By Brian Simanek
One key Statistic often used to evaluate the status of failing schools is illiteracy rates. Of course it is commonly accepted that all children beyond a certain age should be able to read. However, receiving far less attention, yet no less important is the the problem of innumeracy: the inability to use mathematics. Continue reading
by Derek Smith
Yesterday I was in Denny’s entertaining my nieces when they showed me a math game on Nintendo DS. The game reminded me of an article I read in Wired a while ago about an application called Super Memo. Since 1985 the creator Piotr Wozniak has been using his digital flash card system to train his brain, and using his brain to improve the system. His key insight was to develop an algorithm which monitors your retention accuracy and prompts you to answer questions just as you’re about to forget them, a process called spaced repetition.
Quick question, am I the only working on Christmas Eve? Yeah, I’m pretty pitiful…
But, I was thinking, as I’m babysitting fminsearch on Matlab for the last 48 hours…
What can I do with the time…Ok, so I’m smart enough to come up with an idea for 48 straight a hours, but sometimes I have code that only runs for 10 min @ a time. What then? It’s not enough time to focus my brain on anything substantial, especially since it’s consumed by the task at hand.
I can only update Facebook so often before people start questioning my sanity. So, a few days ago, while most sane people were heading home, I went in to my office to take advantage of uninterrupted research hours. Long, quiet, research hours. By the time lunch time came, I decided I needed to take advantage of the accumulation of ten-minute quiet blocks I had. I went to the grocery store to pick up something to eat, and guess what was next door… a yarn store!!!!!
I was inspired, and in only the last few days (with A LOT of help on youtube) I have taught myself to knit! Yes! I’m a knitter now. You can pick it up for 5-10 min @ a time, and save a ton on gifts.
That’s my suggestion, in case anyone needs one. I would love to hear other hobbies picked up to fill code babysitting time. Who knows, you could inspire someone!
Here’s hoping you are all having a great break, and getting rested for the new semester!
Toodles 😉
by Tyler Clark
Kareem Carr made a post on the 17th about students hating math. In regards to this, I was watching TV the other day and saw a very disturbing commercial. It was a commercial for the United States Postal Service (USPS). They were advertising their shipping services to an elementary school class. When they get to the question and answer section of the presentation, one little girl raises her hand and says “do you need math?” The USPS worker then responds “no.”
by Kareem Carr
In my undergrad days, we used to have a bad science fiction night. I haven’t seen this movie, but I suspect it would probably fit right in. I was just so amused to learn of a movie about mathematicians that I had to share. The movie industry never gets it quite right, but they tend to be entertaining anyway. (For what it’s worth, I liked ‘A Beautiful Mind’!)
In the Spanish thriller, Fermat’s Room, four mathematicians who do not know each other are invited by a mysterious host on the pretext of resolving a great enigma. The room in which they find themselves turns out to be a shrinking room that will crush them if they do not discover in time what connects them all and why someone might wish to murder them.
[Hat tip: IO9]
