My mother used to make/allow me to add up all the numbers in this month’s check stubs. She’d read ‘em out, and I’d tell her the running sum. l think she was as good at that as I was (pretty good). It was either do it that way or go to my dad’s office and use the electric 10-key.
These days, I run down the electronic view of my credit card purchases, rounding up or down to the nearest dollar and keeping a running “approximately off by” in my head, which I zero out when it will help make the next item an even-dollar amount. If the sum comes up within $5 of the mental total, it’s good. Otherwise, I fire up “bc” on my computer and actually do the exact calculation. They’re right EVERY FREAKING TIME. So disappointing. :)
I’m not even sure what to make of this. Is “Revisionist History” sourced information? Does a Dishwasher use a different amount of water if there are more dishes in it? Where did “two minutes” come from? What if the dishes only take me a minute-and-a-half? What if you use cold water?
Learn your math tables. You won’t have a calculator available to do math when you need it. HAhaha! I can do math in my head. Grandkids are using their phones.
Most of the bits of ‘math’ they let elementary kids at is mere rote. And should be properly accomplished mechanically, as all rote activities should. No wonder it’s perceived as hard.
A very long time ago when I started college in engineering I had a slide rule (look it up for the young people here). I was a poor student and could not afford a calculator. By my second year I had to get one because the Profs were writing tests that were impossible to finish in time without a calculator.
Half of my college freshmen cannot add one-half plus two-thirds with a pencil. When asked to calculate a bank balance that started with a deposit of $500, some answer with millions of dollars without skipping a beat. I blame the use of calculators at a young age. Compose a complete sentence with a period? Good luck!
Bilan over 2 years ago
The fallacy is that math is not supposed to use less energy or be easy.
Concretionist over 2 years ago
My mother used to make/allow me to add up all the numbers in this month’s check stubs. She’d read ‘em out, and I’d tell her the running sum. l think she was as good at that as I was (pretty good). It was either do it that way or go to my dad’s office and use the electric 10-key.
These days, I run down the electronic view of my credit card purchases, rounding up or down to the nearest dollar and keeping a running “approximately off by” in my head, which I zero out when it will help make the next item an even-dollar amount. If the sum comes up within $5 of the mental total, it’s good. Otherwise, I fire up “bc” on my computer and actually do the exact calculation. They’re right EVERY FREAKING TIME. So disappointing. :)
C over 2 years ago
The asterisk cites Fox news!
rshive over 2 years ago
Technology is great, Caulfield. But you still have to know whether your answer makes sense.
sandpiper over 2 years ago
Mrs Olsen conned the con. Once again, Olsen 1: Caulfield 0. Love it.
Ignatz Premium Member over 2 years ago
I’m not even sure what to make of this. Is “Revisionist History” sourced information? Does a Dishwasher use a different amount of water if there are more dishes in it? Where did “two minutes” come from? What if the dishes only take me a minute-and-a-half? What if you use cold water?
rf_in_va over 2 years ago
Doesn’t sound very scientific. How about the electricity and water usage of a normal dishwasher that normally runs for over an hour?
BRBurns1960 over 2 years ago
Anything is easy if you work hard enough
sundogusa over 2 years ago
Learn your math tables. You won’t have a calculator available to do math when you need it. HAhaha! I can do math in my head. Grandkids are using their phones.
zwilnik64 over 2 years ago
Most of the bits of ‘math’ they let elementary kids at is mere rote. And should be properly accomplished mechanically, as all rote activities should. No wonder it’s perceived as hard.
Natarose over 2 years ago
Not sure why he thinks he needs a calculator in 4th grade math class(or is he in 5th now)
phoenixnyc over 2 years ago
I swear, Caldwell and Mrs. Olsen have a symbiotic relationship.
Bruce1253 over 2 years ago
A very long time ago when I started college in engineering I had a slide rule (look it up for the young people here). I was a poor student and could not afford a calculator. By my second year I had to get one because the Profs were writing tests that were impossible to finish in time without a calculator.
The Wolf In Your Midst over 2 years ago
Any amount of dishes in the dishwasher means I spend zero minutes at the sink. I’m only going to worry about efficiency up to a point.
kevin87031 over 2 years ago
Half of my college freshmen cannot add one-half plus two-thirds with a pencil. When asked to calculate a bank balance that started with a deposit of $500, some answer with millions of dollars without skipping a beat. I blame the use of calculators at a young age. Compose a complete sentence with a period? Good luck!
tjbanjo Premium Member over 2 years ago
Is no one going to mention what a great podcast Revisionist History is? Oh, I just did.