Blogs from 2006/08
America sucks at Math
Fri Aug 11 22:33:22 EDT 2006
I realize that some people are just not "math people" by their own admission. I've always accepted that. I am happy to memorize 1 formula while the English majors memorize a whole page of random facts and then memorize the teacher's interpretation of those facts. At least math has right answers.
I've discovered a problem. I've been studying recently to take the Virginia Life and Health exam for certification in selling life insurance. I have a study CD by Kaplan which goes over lots of questions and provides practice. Now here is the problem. In order to get the right answers on these questions I have to forget everything I ever learned about tests from a math perspective. Almost every question required the test taker to make assumptions about how it "normally is" and then choose the best answer. The problem is that I found numerous questions where a slightly different, but still perfectly valid assumtion, would give a differnt answer. The non-math professions are clearly training people to be bad at math. There is no hope for America. I really wanted to strangle some one while studying, but computers really don't care if you get mad at them.
Just to illustrate, let me tell you one of the questions I missed on the SAT, which still bugs me to this day. The multiple choice test portion gave two numbers (A and B) and then asked if which was greater, were they equal, or cannot be determined. So, here is the question, which just for fun I will number 4. (Numbers have been changed to protect me from lawyers.)
4. Make a numerical comparison based on the following criteria. Ten people have a combined weight of 2000 lbs and the elevator they are about to enter has a weight limit of 1600 lbs. A= the weight of 6 people B= 1600 lbs a. A > B b A < B c. A = B d. cannot be determined
If you answered the question with b, like I did (I am a moron), then maybe your should start studying for the Life and Health exam in your state. More than ten years later, and missing that question still bugs me.
I did take the test. I passed. No calculator required.
Spoke in Church
Sun Aug 27 22:33:44 EDT 2006
I spoke in church today. My assigned topic was Moroni 10:32 with a meeting theme on perfection. I've edited the document from my actual material, since I don't actually read my talks. I've added some filler language so it reads more like a paper than an outline.
It was a good meeting. The speaker after me was a high councillor and his angle on perfection was on the alternate meaning of whole, or complete and he spoke of Christlike attributes of compassion. He also told an excellent story about how our timing and perspective may not match the Lord's. A man that had turned his life around and died in his sleep the day before his scheduled baptismal day. (It had a happy ending!)
