacus

[Rape Fantasizer]

I don't remember when we were allowed to start using them. I think the basic stuff should be learned, but how many of you adults do math in your head? Most people use calculators anyhow. The TI-82, which was $90 and required when I was in high school, was the most difficult thing in the world to learn. We spent more time on that than on actual math. Little did the teacher know, we were all playing ping-pong and duck hunter on them.

[Sweet Angel]

well we all obviously agree with you, so I don't see what the point is

No point....just crabby about the whole situation. :crackhead: I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this is not a good practice.

Most times I do simple math in my head (like when I go shopping, figuring out % discounts on clothes, etc.) but for anything that requires major formulas, I turn to the calculator.

Well yeah, but if you HAD to figure it out without the calculator, you probably could.

I'd be down at the principal's office right away.

I wrote a rather unpleasant note to the teacher, and sent my son in with OUR calculator to back it up. I asked her when they stopped teaching "the old fashioned way" (with pen & paper). We'll see what happens today. I just hope she doesn't get all pissy with my poor kid.