Xref: utzoo sci.math:5054 sci.physics:5084 comp.edu:1511 Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!bu-cs!purdue!decwrl!sun!pitstop!sundc!seismo!uunet!ingr!b11!xenon!goodloe From: goodloe@xenon.UUCP (Tony Goodloe) Newsgroups: sci.math,sci.physics,comp.edu Subject: Re: How to beat the high cost of text books! Message-ID: <130@xenon.UUCP> Date: 7 Dec 88 19:45:20 GMT Organization: Intergraph Corp. Huntsville, AL Lines: 23 In article <14193@cisunx.UUCP>, jjc@cisunx.UUCP (Jeffrey James Bryan Carpenter) writes: > 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. It is much easier for the prof to make and grade a test that is "plug-n-chug" rather than thought-provoking. Also, some profs end up teaching a class that they really don't understand. We had a professor, sort of a utility professor, that taught digital design, emag, electronics, and communications, and couldn't answer a question about any of it ... unless he had HIS cheat sheet in front of him. If you knew the formulas, you could get a 100%. Teachers like that really piss me off. They are just wasting my time and money. > Jeffrey J. B. Carpenter, University of Pittsburgh, Computer Center Tony Goodloe, Intergraph Corp.