I don't like the way math is taught

[neromir]

I used to think I hated math, but recent experiences, reflections, and classes have shown me that it is otherwise. I really like math-- it's an excellent tool and helps simplify a lot of problems into numbers and rules that otherwise would have to be resolved purely from empirical observation and conceptual understanding

Comments

[iamzuul]

I also hate 'new math' with a passion. Math and me are not the best of friends - I had to retake arithmatic in order to get up to college level math. Let's not even talk about me and division. Not going to give me a real-life basis as for what, exactly, said formula/math function is used for? I can promise you I'll fail the test.

The only math class I did well in was a math class was Contemporary Mathmatics - you guessed it, a math class that taught formulas used in a business setting (like supply/demand curves). Everything else? I was lucky if I scraped by with a C. *tsk*

[neromir]

What do you mean 'new math?' I'm not familiar with the term.

Like I said, it's not actually math that I hate (although it can be pretty blood-boiling at times), but mostly the teaching methods (or lack there of) that drives me insane. I wish more professors took the "if you link the new concept to an old concept that students already understand and tell them why they care, it works a lot better" theory and used it more often. As it stands, a lot of them just drop the new concepts on you and expect you to work everything else out, like what it even has to do with what you were studying the day before.

[iamzuul]

New math is exactly what you described in the second paragraph. Right around 1990, they changed the way math was taught to what a lot of people still refer to as 'new math', where they teach it to you generally without really making certain the student understands the subject.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Math#The_New_New_Math

Tom Lehrer (<3) even wrote a song about it: "...in the new approach, as you know, the important thing is to understand what you're doing, rather than to get the right answer."

[silverstorm_x]

I'm usually able to decently well do "magical" math. I write down numbers and usually it comes out right in the end. But I agree for most things in general. Like basic programming. If they aren't explaining to me really well exactly what everything is doing so I understand the entire concept, I have a really hard time trying to take some random problem and fit everything else into it so it comes out right. :(

Maybe some things are a little more intuitive for different people. Like math tends to be a little more intuitive for me usually (I have yet to take linear algebra) but other things I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall with no result.

[neromir]

Yeah-- see my reply above. I don't do well with the "solve this problem without knowing/understanding what the tools to solve it are" thing that a lot of professors like to do.

I definitely feel your pain on feeling like you're beating your head against the wall.

[milk11]

What is this? Snake oil?

haha

I know what you mean about learning visually. Algebra was ok, and I loved geometry (which comes with it's own visuals by definition). I was lucky enough that when I hit Calc in high school my teacher somewhat tried to explain the process and applications of some of what we were doing. But advanced math was all discovered by geniuses over the entire course of history - it's hard to condense that in a 4-8 month course no matter what level you're at. In any case, that's the point where I realized "Hey, I'm NOT actually going to need to use this daily for the rest of my life."

And thus it was my last math course ever.

You should check around and see if you can't find any casual reading material that goes more into Linear Algebra (kind of like Godel, Escher, Bach is for logic's incompleteness theorem and strange loops). That kind of thing can be extremely useful and interesting. In any case, "do this cause I said so" isn't a good teaching method in any discipline, so good luck with the course work.

Some books

[anonymous]

I always have the same frustrations with math classes. I'm not a programmer, but just a amateur math enthusiast. Learning by skipping around multiple texts works better for me.

Try these books, which appeal to visualization and intuition:

Practical Linear Algebra: A Geometry Toolbox by Gerald Farin & Dianne Hansford.

I've not read this book but I've heard very good things (I'm trying to find it somewhere before putting up the cash, but it's fairly new). The coauthor is computer scientist, too, so it's probably more relevant for you.

supplemented by:

About Vectors by Banesh Hoffman
A Vector Space Approach to Geometry by Melvin Hausner

These two are great. They're also older and much easier for you to find through the university library or interlibrary loan. Both tend towards being physics oriented...

Your class is probably already over though :/

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