Re: down with fractions

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Calculators? Or who cares? I think we do so much math because it was 
one thing the Greeks had a handle on. I think its time to rethink our 
obsession with higher level math. Stop at 5th grade or so. Teach violin 
or sociology instead.
Susan

On Saturday, February 2, 2008, at 04:30 PM, bonnie.blustein@att.net 
wrote:

> If you scrap long division in arithmetic, what would you do when it 
> comes to polynomial division (especially the problems that can't be 
> done with synthetic division)?  Scrap that, too?
> -------------- Original message from 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
> > > : --------------
> > >
> > >
> > > > 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."
> > > >
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