Robben Ford Discussion

[BlueRunner]

( Excerpted from a recent John Derbyshire piece on National Review's web site):

Math teaching then and now. This one has been going round the Internet for a while, but non-mathematical readers might have missed it. It demonstrates the changes in math teaching techniques across the years.

Teaching math to American kids 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?

— 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?

— 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 one dollar. 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." Answer this question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" of profits?

— 1980: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

— 1990: By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20 profit. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees? There are no wrong answers.

— 2000: A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $120. How does Arthur Andersen determine that his profit margin is $60?
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- BlueRunner

[iRiMiKi]

- 2004 : A logger cuts a truckload of lumber for $100 but he sells just 10% of load. His cost of production was $120. How much does he charge on lumber to make a 20% profit margin?

(mathematical reader)

[Bluelobster]

14.40

[Aeolian]

1999, A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $120. The following week he sells twice as much lumber for $200. His cost of production is $240. The value of his stock goes up 50% on increased reported revenue. How many weeks does he have to keep this up until the value of his stock options is enough to retire in Florida?

I was joking with an accountant I worked with here in Sillycon valley back in 1999 that "we lose money on every one, but we make it up in volume", and she looked at me with all seriousness and said "exactly".
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[iRiMiKi]