Re: [MATHEDCC] Factoring and "the real world."

John M. Flanigan (johnf@HAWAII.EDU)
Thu, 1 Apr 1999 12:42:11 -1000

I had the opportunity to answer exactly that question today. My answer:
"In order to be an educated person." At least it stopped him for the
moment.

John M. Flanigan <johnf@hawaii.edu> The equation is the final arbiter.
Assistant Professor, Mathematics --Werner Heisenberg
Kapi'olani Community College The scoreboard is the final arbiter.
4303 Diamond Head Road --Bill Walton
Honolulu HI 96816 History is the final arbiter.
(808) 734-9371 --Edward Gibbon

On Thu, 1 Apr 1999, Bret Taylor wrote:

> Here is why all math instructors are either in therapy or should be.
>
> A typical student question: Where am I ever gonna use this junk?
>
> Instructor response: OK. Let's see. Here is an entire section on
> applications.
>
> Student response: Word Problems! :-(
>
> My therapist says that I should not take it personally and should not be
> suffering from low self-esteem. He says I am transferring my students
> dislike of all math to a dislike of me. He says that even if students liked
> me they would still hate math. So, I have two problems to deal with, their
> dislike of math AND their dislike of me. He says it is extremely important
> for me to distinguish between those two. He thinks another 17 years of
> therapy (which coincides with my retirement) should cure me. :-)
>
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