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, 28 Oct 1999, Laura Bracken wrote:
> I agree, teaching math in context using applications is motivating and
> wonderful. However, is the only mathematics worth knowing and teaching
> applied mathematics? Isn't mathematics as a human accomplishment in itself
> worth studying? Certainly many other disciplines that we make part of the
> core curriculum include topics that are not necessarily "real life" and
> "useful to solve problems".
>
> Besides, we all know that the mathematics used in applications is often
> developed using pure mathematics that isn't "useful". One of the reasons
> that we have so many contrived word problems is that textbook writers are
> trying to meet the call for problems with context in situations where there
> are few if any applications.
>
> I'm still wondering about intermediate algebra. What skills/techniques
> should we eliminate from this curriculum under the situation in which we
> must work -- our students must succeed in the next math course or in the
> other courses for which this is a prerequisite. Lets get away from the
> theoretical for a bit and talk reality. Next semester, what should I do
> differently?
>
> --Laura
>
> ____________________________________________________________________
> Laura Bracken bracken@lcsc.edu
>
> Division of Natural Science and Mathematics Office: 208-799-2484
> Lewis-Clark State College Fax: 208-799-2064
> 500 8th Avenue
> Lewiston, ID 83501
> _____________________________________________________________________
>
>
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