Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site unc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!unc!fsks From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: Intelligence Message-ID: <608@unc.UUCP> Date: Tue, 16-Jul-85 16:39:37 EDT Article-I.D.: unc.608 Posted: Tue Jul 16 16:39:37 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 18-Jul-85 04:02:37 EDT References: <456@ttidcc.UUCP> <457@ttidcc.UUCP> <1586@hao.UUCP> Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill Lines: 23 Summary: In articlehollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) writes: > >I'm wondering how many calculus lovers out there have jobs where they're >required to _use_ calculus. [...] Most of the people I know who've been >required to study calculus for their degrees tell me they've _never used it >since college_. > >Given the above, what is the justification for forcing _everyone_ to study >calculus? Very few jobs require the _USE_ of calculus. But many require _UNDERSTANDING_ it. The concepts and terminology of calculus is useful for describing and understanding many complicated functions and relationships that exist in real life. For example, at University of North Carolina, even business majors must learn a little calculus. Concepts such as marginal tax rates, marginal profits and costs, etc can be explained in half a page to someone who understands functions, limits and derivatives. To express these concepts without resorting to mathematical language would take much more time. Frank Silbermann