Talk:New Math

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[edit] clearer general explanation needed

I just skimmed through this entire entry and I still have no idea what new math is. The most I can gather is it's a general set of teaching principles for how to teach math, but that's just a guess, I really have no idea what new math is from reading this. Someone needs to write a 2 or 3 sentence overview of what new math is as it needs to be described to someone from mars who's never heard of it before.

Also, if you want to be really helpful, you should have one simple example problem worked out and solved using new math steps.

I completely agree with this -- I have read this article and still don't know what "New Math" actually *is* -- can't someone put up some examples??? Danflave 08:16, 23 September 2007 (UTC)


[edit] discussion

I removed: "The U.S. experience does seem in retrospect to have the hallmarks of a moral panic.", as it is original opinion. If it is verifiably seen now as moral panic, it needs substantiating (that people believe it, not the belief itself!). Grayum 10:50, 12 September 2005 (UTC)

What in fact were the traditional concepts referred to in the following statement?

"New Math emphasized mathematical structure through abstract concepts like set theory and number bases other than 10, rather than strictly being concerned with mathematical concepts traditionally taught to grade schoolers." odea 00:21, 15 April 2006 (UTC)

Does "rather than strictly being concerned with mathematical concepts traditionally taught to grade schoolers" actually mean anything? It seems to me to be saying "rather than doing what was done before", which is tautological, so that entire phrase could easily be removed. If I understand correctly, what was replaced, or de-emphasised, was performing the calculations required for the four traditional arithmetic operations mechanically.

I'm also a bit baffled by the apparent claim that number bases other than 10 are an "abstract concept", while presumably a number base of 10 is not. Switching between different number bases would be an abstraction, but it would be the very useful abstraction of considering a number something separate from the string of decimal digits representing it - something that still seems to be done in grade school, for example when kids are asked to "count" money that is cunningly represented in different coins or bills.

RandomP 01:10, 16 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Lehrer's song

I am not convinced that the text is entirely mathematically correct. The third verse (which covers the tens place calculation of 342 - 173) starts with

From the three you then use one
To make ten ones...

Doesn't Lehrer here make ten tens? Sjakkalle (Check!) 08:31, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Where can we get pictures?

Back when I was teaching myself New Math with a "Cyclo-Teacher" in the '70s and '80s, I didn't know it had a name. Some of us only recognize New Math when we see those little set-theory diagrams. Does anyone have one that could be legitimately uploaded and used? --Lawikitejana 21:07, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

Something like ? Wikimedia Commons has a lot of them.--Prosfilaes (talk) 23:20, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Professor George F. Simmons

Does anyone know more about him? I have a both a calculus book and a differential equations book that he wrote. I liked his books for his heavy historical, biographical, and philosophical approach to mathematics. It is rare to find a "literate" mathematician; although, it appears that he is tainted by antisemitism? Comments anyone?--Lance talk 09:18, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Repetition

In "The New New Math" section, the phrase "increase mathematical power for all students by creating frameworks which set world-class standards of what all students must know and be able to do" is repeated. I'd like to fix this up but I'm not quite sure how best to. Robert K S 13:00, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] New New Math

Unless there is serious objection, I will work up a separate New New Math article. There is, imo, no continuity between New Math and New New Math, aside from the similar names. Jd2718 23:17, 31 March 2007 (UTC)