"Math Wars"

Before getting into the details of the "Mathnasium Method," I feel obliged here to point out the existence of the so-called "Math Wars."

Math education was changed forever when the Russian launched the Sputnik rocket in 1957, and thus became the first country to put an object in Space.

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 thefollowing question: What is the cardinality of the set “P” for profits?


Teaching Math in 1980:

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. Her cost of production is $80 and her 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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Many people perceive the above to be a more–or–less acurate summary of the last five decades of mathematics education in the United States. [Received anonymously from the Internet.]