i am in tears..i can't stop crying /laughing lol..i am going to marmalise my sis
By yanjiaren
@yanjiaren (9031)
February 13, 2007 1:56pm CST
she is going to give me a heart attack and i just had my lunch..
look at this..if you haven't cracked up yet you will now lol..
Last week I purchased a burger and fries at McDonalds for $3.58.
The counter girl took my $4.00 and I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies. While looking at the screen on her register, I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this?
Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s......
Teaching Math In 1950
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1960
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1970
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
Teaching Math In 1980
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20 Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
Teaching Math In 1990
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.)
Teaching Math In 2007
Un ranchero vende una carretera de maderapara $100. El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas se puede comprar?
btw this is what i found on youtube..can anyone who pablo espanol translate this? i am in hysterics..
from la tortura to la gordura..whatever that means..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06Iry00Ov_A
7 people like this
24 responses
@yanjiaren (9031)
•
13 Feb 07
we need it..i like la gordura..now i am listening to a wicked african song on mnn..it's in arabic ...french and every other african thingy..briliant man..
2 people like this
@nexuswolf (151)
• United States
13 Feb 07
PURE genius! I would love to give you all my money and work for you for the rest of my life. :) This is so true and I am very happy you shared it with us. The movie is very disturbing and made me bleed from my eyes so ya. Not for everyone! :) Thanks again yanjiaren, you've made my year!
2 people like this
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
14 Feb 07
My spanish is rusty, but I believe it has to do with, fat, like "the fatty" or something like that...
1 person likes this
@yanjiaren (9031)
•
13 Feb 07
anyone know what la gordura means lol..i am so glad i can make you smile..you don't want to see my wonky teeth lol
1 person likes this
@pookie92 (1714)
• United States
14 Feb 07
that is so sad to hear, yet it is very amusing too, and somewhat true! I have another sad fact for you. One of my daughter's friends is struggling in school, math in particular. She is more worried about being popular, but that is another discussion altogether. Her mother told me that she even wrote the teacher a note about the math, because she has no idea how to help her with it, she doesn't know the material.. OMG, this is sixth grade math. It is sad to me that a parent who has a career at a bank cannot do sixth grade math......
@GardenGerty (160949)
• United States
14 Feb 07
It is easy to believe that this is the case, but what if I told you that due to "no child left behind" we now try to teach second grade students (seven and eight year olds) mode, median and range. They do not even know multiplication and division yet, and certainly not fractions or percentages. These principals are from high school and college level economics and probabilities classes, but due to assessment testing later this spring, we have to spend a week or two on this aspect of math instead of something practical, like how to count back change. ( I know third graders that could have handled the McDonalds deal, though, with ease.) I do find it funny when they change the names of everything in math, and the approaches as well.
1 person likes this
@shirgie (230)
• United States
14 Feb 07
I have a second grader dd. It amazes me when I find they are learning geometry or other higher learning principles. What doesn't make sense to me is when they have to explain how they do math problems. I also have a 5th grader and for a couple of years now for math, she has to write out explanations for her work. It seems ridiculous to me to have to have a 3 - 5 step explanation for a simple math problem like adding two numbers together. You didn't say if you think the no child left behind program is more good or bad. I think it is a good topic.
1 person likes this
@hoghoney (3747)
• United States
13 Feb 07
this is a good discussion. but I understand what you mean. so many people now and days really dont know how to count change back if they had to they just look and see what the register and thats what they give you back. I spent 10 years of my live working as a cashier my first job was a cashier and back then in 1975 the register then had these big button that you pushed the numbers of the price and a total button and then you had to count the change out because it didnt tell you what to give. and as for the math yes math has came a long way in time and if schools taugh like the old days the kids now would be lost. every thing is so high tech now but most people judt dont know the basic anymore.
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
13 Feb 07
roflmao.. that's a good one. And oh so very true. I've run across that return bottles to the grocery store - the younger girls seem to have issues multipling by 5's drives me nutso. There's one who will pull out a calculator every time I go in. Even if it's only with a case of cans.
2 people like this
@divir_vij (1591)
• India
14 Feb 07
Hay nice funny description of the humorous side of seriously under privileged customer agents.
1 person likes this
@volschenkh (1043)
• South Africa
14 Feb 07
This is so so true. We are even in a 3rd world country like South Africa experiencing this lack of science and maths education in our schools. I feel that due to outcomes-based education, alot of the "real" outcomes of education goes down the drain. Learners leaving our schools cannot even do simple mathematical calculations...although this post is really funny, and I could not help laugh myself...I am deeply troubled by this matter, as I work in the higher education sector and have to deal with this on a daily basis.
Another example:
One of the questions asked to our students in their first year during a aptitide test:
What is the lenght of a 1 meter measuring stick:
a) 10 cm
b) 100 cm
c) 1000 cm
d) 1 000 000 cm
More that 80% of the first years cannot answer this simple question...the highest response is always 1000 cm. Its scary!!!
1 person likes this
@lisado (1227)
• United States
14 Feb 07
The sad thing is, we have had that happen at fast food restaurants before!! If we gave something different than they typed in (be it a typo or found the change after the typed) they couldn't figure the change!! It's funny, but sad at the same time. I don't know what kids do in school all day when there are so many that can't read, write or do basic math problems. :(
1 person likes this
@r_anithain (359)
• India
14 Feb 07
Good narration of the evolution of math among people. Thats really true.Simple calculations seems to be difficult for youngsters but they are good at Algebra's and trignometry.
1 person likes this
@teamfreddy (150)
• Mexico
14 Feb 07
Gracias for bringing a sonrisa on my face.
I live in Puerto Vallarta and don't get surprised easily anymore with the Mexican way, that includes arithmatic on the fingers sometimes.
1 person likes this
@stefan_diego (556)
• Canada
14 Feb 07
it's very sad but believe me, half of that if not all is kinda true.
1 person likes this
@yanjiaren (9031)
•
14 Feb 07
it is a joke lol..but i tell you something i am here in ny and i have to learn spanish were i am no one paplo ingles here hehehhehehe mira..
@kittyloki (140)
• United States
14 Feb 07
lol at lot of people suck at math nowadays. I now when I was taking geometry my teacher allowed a cheat sheet for test. Anything you wanted to write on it you could.
I never did homework and didn't show up for half the classes but because I was able to use a cheat sheet on tests I passed the class with a C+ because all my test grades were As.
1 person likes this
@mansha (6298)
• India
14 Feb 07
yanji thank god I am reading this now in the morning. Your posts are making me laugh so hard. Go girl go laugh and make others laugh along too. By the way what is it I am listening to , I can not make out a word but I keep tapping my feet, now I know why music is universal ,lol.
1 person likes this
@western_valleygirl (1363)
• United States
14 Feb 07
This is hilarious, and really quite true, in the general sense, because it shows not only how education has changed but how society has changed also. I can translate the spanish for you, The first line is the same, the second line says that the cost of production was $80. The third line says how many tortillas can you buy with that amount of money. I am going to share this with friends and family.
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
14 Feb 07
It's really no joke it's the truth and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one to notice. Take Care Grandmaof2
1 person likes this
@crimsonblues (1191)
• United States
14 Feb 07
Its SO sad that people cant count change without a machine..
Ive had it happen to me before(At a bank!!)
1 person likes this