Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site burdvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!psuvax1!burdvax!ccsmith From: ccsmith@burdvax.UUCP (Christopher C. Smith) Newsgroups: net.college Subject: Re: Does someone REALLY belive this? Message-ID: <1849@burdvax.UUCP> Date: Mon, 10-Dec-84 11:10:55 EST Article-I.D.: burdvax.1849 Posted: Mon Dec 10 11:10:55 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 11-Dec-84 04:31:52 EST References: <1668@ucf-cs.UUCP>, <5600002@uiucuxa.UUCP> Organization: System Development Corporation, Paoli PA Lines: 22 { ... zzzzzzzz} I seem to remember reading about a study where people were given calculators to perform simple arithmetic problems. The calculators were programmed to give answers which were increasingly farther from the correct ones. In many cases the people would believe the machine even on simple problems when the answers were several orders of magnitude from the correct answer. Sure it is okay to use calculators in school for complex functions but not before you can do the basics on your own. An ability to estimate the range of the answer is pretty useful too. Maybe we should teach the use of slide rules beore they can use a calculator!! :-) Chris Smith ==>> {bpa,psuvax,sdcrdcf}!burdvax!ccsmith -- {bpa, psuvax,sdcrdf}!burdvax!ccsmith ==>> Chris Smith System Development Corporation Box 517 Paoli, Pennsylvania 19301