Do they not teach basic math anymore.

[mudman]

Just to be clear, if I'm in a room with 39 other people, my IQ is 150 and they are all 70, the average IQ is 72, they are all below average.

[Hugh R]

If you have one foot in a bucket of 180 degree water and another in a bucket of ice water, then on average your pretty comfortable.

[mudman]

Now that is good math!

[Moneyguy1]

Whether it is true or not, I cannot say but I think this is funny.'
'

A man walks into a bank, asks the teller for change for a dollar so he can feed the parking meter.

"I'm sorry sir, but our computers are down. I cannot help you."

[masraum]

Originally posted by mudman
Just to be clear, if I'm in a room with 39 other people, my IQ is 150 and they are all 70, the average IQ is 72, they are all below average.

Yes, it wasn't mathematically accurate (I should have said that the 50% were the mode), but I stand by my statement. I believe 75% of the population falls between 85 and 115 (think bell curve), so I was thinking more along the lines of probability.

Chances are high that if half of the people in the room seem to have a similar level of intelligence and that level seems low that they are probably average and you are above average.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by AFJuvat
Stopping by McDonalds this morning for some breakfast, I order my combo with a large coffee. The total, with tax, comes to $4.55.

(I can remember the commercials "feed a family of four for $5" but I digress..)

I pay with a $50.

Cashier (about age 18) mis-types the amount tendered in the cash register. the computer shows that my owed change is $0.45.

Looking at my $50, she knows the computer is wrong, realizes her mistake. She then promptly calls over the manager to do the math for her. She didn't even TRY to do it in her head..

Manager looks over and says "You need to give him $43.45"

I corrected them both, and got my correct change



Doomed... we are all doomed....

As long as she got a barely passing grade in Math and passed the F-CATS she is fit to graduate according to our Governor Jeb.

Thanks Jeb!! Now my son spends his weeks getting ready for stadardized tests instead of actually learning to function in the real world. No child left behind??......BS!! All children suffer due to his agenda.

[snowman]

Jim, Your one of the reasons that we are in a heap of trouble. These standardized tests are a joke. They are so simple an idiot with mental problems can pass them. The no child left behind act simply helps point this fact out to the intelligent people in the world.

My youngest kid, no mental giant, passed the HS graduation test in the 9th grade, first try, and that was before they lowered the passing grade. Next the public system wasted the next 3 years of her life, doing nothing but keeping up the scores of a bunch of losers that never will pass the test.

Best reason to ditch public ed and only support private ed.

VOTE NO on all public ed.

[930addict]

This problem is more serious than just not having math skills. The lack of math skills is a symptom. The root of the problem threatens our nations existence as a major player on the world stage. While our kids play Nintendo and wonder what games they’re going to buy next, kids of developing nations like South Korea, India and even China are hitting the books to improve their chance at success in their newfound development boom. Our kids are not dumb they’re just complacent. Why should our kids study hard when everything is given to them? Such actions foster a sense of unhealthy entitlement. Our kids are just not hungry enough anymore to go out and make something of themselves.

Industry knows this. IBM and other big name companies has setup shop in Bangalore India. IBM has hired nearly 30,000 employees. Masters and PhD candidates are readily available there. Countries like S. Korea, Japan, and China have similar stories. Even the PhD’s we do have are not staying here because of the stagnant technology. A very high percentage of PhD’s awarded here in the US are being pulled to other countries because U.S. companies are not developing cutting edge technologies anymore. In 1990 our high tech exports was $56 billion dollars, now our high tech exports is -$26 billion dollars. Why? Our infrastructure is already established. It is not cost effective for U.S. companies to switch to, say, smart visa cards that are so popular in Europe and Asia. High speed Internet over cell phones has been available in Europe for quite some time but here it is just starting to make an appearance. In South Korea, 60% of all households get their TV signal from broadband Internet connections. Necessity is the mother of invention. If we don’t need a new credit card system, a new cellular infrastructure, a new broadcast technology or to go to the moon, then what are supposed to invent? I know there’s always something but think about it. Our nation does have it all – thus the complacency.

