Last week I purchased a burger and fries at McDonalds
>>> for $3.58.
>>>
>>> The counter girl took my $4.00 and I pulled 8 cents
>>> from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there,
>>> holding the nickel and 3 pennies. While looking at the
>>> screen on her register, I sensed her discomfort and
>>> tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but
>>> she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to
>>> explain the transaction to her, she stood there and
>>> cried .
>>> Why do I tell you this?
>>>
>>> Because of the evolution in teaching math since the
>>> 1950s.
>>>
>>> Teaching Math In 1950
>>>
>>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>>> cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his
>>> profit?
>>>
>>>
>>> Teaching Math In 1960
>>>
>>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>>> cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What
>>> is his profit?
>>>
>>>
>>> Teaching Math In 1970
>>>
>>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>>> cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
>>>
>>>
>>> Teaching Math In 1980
>>>
>>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>>> cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20 Your
>>> assignment: Underline the number 20.
>>>
>>>
>>> Teaching Math In 1990
>>>
>>> A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is
>>> selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the
>>> habitat of animals or the preservation of our
>>> woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of
>>> $20. What do you think of this way of making a living?
>>> Topic for class participation after answering the
>>> question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the
>>> logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong
>>> answers.)
>>>
>>>
>>> Teaching Math In 2005
>>>
>>> Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100.
>>> El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas
>>> se puede comprar?
>>
>>

You've just made a grown man cry.....

This is unfortunately true.

Old Elk Hunter, Bachelor of Science, Mathematics

Sadly this is so bloody true, I often wonder how generation 'Y' will survive if the power is switched off!! God help them if they ever need to fend for themselves without their mod cons, though our generation is as much to blame by not passing on the necessary survival skills that our fathers taught us, we pride ourselves in giving our kids an easier passage through life yet we fail to prepare them to deal with life when it gets rough.

This is more pitifully true then funny. When I was a junior Engineer I was assigned the task to teach a shop math class to company employees. I had a range of employees from assemblers to machinists to secretaries - about 20. With the exception of two they were all lost beyond basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers. Throw in a decimal point or fraction and forget it. All had high school diplomas.

quote:

Originally posted by billsleg:

Sadly this is so bloody true, I often wonder how generation 'Y' will survive if the power is switched off!! God help them if they ever need to fend for themselves without their mod cons, though our generation is as much to blame by not passing on the necessary survival skills that our fathers taught us, we pride ourselves in giving our kids an easier passage through life yet we fail to prepare them to deal with life when it gets rough.

Unfortunatly I think that is the general idea. The dumber and uneducated people are the easier it is to control them. Of course drugs help too! derf

hamdeni