> Math is the best way that I know of to do this. But is it the best way educators know of to do this? Because at the end of the day, whether math is a good ba

> Math is the best way that I know of to do this. But is it the best way educators know of to do this? Because at the end of the day, whether math is a good basic skill that pays dividends in logical thinking and symbolic manipulation (dividends beyond what other methods could deliver) is an empirical question. What you say sounds plausible, but theories can be plausible and dead wrong.