Why we show our work
This one was a bit interesting. Every once in a while I get a student that questions the entire methodology in place for doing math outside of chunks of fast mental math. Goodness! Let’s talk about math, but more importantly, scientific progress and the nature of humans and our finicky minds.
Caption: The student was faced with a question of basic unit conversions for a nutrition class.
Frustrated with having to do any process other than the “mental math” he was raised with, I began one of the hardest parts of math tutoring (or any sort of civil service): communicating how humans must commit extra time and energy to integrate with the rest of their community. Yes, if you want to be a part of something bigger, then your work must not only be logical but legible, comprehensive, and sensibly familiar.
To be continued...
















