4 ms·
> At one top Beijing kindergarten, students must know pi to 100 digits by age 3. I really have a hard time believing that's even true to begin with, but if it
by arockwell 18y ago
> At one top Beijing kindergarten, students must know pi to 100 digits by age 3.
I really have a hard time believing that's even true to begin with, but if it is what a completely pointless exercise.
- wvenable 18y agoThink back to how much of your western education was spent on completely pointless exercises...
- arockwell 18y agoThat's certainly true, but at the same time I rarely spent much time at home on schoolwork either.
- ars 18y agoIt wouldn't be that hard - 3 year olds commonly memorize entire songs and rhymes they hear. You just put the numbers to music or make a rhyme - how much you want to bet there is a little industry making CD's for this? But it is totally pointless. Learning to memorize stuff is useful, but learning to memorize a single thing isn't.
- Spyckie 18y agoIts definitely a culture thing. Its best shown by the Chinese parent's desire for their kids to play the piano. Do you think Chinese parents make their kids learn piano because they themselves were inspired by Mozart and Chopin? No, they learn piano because it is something that the kid can show off (to relatives, colleges, etc). Those kids learn PI much in the same way.
- mamama 18y agoAre you referring to Chinese immigrants? Because if China is anything like India, kids would actually be discouraged to play the piano, as it would prove to be a "distraction from their studies."