"kay" wrote in message
...

'Sacha[_4_ Wrote:


When I was about 4 or 5 I went to a small school where we used to chant

our tables first lesson every morning. I know it's considered the
'wrong way' now (or is it?) but that method certainly made the tables
stick in the mind. To this day, I recall my tables easily.


Arguably, knowing ones tables is a lot less important than being able to
understand percentages, differentials and probabilities. Often I see
articles in the press in which percentages have been translated into
fractions which are plain incorrect, hear people mix up "RPI is lower"
with "prices are reducing", or see people worry unduly about a "50%
increased risk" when the risk itself is so small that the change in
behaviour to avoid the risk itself has more ill effects!

I'd happily settle for less ability to multiply numbers together in ones
head in exchange for greater understanding of what the numbers actually
say, and therefore a greater ability to separate scientific argument
from opinion and quackery.




--
kay

But one has to start somewhere!

Bll