Sunday, December 18, 2011

Not-So-Word Problems

My students ask me why they have to learn math, if they don't use it in real life?

For example:

The area of a circle is 169 square centimeters. What is the circumference of the circle?

Sure, someday you might be making a sign to cheer on your favorite team, and need to know about dimensions and how much paint to buy. But really. What's the point?

The other day I was trying to figure out the phone number of a certain photographer. I looked up and down the usual phone and Internet listings without luck. Then I remembered that a co-worker of mine had used him before.

The path to the photographer was indirect. Instead of point A to B, it was point A to B to C.

The solutions to lots of unpleasant challenges are found by taking the long way. There is almost always a solution, if you're willing to look around and be patient enough to endure a couple of steps.

You can learn this without taking a math class. Meanwhile, I'm glad for the chance to help people learn it in an environment that's not life-and-death.

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