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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