Combine that with our education system that is greatly lacking, to put it mildly, and this is what you end up with - kids that can't count change at McDonalds.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Well said, and unfortunately it's spiraling downwards. A HUGE key is attracting more Americans to majoring in math and science related fields. Judging from my school, and statistics that I have seen, Americans are in the minority in engineering. Especially in the masters and PhD programs. When I say Americans I mean actual residents, the majority of our students are here from other countries. They will receive their education, then take the knowledge back to their home country. We have to stop the knowledge outflux, and that means educating those that will stay in the USA.

Bush recently announced a new campaign to attract American students to math and science related fields, and it's a good first step. We need to give huge incentives to students to go into these harder fields, more scholarships and grants would be a good start. I put in probably 50 hours a week on class and homework as an Aerospace Engineering student, if my wife didn't work there's no way I'd have the time. Kids realize this, that's why they end up in business school. We need to do something now, because there's far more engineers on the verge of retirement than there are in the pipeline, it's a problem poised to get much worse.

[ChrisBennet]

I remember fondly how my father (a machinist) would give me little geometry or math problems as a child and help me solve them - long before we ever covered them in school.

Like people who have have Porsches but can't afford to maintain them, I think that a lot of people have kids that they don't have time or aren't willing to raise properly. When the kids fail they blame it on the schools.

-Chris

[turbo6bar]

I believe we need to see changes in the market before you'll see folks get back into the sciences and mathematics. I have a degree in Civil Engineering, and one reason I am not currently in the field is low pay. Even after climbing the ladder, the pay would not grow significatnly, despite having far greater responsibility and longer hours.

When engineers are in demand, I would hope to see wages raised. Of course, the other option is having wages for lesser jobs ( I will lump bidness, management, etc in this class) decrease. It disturbs me to see some jackoff make 6 figure incomes because he's at good pimping mortgages. Of course, money isn't everything. I knew Civil Engineering was the bottom rung in engineering (regarding pay, difficulty, and sophistication).

[turbo6bar]

Originally posted by ChrisBennet
When the kids fail they blame it on the schools.

-Chris

I must agree to some extent. A disfunctional child is generally the product of failing parents and schools.

[sewell94]

My wifes finishing her teachign degree. Here in the state of Fl the education system is extremely screwed up. They spend the whole time studying for the fcat, i don;t understand that, if they wold actually teach then there should be no reason why they wouldn't pass it. The no child left behind is extremely stupid, there are kids that are in middle school that can't read but in english classes, then they have to cater to those kids and slow the class down, but if hes in a class with his equals it's discrimantion. My ole lady insists that we don't raise kids in this backward ass state, i'm starting to understand why more and more everyday.

[930addict]

In India you can get your PhD at absolutly no cost to you.The Indian government pays for the whole thing. That's just how it is there. That's not a grant program or anything. There's no better way, in my opinion, to invest in your country's future. Contrast that to the US, the most powerful and richest nation in the world. They would rather spend $250,000 studying the viscosity of Ketsup then paying to educate our youth.

Parents have their fair share of blame too. In fact I would consider their offense more aggregious than our governments as parents can actually make the biggest difference by being involved in their kids' lives, but many parents are too busy chasing after a lifestyle than spending time with their kids.

When we first got married my wife and I came to an agreement that there will always be one parent in the house, thus we adjust our lifestyle accordingly.

[Moneyguy1]

They added $110,000 to the katsup grant to study why you get water if you don't shake the bottle first...

[masraum]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
They added $110,000 to the katsup grant to study why you get water if you don't shake the bottle first...

The suspended matter settles.

Make the check payable to....

[930addict]

I'm reminded of a theory regarding why the Roman empire fell. This particular scientist theorized that because the Romans began using lots of lead in everything from cooking to jewlery, much of the high society contracted lead poisoning. Lead poisoning causes brain damage that can affect decision making abilities and judgement. This lead to the degradation of all aspects of society, from being morally bankrupt (i.e pedophilia, orgies, incest etc.) to just plane poor decision making.

I wonder if what we are witnessing now is the modern day equivalent of the Roman lead poisoning theory. Except for us, the dumbing down of our nation is caused by fat living complacency.

[kang]

I know it's a bit off the topic of this thread, but all this talk of making change, etc, reminded me of this story. I have no clue if it is real or made-up, but it's funny either way:

Two-Dollar Bill
On my way home from work, I stopped at Taco Bell for a quick bite to eat. In my billfold are a $50 bill and a $2 bill. I figure that with a $2 bill, I can get something to eat and not have to worry about anyone getting irritated at me for trying to break a $50 bill.

