Spivak's Calculus

[EternalOptimist]

Maybe but I spent 6 years at uni doing calculus when probably about .001% of the workforce actually uses it on a day to day basis. I certainly have never used it since leaving university and when you think that I was first introduced to the concept at school when I was 11 then we should ask ourselves is their any point to teaching it?

How much money was spent teaching me to be an expert in something over 14 years that I would never use?

do not underestimate knowledge.

Last year I was coming back from Australia when the captain made an announcement 'Would anybody who has an 'O' level grade A or above in technical drawing, please make themselves known to the cabin crew'

Once I had explained to the captain the difference between a cut-away and an exploded view, he managed to guide the plane to safety.

[shaunbhoy]

Probably the best maths book I've ever read.
Beginning to understand now - previously I was merely a (rather good) symbol manipulator.

You need to get out more.
You may be able to differentiate and integrate with the best of them, but you really ought to be polishing up your social skills a tad more if you don't want to be perenially referred to as the "new AtW".

HTH

[threaded]

http://www.leaendowed.co.uk/cartoons/Push.jpg

[minestrone]

do not underestimate knowledge.

Last year I was coming back from Australia when the captain made an announcement 'Would anybody who has an 'O' level grade A or above in technical drawing, please make themselves known to the cabin crew'

Once I had explained to the captain the difference between a cut-away and an exploded view, he managed to guide the plane to safety.

I got the second highest mark in Scotland for my 'O' Grade Technical Drawing, passed the Higher and never went to a single class, just turned up for the eaxm.

[EternalOptimist]

I got the second highest mark in Scotland for my 'O' Grade Technical Drawing, passed the Higher and never went to a single class, just turned up for the eaxm.

there you go. seemed useless at the time but now you are qualified to be a passenger on a plane.

[sasguru]

Maybe but I spent 6 years at uni doing calculus when probably about .001% of the workforce actually uses it on a day to day basis. I certainly have never used it since leaving university and when you think that I was first introduced to the concept at school when I was 11 then we should ask ourselves is their any point to teaching it?

How much money was spent teaching me to be an expert in something over 14 years that I would never use?

So what you're saying is that you didn't make use of your education and that's somehow the education system's fault? You would have used it if you had had continued to be a mechanical engineer, which I guess no one forced you to study?
Most people don't learn calculus, it's usually introduced at A-level Maths (you must have gone to really good school if it was introduced at 11 ).

[lightng]

When you are 14 you should be out trying to get a stinky finger, not doing calculus on the school holidays.

Why not combine maths with getting a stinky finger? Two in the pink, one in the stink, I say. [lightng makes upsidedown bowling ball gesture].

[expat]

I wonder how may kids from that school went on to really accomplish something. I would guess most of them grew up into self-indulgent hippies.

I'm not sure that is the very bottom of the scale for accomplishment.

[DimPrawn]

I really enjoyed "The Black Swan" - did anyone else read it?

Cracking pub.

[NotAllThere]

My university years were the best of my life...

That's only because your life is so awful now.

I learned long division at school. I never do it now, I use a calculator. ( I still remember how to do it though ). Most people will never need to do it, so why teach it? Because if you don't teach it, then those people who'll need it in future, to design and build, e.g. your gps, won't have the ability to do it, and the technological basis of our society will collapse.

btw - you need to know how to do long division in order to solve certain types of integrals.