Re: down with fractions

[Jen K <jenniferknudsen@mac.com>]

In rational expressions, the fraction "bar" can be thought of as  
division. In fact, that's what we want. Sttudent's misconceptions  
about fractions developed in elementary school actually interfere  
with "seeing" the division.
Still I wouldn't throw out fractions entirely. They are good for  
precision (not lopping off decimal places) and also for estimating  
and visualizing. But should kids spend a week adding fractions like  
13/17 + 2/5? NOOOOO!
Long division and square roots, I am with the professor on those.  
Teaching those is sort of like teaching how to add using Roman  
numerals instead of base 10 numbers.. It's a pain and better done  
with a newer "technology".

That's my view on it. Fun to get some math talk on this list!
Jennifer
On Feb 1, 2008, at 5:04 PM, bonnie.blustein@att.net wrote:

> Does this also mean no rational expressions, rational functions,  
> etc until "calculus"?  That doesn't seem right.
>
> -------------- Original message from Susan Harman  
> <susanharman@igc.org>: --------------
>
>
> > Ive been arguing this for years!
> >
> > Math professor's book will argue against teaching fractions, long  
> > division.
> >
> > USA Today (1/24, 11D, Milford) reports, "A few years ago, Dennis  
> > DeTurck, an
> > award-winning professor of mathematics at the University of  
> > Pennsylvania,
> > stood at an outdoor podium on campus and proclaimed, 'Down with  
> > fractions!'"
> > DeTurck, in a contribution to a 60-second lecture series, argued that
> > fractions were "useful for by-hand calculation. But in this  
> > digital age,
> > they're as obsolete as Roman numerals are." The speech was posted  
> > online,
> > triggering a "firestorm" of discussion among educators. Now,  
> > DeTurck is
> > scheduled to publish a book that argues for "the teaching of  
> > decimals over
> > fractions to elementary school students." He also criticizes "long  
> > division,
> > the calculation of square roots and by-hand multiplication of long  
> > numbers."
> > DeTurck argues that "the study of fractions should be delayed  
> > until it can be
> > understood, perhaps after a student learns calculus."
> >
> > Vote in the National Cheney Impeachment Poll
> >
> > http://www.usalone.com/blogvoices.php?Cheney%20Impeachment%3F
> >
> > Add this text to your own email and blog signatures!  
> > ---------------------------------------------------------
> If you want to help support the operation of Ca-Resisters,
> visit http://interversity.org/donations.html and pitch in!
> -----------------
> Thanks in advance!
> -Eric Crump