"James Curts" wrote in message
news:TN3oa.519103$L1.151448@sccrnsc02...
Hello Oz,

I also am of the 60's era and without calculus pursued a very rewarding
engineering career. Today I see students quite intent on the study of
calculus. Most seem to be first and second year university students
working
toward mechanical and electrical/electronics fields.

To what end are they working? Do you mean calculus is not necessary or
that
it has been surpassed by another form of mathematics?

I think the point that Oz is driving at is that in the UK students were
introduced to Calculus at the age of 14 as part of O level. You couldn't get
into university to do maths or physics without a knowledge of calculus.
At the old O level my wife did 8 o levels and get two As... This was
considered exceptional
Under the comparatively new GCSE which replaced O level they have had such
bad grade inflation that they have had to institute the grade A+ because it
is common for students to get all A grades

Jim Webster