[MATHEDCC] Factoring

Bret Taylor (bret@IAG.NET)
Thu, 10 Apr 1997 21:03:04 -0400

Not to get a new thread started on the advantages or disadvantages of
factoring trinomials (I think we've covered that fairly well recently) but I
did want to share some anecdotal evidence.

We held our Mathlympics today. 7 high schools (2 teams per school)
participated. Here are the results of two questions, neither of which are
"real world" type.

1. Factor x^2 - 6x - 8 Results: No teams answered correctly

2. Given a, b, and c are > 0 solve for x:
2a^2 x^2 - 4acx + b^2 = 0 Results: No teams answered
correctly.

Note: Those of you who requested the problems - I should get them in the
mail next week. Thanks for your interest.

Bret Taylor Lake-Sumter Community College Leesburg FL

"It matters not the subject taught, nor all the books on all the shelves.
What matters more, yes most of all, is what the teachers are themselves."
John Wooden

John 3: 3^3 + 3
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