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Math In Everyday Life

 

            Through the years, and probably through the centuries, teachers have struggled to make math meaningful by providing students with problems and examples demonstrating its applications in everyday life. As this classic joke shows, some strategies are more successful -- and more meaningful -- than others! .
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             Teaching Math in 1950: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?.
             Teaching Math in 1960: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?.
             Teaching Math in 1970: A logger exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a set "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is $100. Each element is worth $1. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M." The set "C," the cost of production, contains 20 fewer points than set "M." Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" for profits?.
             Teaching Math in 1980: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. Her cost of production is $80 and her profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
             Teaching Math in 1990: By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What do you think of the logger's way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering this question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There are no wrong answers.
             Teaching Math in 1996: By laying off 40% of its loggers, a company improves its stock price from $80 to $100. How much capital gain per share does the CEO make by exercising his stock options at $80? Assume capital gains are no longer taxed, because this encourages investment.
             Teaching Math in 1997: A company outsources all its logging work. The firm saves on benefits, and when demand for its product is down, the logging work force can easily be cut back.


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