Saturday, October 6, 2012

The evolution of mathematics teaching

Agent 3 was born too early to be victimized by modern edukashun. He learned math in the 1950s. Today he sends us a dismaying example of what happened after that.

The evolution of mathematics teaching

1950
A logger sells a truckload of timber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 the sale price. What is his profit?

1960
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 the sale price or $80. What is his profit?

1970
A logger exchanges a set "L" of timber for a set "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth $1. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M". The set "C", the cost of production, contains 20 fewer elements than set "M". Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following question: what is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?

1980
A logger sells a truckload of timber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: underline the number 20.

1990
By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class discussion: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees?

2000
A logger sells a truckload of timber for $100. His cost of production is $120. How does KPMG determine that the profit margin is $60?

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