History Of Teaching Math
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 exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a set "M" of
money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element
is worth one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the
elements of the set "M". The set "C", the cost of production
contains 20 fewer points than set "M". Represent the set "C"
as a subset of set "M" and answer the following question:
What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?
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:
By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What
do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for
class participation after answering the question: How did
the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the
trees? There are no wrong answers.
Teaching Math in 1996:
By laying off 40% of its loggers, a company improves its stock
price from $80 to $100. How much capital gain per share does
the CEO make by exercising his stock options at $80.
Assume capital gains are no longer taxed, because this encourages
investment.
Teaching Math in 1997:
A company outsources all of its loggers. They save on benefits and
when demand for their product is down the logging work force can
easily be cut back. The average logger employed by the company
earned $50,000, had 3 weeks vacation, received a nice retirement
plan and medical insurance. The contracted logger charges $50
an hour. Was outsourcing a good move?
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