This is probably the only time I'll ever visit here. I'm a retired
editor/writer with a huge background (plus major and minor) in
English/journalism. Math is not, nor has it ever been, my thing.
Algebra, to me, is what a mermaid wears.The only reason they passed me
(D-minus straight across the board) in Freshman [H.S.] algebra was
that I tried and cried, going in early in the morning and staying
late, but never understanding. "Good bye, good luck, whew, we got rid
of him," they figured. Having said all that, I bemusedly found myself, last
Friday, as a high school sub, aiding the teacher who was there, in an
Algebra II class. Naturally I was lost from the get-go. They're into
Linear Regression, whatever that is.
Here is the problem:
____
"The table below shows the average daily TV viewing time per household
over a 40-year period.
[Please understand that this site won't let me align the years with
the viewing hours, so you'll have to straighten/align them in your
mind. Sorry]
Year: 1954 1964 1974 1984 1994
Viewing Hours: 4.6 5.3 6.1 7.0 7.2
Here is the question:
In what year would you expect the Hours of TV viewing to be 8?"
_____
Knowing NOTHING about math and not having/wanting a calculator, I
stared at the question and immediately assumed, as an English major,
that "expect" HAS to mean in the future, as the numbers for the past
are already posted. I couldn't come up with any sort of an answer, of
course, but when she said, "The answer is "somewhere between 1973 and
1974," I diplomatically thought to myself "No way." Yet I'm not about to
jeopardize $60 a day as a sub teacher calling her bluff, who
has no reason to. She explained her answer to me -- to no avail.
I then posted it on the grammar site where I hang out (similar to
this board only English-related -- grammarboard.com. It's great, if I
do say so myself). There are several "Regulars" on the grammar site
who are also gear-heads, i.e., math geniuses. Three out of four of
them say "your teacher was wrong."
Again, to me, the English in the question simply has to refer to the
future ("expect"), no? To me, the year would HAVE to be higher than
1994. No?
I won't go back to that teacher and "confront" her with this.
I'm a rational diplomat. But could you explain in simple English
(for math morons) how '73-'74 is right; or, if she is wrong, what is your answer?
Thank you!
John W. Breen
(also known as "Subordinate Claws" on the grammarboard.com
English-language-related website, where we have a ball re English grammar
like you do with math here. Check us out!) Same type of board format
as you have here, i.e., no reason to be "afraid."
editor/writer with a huge background (plus major and minor) in
English/journalism. Math is not, nor has it ever been, my thing.
Algebra, to me, is what a mermaid wears.The only reason they passed me
(D-minus straight across the board) in Freshman [H.S.] algebra was
that I tried and cried, going in early in the morning and staying
late, but never understanding. "Good bye, good luck, whew, we got rid
of him," they figured. Having said all that, I bemusedly found myself, last
Friday, as a high school sub, aiding the teacher who was there, in an
Algebra II class. Naturally I was lost from the get-go. They're into
Linear Regression, whatever that is.
Here is the problem:
____
"The table below shows the average daily TV viewing time per household
over a 40-year period.
[Please understand that this site won't let me align the years with
the viewing hours, so you'll have to straighten/align them in your
mind. Sorry]
Year: 1954 1964 1974 1984 1994
Viewing Hours: 4.6 5.3 6.1 7.0 7.2
Here is the question:
In what year would you expect the Hours of TV viewing to be 8?"
_____
Knowing NOTHING about math and not having/wanting a calculator, I
stared at the question and immediately assumed, as an English major,
that "expect" HAS to mean in the future, as the numbers for the past
are already posted. I couldn't come up with any sort of an answer, of
course, but when she said, "The answer is "somewhere between 1973 and
1974," I diplomatically thought to myself "No way." Yet I'm not about to
jeopardize $60 a day as a sub teacher calling her bluff, who
has no reason to. She explained her answer to me -- to no avail.
I then posted it on the grammar site where I hang out (similar to
this board only English-related -- grammarboard.com. It's great, if I
do say so myself). There are several "Regulars" on the grammar site
who are also gear-heads, i.e., math geniuses. Three out of four of
them say "your teacher was wrong."
Again, to me, the English in the question simply has to refer to the
future ("expect"), no? To me, the year would HAVE to be higher than
1994. No?
I won't go back to that teacher and "confront" her with this.
I'm a rational diplomat. But could you explain in simple English
(for math morons) how '73-'74 is right; or, if she is wrong, what is your answer?
Thank you!
John W. Breen
(also known as "Subordinate Claws" on the grammarboard.com
English-language-related website, where we have a ball re English grammar
like you do with math here. Check us out!) Same type of board format
as you have here, i.e., no reason to be "afraid."