South Africa's shocking mathematics performance

so much argument on weather you can get by on math lit, or not.
if you have HG math and could do your current job without it, you did not apply yourself to your full potential, and perhaps you are even better at your current job because of your HG math, and perhaps that is not the problem.
also those who only passed math lit and only need math lit, no problem

the real issue is the fact that the math lit idiots are placed in positions that needs the old-school HG math, and worse, the HG math bunch ends up not using it either.

then there's the Math Lit people coming here arguing the HG math is not needed, sorry but you are not qualified to voice an opinion in the matter.

here's a sample I found, here they are re-doing the questions from the actual 2014 Paper,
it spoon-feeds by giving them the formula to use, and allows a calculator, and a pass mark is anything above 30%, really?
 
From what I've seen recently the math problem is at the lower levels probably already at primary school. Kids just don't get the basics so they even struggle with this new math lit nonsense which is basically equivalent to counting on your fingers.

The argument about whether you'll actually use it or not is irrelevant. Math teaches logical thinking and problem solving skills.

Even the old school HG math I had wasn't that difficult. It was still mostly just using a certain formula/method to solve a problem, going through the steps of something you learned how to do. Basic problem solving skills.

Nobody is too stupid for it, but the consequences of most of the voting population not having these basic problem solving or logical thinking skills is evident for anyone who had real math at school.
 
WGF_Bombproof said:
so much argument on weather you can get by on math lit, or not.
if you have HG math and could do your current job without it, you did not apply yourself to your full potential, and perhaps you are even better at your current job because of your HG math, and perhaps that is not the problem.
also those who only passed math lit and only need math lit, no problem

the real issue is the fact that the math lit idiots are placed in positions that needs the old-school HG math, and worse, the HG math bunch ends up not using it either.

then there's the Math Lit people coming here arguing the HG math is not needed, sorry but you are not qualified to voice an opinion in the matter.

here's a sample I found, here they are re-doing the questions from the actual 2014 Paper,
it spoon-feeds by giving them the formula to use, and allows a calculator, and a pass mark is anything above 30%, really?
Click to expand...
Its just a pathetic joke.
 
Don't worry, Cyril said the 4IR will come save us. I guess he will soon announce when it will arrive at O R Tambo.
 
Yskasmetnstoof said:
Don't worry, Cyril said the 4IR will come save us. I guess he will soon announce when it will arrive at O R Tambo.
Click to expand...

Quite a good username there. A combo fridge/freezer/stove would make for an interesting appliance.
 
WGF_Bombproof said:
so much argument on weather you can get by on math lit, or not.
if you have HG math and could do your current job without it, you did not apply yourself to your full potential, and perhaps you are even better at your current job because of your HG math, and perhaps that is not the problem.
Click to expand...
Maybe they are using their full potential. Just because someone could do well in mathematics doesn't mean their interests require mathematics. To use a different example someone might have excelled in all areas of university physics, but ultimately they'll have to focus on a fairly tiny part of physics that interests them the most and they'll never again use most of the physics knowledge they acquired.

WGF_Bombproof said:
then there's the Math Lit people coming here arguing the HG math is not needed, sorry but you are not qualified to voice an opinion in the matter.
Click to expand...
That's not the argument. More advanced mathematics is clearly absolutely necessary for certain things and not at all for others. it's a question of whether it makes sense for everyone to do mathematics beyond the basics.

WGF_Bombproof said:
here's a sample I found, here they are re-doing the questions from the actual 2014 Paper,
it spoon-feeds by giving them the formula to use, and allows a calculator, and a pass mark is anything above 30%, really?
Click to expand...
I wouldn't provide the formula, but I would provide formula sheets containing all the formulae they might need. I've never seen the point in requiring people to memorise them all. At university it depended on the lecturer. Some insisted that they be memorised, some didn't. Some even allowed us to bring the textbook into the examination.

As for allowing a calculator what's the objection to that? Back in the day you had trig tables to look up the answer and otherwise questions used numbers that were fairly easy to do in your head (or on paper, as many did). Later when schools introduced scientific calculators they moved away from making sure questions had nice clean numbers. I'm very much in favour of having primary school children practice calculating in their head though. They shouldn't have calculators. However it is worthwhile teaching calculation techniques, which we all commonly use without realising, to help those children who don't immediately see the methods for themselves. But by secondary school it's a bit late to train mental calculations.

It's not true that children in some past time were all learning to solve problems. No, what most were learning was to blindly apply an algorithm. They didn't understand what they were doing or how to use it for anything other than solve specific problems they'd been taught.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X