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From: jjc@cisunx.UUCP (Jeffrey James Bryan Carpenter)
Newsgroups: sci.math,sci.physics,comp.edu
Subject: Re: How to beat the high cost of text books!
Message-ID: <14193@cisunx.UUCP>
Date: 6 Dec 88 18:25:40 GMT
References: <2219@cbnews.ATT.COM> <684@stech.UUCP> <17553@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> <1124@osupyr.mast.ohio-state.edu> <1049@l.cc.purdue.edu>
Reply-To: jjc@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Jeffrey James Bryan Carpenter)
Organization: U. of Pittsburgh, Computing and Information Sys.(Computer Center)
Lines: 17

In article <1049@l.cc.purdue.edu> cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes:
>memorized the various types of manipulations.  I suggest that the liberal
>use of crib sheets be allowed in mathematics examinations.  A formula can
>always be looked up in the real world; a definition can be looked up; a
>theorem can be looked up; the understanding of what these mean cannot be

I fully agree with this.  I could never understand why there was so
much emphasis on memorizing formulas when it is the concepts and ways
of applying the formulas that counts.  You can give everyone the
formulas, but if the students don't know what to do with them, then
the formulas are not much help.  My bigget problem in math classes was
trying to remember all the formulas.
-- 
Jeffrey J. B. Carpenter, University of Pittsburgh, Computer Center
USMAIL: 600 Epsilon Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15238
jjc@cisunx.UUCP | AT&T 1 412 624 6424 | JJC@PITTVMS.BITNET
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