3 ms·
I agree with you on the first two points, but interpolating polynomials is not analogous to the ability to multiply single-digit numbers, which is indicative of
by utexaspunk 17y ago
I agree with you on the first two points, but interpolating polynomials is not analogous to the ability to multiply single-digit numbers, which is indicative of a certain level of mathematical literacy which one would expect from even a third grader.
- yequalsx 17y agoMy experience is that the third graders know how to multiply without a calculator. But they use the calculator in 6th grade through 12th grade. By the time they get to college the connections in their brain used to multiply haven't been used in a long time and thus they have forgotten it. It isn't a travesty though. It used to be the case that high school students were taught interpolating polynomials but they aren't anymore. It used to be taught to make estimates on what log(1.0356) is based on a table to values. When calculators became common the old timers would say things like, "Wow, kids these days. They don't know anything. They have to rely on a calculator to find what log(1.0356) is. I can do that using interpolating polynomials and a table of values." I suspect everyone on this website using a calculator to find log(1.0356).