New Math

[Inkidu]

It makes me sick! Sick I tell you!

Though I did learn the base ten method.

[Maeven]

*brain esplodes*

I hated the "8 times tables"... I would totally fail new math. 

[MusicNeverDies]

Man, I saw this in Who's Online and it got my hopes up that it was this

[Inkidu]

Man, I saw this in Who's Online and it got my hopes up that it was this

Eh...

[Inkidu]

I guess they just used to memorize the answers because I use base 10 or the "Borrowing" method. It's actually really simple. That base eight stuff is mathematicians' idea of a sick joke.

[Demoboy tom]

omg lol thats hilarious.  Wow, I mean... also has anyone heard of base 8 using this stuff?  Seriously, I've always seen 10

[LaBelleDame]

I had a lot of fun with base five.
But base eight just seems unpleasant.
I mean, I suppose it would end up making sense in the long run, aren't computers run on base eight?
That's a great thing to pass off onto the little ones, so they can think just like the calculators they'll later be encouraged to use.

[Voichin]

aren't computers run on base eight?

Base two.
Bases 8 and 16 are useful for representation of certain things, but the computer calculations and memory are binary.

Theoretically base 3 is very efficient, but still not suitable for computer use and from mathematical point of view, it is sometimes convenient to use as a base prime number. Or a power of prime number.

But this is certainly not something that needs to be taught in elementary school.

[Sonia]

I'm not sure how to put a YouTube video on here, but here goes.  At least I can give you the link.  This oldie was always one of my favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WMi5TUJDso

[Oniya]

I <3 Tom Lehrer.  I only wish I could have attended one of his math classes.  Him and Rudy Rucker.

Actually if we used base 8, it would make for an easier conversion of things to binary, since each octal number (0-7) would correspond directly to a triple of binary digits.  Hex is similar in that way, but octal is a little easier for humans to grasp, since you don't have to deal with 'extra' digits (A-F).

Although, if anyone remembers Schoolhouse Rock, there was the one Math Rock piece called Little Twelvetoes that introduced the idea of base 12.  I've caught my little one making lists of base 12 numbers using the 'dek' and 'el' characters from the video.   ;D (Seven, and she already knows her multiplication tables)

[Inkidu]

I <3 Tom Lehrer.  I only wish I could have attended one of his math classes.  Him and Rudy Rucker.

Actually if we used base 8, it would make for an easier conversion of things to binary, since each octal number (0-7) would correspond directly to a triple of binary digits.  Hex is similar in that way, but octal is a little easier for humans to grasp, since you don't have to deal with 'extra' digits (A-F).

Although, if anyone remembers Schoolhouse Rock, there was the one Math Rock piece called Little Twelvetoes that introduced the idea of base 12.  I've caught my little one making lists of base 12 numbers using the 'dek' and 'el' characters from the video.   ;D (Seven, and she already knows her multiplication tables)

I think I shall stick to base ten, if it was good enough for Pythagoras it's good enough for me.

[Wooley]

Yeah, base 10 is just peachy here for me.

For the record, the CORRECT way to do the problem is to take out a calculator. And, here's a prediction: by 2010 we'll have calculators that scan our problems for us, so we don't even need to type.

How's that for new math?

[Oniya]

Sorry, there will always be a place for pencil and paper.  I have fond memories of flummoxing a lab full of technicians by rederiving an algebraic formula on a legal pad, surrounded by half a dozen iMacs.

[Kurzyk]

That was a hilarious video. Tropic of Calculus! *laughs*