Me: "Hi, I'd like one seven-layer burrito please, to go."

Server: "That'll be $1.04. Eat in?"

Me: "No, it's to go."

At this point, I open my billfold and hand him the $2 bill. He looks at it kind of funny.

Server: "Uh, hang on a sec, I'll be right back."

He goes to talk to his manager, who is still within my earshot. The following conversation occurs between the two of them:

Server: "Hey, you ever see a $2 bill?"

Manager: "No. A what?"

Server: "A $2 bill. This guy just gave it to me."

Manager: "Ask for something else. There's no such thing as a $2 bill."

Server: "Yeah, thought so."

He comes back to me and says, "We don't take these. Do you have anything else?"

Me: "Just this fifty. You don't take $2 bills? Why?"

Server: "I don't know."

Me: "See here where it says legal tender?"

Server: "Yeah."

Me: "So, why won't you take it?"

Server: "Well, hang on a sec."

He goes back to his manager, who has been watching me like I'm a shoplifter, and says to him, "He says I have to take it."

Manager: "Doesn't he have anything else?"

Server: "Yeah, a fifty. I'll get it and you can open the safe and get change."

Manager: "I'm not opening the safe with him in here."

Server: "What should I do?"

Manager: "Tell him to come back later when he has real money."

Server: "I can't tell him that! You tell him."

Manager: "Just tell him."

Server: "No way! This is weird. I'm going in back."

The manager approaches me and says, "I'm sorry, but we don't take big bills this time of night."

Me: "It's only seven o'clock! Well then, here's a two dollar bill."

Manager: "We don't take those, either."

Me: "Why not?"

Manager: "I think you know why."

Me: "No really ... tell me why."

Manager: "Please leave before I call mall security."

Me: "Excuse me?"

Manager: "Please leave before I call mall security."

Me: "What on earth for?"

Manager: "Please, sir."

Me: "Uh, go ahead, call them."

Manager: "Would you please just leave?"

Me: "No."

Manager: "Fine -- have it your way then."

Me: "Hey, that's Burger King, isn't it?"

At this point, he backs away from me and calls mall security on the phone around the corner. I have two people staring at me from the dining area, and I begin laughing out loud, just for effect. A few minutes later this 45-year-oldish guy comes in.

Guard: "Yeah, Mike, what's up?"

Manager (whispering): "This guy is trying to give me some ... (pause) funny money."

Guard: "No kidding! What?"

Manager: "Get this ... a two dollar bill."

Guard (incredulous): "Why would a guy fake a two dollar bill?"

Manager: "I don't know. He's kinda weird. He says the only other thing he has is a fifty."

Guard: "Oh, so the fifty's fake!"

Manager: "No, the two dollar bill is."

Guard: "Why would he fake a two dollar bill?"

Manager: "I don't know! Can you talk to him, and get him out of here?"

Guard: "Yeah."

Security Guard walks over to me and ...

Guard: "Mike here tells me you have some fake bills you're trying to use."

Me: "Uh, no."

Guard: "Lemme see 'em."

Me: "Why?"

Guard: "Do you want me to get the cops in here?"

At this point I am ready to say, "Sure, please!" but I want to eat, so I say, "I'm just trying to buy a burrito and pay for it with this two dollar bill."

I put the bill up near his face, and he flinches like I'm taking a swing at him. He takes the bill, turns it over a few times in his hands, and says, "Hey, Mike, what's wrong with this bill?"

Manager: "It's fake."

Guard: "It doesn't look fake to me."

Manager: "But it's a two dollar bill."

Guard: "Yeah ... ?"

Manager: "Well, there's no such thing, is there?"

The security guard and I both look at him like he's an idiot, and it dawns on the guy that he has no clue.

So, it turns out that my burrito was free, and he threw in a small drink and some of those cinnamon thingies, too.

Made me want to get a whole stack of two dollar bills just to see what happens when I try to buy stuff.

If I got the right group of people, I could probably end up in jail. You get free food there, too!

[masraum]

kang that's freakin' awesome.

[snowman]

I have a 6 dollar bill with Bill Clintons face on it. Bet he would take that one.