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[Christes]

Well, for most students, it's nice to not think about problems either

The issue is that they'll need to think about other problems later in the assignment, and not be able to/want to since they are in the plug and chug rhythm.

I can't stop my students from running to the quadratic formula for the most easily factored quadratics, so I give other polynomials that reduce to quadratics or word problems that come down to solving one.  That way there is at least some thought involved.

For example, x^5 - x^3 - 2x = 0 is really easy to solve if you think about it the right way, but there is no quintic formula where you can plug the coefficients in.

[RedWarrior0]

My personal belief is that schools should make people figure out the quadratic formula on their own. Much more interesting that way.

[Vector]

What, why? It's nice to have a "be all end all" equation, even if it isn't quite there.

Because if you can solve a problem by looking at it, it's much better than solving it by tossing its coefficients in a formula and reducing square roots?

[Earthquake Damage]

My personal belief is that schools should make people figure out the quadratic formula on their own. Much more interesting that way.

Why stop there?  Just tell them what textbook(s) to study and when the final exam is.

[Vector]

Why stop there?  Just tell them what textbook(s) to study and when the final exam is.

I don't know if you're being facetious or not, but as some folks have told me, the true purpose of a math teacher is to motivate rather than explain.

I'll just leave this here.

[Zrk2]

Damn, I forget how to reduce that problem. Please remind me how.

[RedWarrior0]

I'll just leave this here.

Beautiful.

[Virex]

Okay, those last few posts? Has no one here ever heard of the quadratic equation?

Um... yeah, the quadratic equation is needlessly messy in almost all situations one encounters in high school/lower mathematics.

It's the other way around actually, high school math is made to be doable without factoring. They won't do fancy things like x² + 13x + 5 (try that one by factoring for "fun") yet unless they want you to use the quadratic formula.

[Vector]

Damn, I forget how to reduce that problem. Please remind me how.

x^5 - x^3 - 2x = 0
x(x^4 - x^2 -2) = 0
x(x^2 - 2)(x^2 + 1) = 0

Um... yeah, the quadratic equation is needlessly messy in almost all situations one encounters in high school/lower mathematics.

It's the other way around actually, high school math is made to be doable without factoring. They won't do fancy things like x² + 13x + 5 (try that one by factoring for "fun") yet unless they want you to use the quadratic formula.

I'm not entirely sure if you're agreeing with me or disagreeing with me, but in either case we seem to be on exactly the same page.

[Virex]

I thought you were implying that the math one learns in high school is inherently so simple that you'll rarely need the quadratic function.

[Vector]

I thought you were implying that the math one learns in high school is inherently so simple that you'll rarely need the quadratic function.

Oh, no.  I'm saying that the polynomials one is told to factor can usually be factored much more quickly by other means, for obvious reasons.  The math itself is simple; in many cases, it is only simple because it has been made so.

[lordnincompoop]

I'll just leave this here.

Beautiful.

Indeed. Thanks for that, Vector.

[MaximumZero]

I'll just leave this here.

Beautiful.

Indeed. Thanks for that, Vector.

Indeed, indeed.

[lordnincompoop]

I actually remember having a teacher like that once, the same year we had a teacher that was the exact opposite of what the essay wants (he blathered on about the beauty of maths anyways). He came as a substitute for a term after the original one was on leave, and I remember that being the best term ever. He got me to enjoy maths for once.

He's gone now, sadly. I must find him sometime.

[Vector]

You're welcome =)

I've only found a couple of college professors that fully follow the spirit of the article, but I love them to death.  Of course, they're generally kind of crazy, but . . . super-adorable X3