Teaching Maths
Teaching Maths 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 Maths 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 Maths 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
one hundred dots representing the elements of 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" for profits?
Teaching Maths 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 Maths 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 Maths 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 1999:
A laid off logger serving time in jail for a major crime is being
trained in computer science in order to work on Y2K projects.
What is the probability that the automatic cell doors will open
on their own
as of 00:01, 01/01/00?