World Maths Day Today - Page 9

Margaret Pilkington · 22-03-2013, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpick24

a=b X c
a=the £20 you have
b=£4 cost of drink/round
c=how many drinks/rounds can you have.

But you really didn't need algebra to work it out...you are just showing that you could use algebra if you wanted.
I can't do algebra, but I can work out simple things like that.

Sugarmouse...I was rubbish at Maths and got shouted at a lot because I didn't get it....it made me scared of it too.

Guinness · 22-03-2013, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707

Nope, I get it-as I said , however I don't see the point in it!

There's a point to it...but only for certain professions and skills..it's highly unlikely that you or me will send a rover to Mars, place an order for the number of bricks you need to build the next Empire State Building or figure out how wide you need to build a septic tank with a length of 2m a depth of 4m to cope with a volume of 30m cubed...

However, if you ain't introduced to it at some point, how will you ever know if you want to send a rover to mars etc..etc..etc..

Sunflower49 · 22-03-2013, 21:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

Some people can just talk a glass eye to sleep.

It's a bit late in the evening for challenges

gpick24 · 22-03-2013, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinness

There's a point to it...but only for certain professions and skills..it's highly unlikely that you or me will send a rover to Mars, place an order for the number of bricks you need to build the next Empire State Building or figure out how wide you need to build a septic tank with a length of 2m a depth of 4m to cope with a volume of 30m cubed...

However, if you ain't introduced to it at some point, how will you ever know if you want to send a rover to mars etc..etc..etc..

Or want to work out your fuel economy = miles / gallons
Or a spark, Volts = Amps X Resistance
Or a joiner, Floor joist size = (span / 2)+2

Sunflower49 · 22-03-2013, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinness

There's a point to it...but only for certain professions and skills..it's highly unlikely that you or me will send a rover to Mars, place an order for the number of bricks you need to build the next Empire State Building or figure out how wide you need to build a septic tank with a length of 2m a depth of 4m to cope with a volume of 30m cubed...

However, if you ain't introduced to it at some point, how will you ever know if you want to send a rover to mars etc..etc..etc..

Lol I hear you. It was kind of my point at the beginning of this thread-what they teach these things for and why you have to be so good at them-I think it's over-rated as a subject given its content.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

But you really didn't need algebra to work it out...you are just showing that you could use algebra if you wanted.
I can't do algebra, but I can work out simple things like that.

Sugarmouse...I was rubbish at Maths and got shouted at a lot because I didn't get it....it made me scared of it too.

I'm glad it's not just me

And yes, for everyday situations where Maths is helpful, I'm okay now. But I think I would have been a lot better a lot earlier in life, if I wasn't made to feel the way I did about it from day one.
I still find myself questioning if I have worked something out correctly-doing the sum again because 'Well It's me!I can't have got it right! ' lol

Margaret Pilkington · 22-03-2013, 21:20

I was intorduced to Algebra(or was it Algernon?), but he wasn't my type at all...you never knew where you were with him

Guinness · 22-03-2013, 21:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

But you really didn't need algebra to work it out...you are just showing that you could use algebra if you wanted.
I can't do algebra, but I can work out simple things like that.

There's the thing...algebra is only simple in its basic form...take one of the examples I gave in my last post..

Most schoolkids know that to find the volume of a box you need to multiply the width by the depth by the length or in maths terms V=WxDxL, could you work out the depth if you were given the volume, length and width....because anyone that can do basic algebra could. If you don't dig that septic tank deep enough you are going to be in serious waste product

gpick24 · 22-03-2013, 21:39

Just want to send everyone some nice warm sunshine on a cold wintry night.

Margaret Pilkington · 22-03-2013, 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinness

There's the thing...algebra is only simple in its basic form...take one of the examples I gave in my last post..

Most schoolkids know that to find the volume of a box you need to multiply the width by the depth by the length or in maths terms V=WxDxL, could you work out the depth if you were given the volume, length and width....because anyone that can do basic algebra could. If you don't dig that septic tank deep enough you are going to be in serious waste product

Nope...I couldn't, as I said...me and Algebra didn't get along.
I have lived a long time and I haven't noticed the need to indulge in algebraic formula of any description...simple sums have got me through my life(thank goodness - because it was all greek to me at school).