# Mathematics through the decades...



## Einstein (Mar 20, 2009)

1. Teaching Maths In 1970 

A logger sells a lorry load of timber for ?1000. 
His cost of production is 4/5 of the selling price. 
What is his profit? 

2. Teaching Maths In 1980 

A logger sells a lorry load of timber for ?1000. 
His cost of production is 4/5 of the selling price, or ?800. 
What is his profit? 

3. Teaching Maths In 1990 

A logger sells a lorry load of timber for ?1000. 
His cost of production is ?800. 
Did he make a profit? 

4. Teaching Maths In 2000 
A logger sells a lorry load of timber for ?1000. 
His cost of production is ?800 and his profit is ?200. 
Your assignment: Underline the number 200. 

5. Teaching Maths In 2008 

A logger cut s down a beautiful forest because he is totally selfish and 
inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the 
preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of ?200. 

What do you think of this way of making a living? 
Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the 
birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no 
wrong answers. If you are upset about the plight of the animals in question counselling will be available.)


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## Freddie99 (Mar 20, 2009)

Lol David but eerily true. You see I have been finding the same with the practice papers that I have been doing over these past few months. The older they are the harder they get. As a rule of thumb pre 2005 is not going to be pleasant but even worse are the sort of 2000 - 2002 era. Ball breakers they are. My History teacher (an Oxford man) doesn't hesitate to let us know that the A level exams are getting easier. Even though he teaches people who, like myself get 84/90 in a single paper and higher. The top mark for our January module on Napoleon was 89/90! If we look back in the History papers the older they were the harder they are. 

Tom


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## Einstein (Mar 20, 2009)

A true, but sad reflection on education I fear. While we have a government who is keen on 50% of students going to university we will always have the problem.

There used to be the top 3-5% of the population made it through their interviews and the grades to get to take their place at university, today with subjects such as 'Elvis' YES Presley!! and media studies (thats just watching TV and reading the paper isn't it??) the value of academically challenging degress is being underwritten.

I don't know where it all ends. Perhaps we give the student the answer and ask them to write the question 

Oh, of course no-one can fail - a most interesting article I read over the weekend from an educational bod, who reckoned this politically correct means of children never coming last or failing is going to have major repercussions in the workplace. What I am staggered about is that they needed someone so highly qualified to tell them what most people with a brain already know! 

Ho humm off my soap box for another week!


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## Freddie99 (Mar 20, 2009)

No David. You have a point. The only time I have had to write my own questions is this year. They have been for coursework in French and History. However, it's taken time and much hard work to answer them. The best thing about my school ( a private one, yes call me elitist but they most definitely have their advantages) is that we are left in no doubt about the standards of our work and whether would would cut the mustard in the real world. It's a pain that the government defines a pass as something rediculously low but my school sets its own internal standards. Grade C or above please. We also set standards for pupils to achieve at GCSE for pupils to get back in for A level. God I love my education and I'm extremely grateful for it. At least our teachers do not hesitate to let us know whether we will be able to achieve the grades that we need to get into university. 

Tom H


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## Copepod (Mar 20, 2009)

*university is not the only measure of success*

Just for balance, I'd mention that I attended a "bog standard" comprehensive in the West Midlands 1977 - 82, and then state sixth form college 1982 - 84 (and my younger sister followed 2 years behind me). We both did OK - she studied law at Cambridge University, while I gained BSc Marine Biology at Newcastle University and MSc Environmental Technology at Imperial College. And we weren't the only ones who did OK - not only in terms of university courses, but also in the fields of sports, chicken breeding (a lad in my form was a champion chicken breeder!), technical subjects, visual arts, performance arts, business etc. Going to university is not the only measure of success - it's certainly not the only thing that has made me feel proud in my life! The key thing is to do your best at all times - and find where your best abilities lie.


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## Einstein (Mar 20, 2009)

Tom, 

there are some state schools that work well, and some private schools that are rip offs and don't deliver. I had a taste of both private and state schools, did my Oxbridge O'Levels and went on to read Law at what is still considered to be the finest University in the UK to read Law.

I mentioned in earlier posts to you its application and self determination that will make you, don't go somewhere because the name is recognised but not for your subject, go there because its a good and recognised degree in its field and where you feel you're at home - you have to live there for three plus years, if you're not happy then those three or four years will feel like 30 or 40 years.

Equally, inteligence can't always be measured in paper, that's a representation of a few days of your life and if you recalled the right information applicable to the examination you're sitting.There were some people at university who made me wonder how they'd got there, excellent in their field, hopeless in life, not a clue about the world around them. Many got double firsts, I was unusual in that so did I but I had one heck of a life outside studies 

With my hearing loss my speech is sometimes scrambled, its quite enlightening when shopping in some of the major stores as I need to use my partner to be my ears and mouth for me, she is great at this... but when it comes to paying and you hand over a piece of plastic with your title on it (in my case Dr) the shop assistant looks at you, 2 minutes before they were treating me as though I was without much of my mental faculty, now they have someone who clearly at some point in their life had a brain.

As the old line goes, never judge that book by its cover 

Right, back to the jokes... this place is getting far too serious!


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## angel30eyes (Mar 20, 2009)

*Maths*

Ok I'm confused


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