"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

I love it when the press or the like come out with ""And 35% are against
..................""

and what does that leave? 65% in favour, but that is bad for the press!!!!

Mike



--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

wrote in
:


I remember 'completing the square on a generic quadratic from first
principles' suddenly clicking whilst I was in the dentist chair having
a tooth removed ...


No doubt it is completed now?
I wonder if you would like to share your findings with us.

Baz

"'Mike'" wrote in
:



wrote in message
...
Martin wrote:
So I guess what is /really/ needed is a happy medium, where you can
use the
instant recall to apply to the more general method, if that makes
sense. Unfortunately there seems to be only so much one can cram
into a little brain at a time!
In real life being able to instantly recall a product is better than
knowing how
to derive it from scratch.

I totally disagree. If the 'instant recall' is outside of the small
list you have learnt, it's pointless. You need /both/ to be most
effective.

(perhaps I should start playing times table tapes to the boys at
night
instead of the Gruffalo!)
I learnt mine in the bath.

I remember 'completing the square on a generic quadratic from first
principles' suddenly clicking whilst I was in the dentist chair
having a tooth removed ...


I wonder if there are any Electronic Engineers reading this who
remember the mnemonic for remembering the Resistor Colour Code ;-}}

Of course you do, but are toooooooooooooooo polite to post it here ;-)

Mike



Bad Boys Ravish Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly

Will that do?

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"'Mike'" wrote in
:



wrote in message
...
Martin wrote:
So I guess what is /really/ needed is a happy medium, where you can
use the
instant recall to apply to the more general method, if that makes
sense. Unfortunately there seems to be only so much one can cram
into a little brain at a time!
In real life being able to instantly recall a product is better than
knowing how
to derive it from scratch.

I totally disagree. If the 'instant recall' is outside of the small
list you have learnt, it's pointless. You need /both/ to be most
effective.

(perhaps I should start playing times table tapes to the boys at
night
instead of the Gruffalo!)
I learnt mine in the bath.

I remember 'completing the square on a generic quadratic from first
principles' suddenly clicking whilst I was in the dentist chair
having a tooth removed ...


I wonder if there are any Electronic Engineers reading this who
remember the mnemonic for remembering the Resistor Colour Code ;-}}

Of course you do, but are toooooooooooooooo polite to post it here ;-)

Mike



Bad Boys Ravish Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly

Will that do?

:-))

You are SOOOOOOOOOO polite ;-)

Close :-)

Mike

"'Mike'" wrote in
:




Bad Boys Ravish Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly

Will that do?

:-))

You are SOOOOOOOOOO polite ;-)

Close :-)

Mike




Why am I soooooo polite

You asked and I have given.

Baz

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"'Mike'" wrote in
:




Bad Boys Ravish Only Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly

Will that do?

:-))

You are SOOOOOOOOOO polite ;-)

Close :-)

Mike




Why am I soooooo polite

You asked and I have given.

Baz

52 years ago yesterday, I started my Radio/Radar Training when I went into
the Royal Navy and the mnemonic we learnt, was not quite so polite as yours
;-) and I have heard it time and time again from Radio/Radar Mechs and
Telephone Engineers.

email me if you want the version I know ;-)

Mike


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

Nor when I left a (dire) public school in 1965. However, I do have
a degree in mathematics ....

On the matter of multiplication tables, I didn't learn mine until
I was well into my teens, and 7x8 was always my bugbear - however,
I could work out the answer fast enough that the teachers never
realised, so I never got punished for it (sic). 7x8 = 2 x 7x4
or 7x8 = 7x7 + 7.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Many people can tell you straight away that 7x8=56 but have to think about
8x7?

It's always this calculation tha springs to mind.

Bill

wrote in message
...
wrote:
On the matter of multiplication tables, I didn't learn mine until
I was well into my teens, and 7x8 was always my bugbear - however,
I could work out the answer fast enough that the teachers never
realised, so I never got punished for it (sic). 7x8 = 2 x 7x4
or 7x8 = 7x7 + 7.

I think I do the last one, (7x7)+7


Oh dear! :-)

Bill

"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

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...

I wonder if there are any Electronic Engineers reading this who remember
the mnemonic for remembering the Resistor Colour Code ;-}}


Mike

Or indeed the colours of the rainbow :-)

Bill

"Bill Grey" wrote in
:


"'Mike'" wrote in message
...

I wonder if there are any Electronic Engineers reading this who
remember the mnemonic for remembering the Resistor Colour Code ;-}}


Mike

Or indeed the colours of the rainbow :-)

Bill




Does putting the word "indeed" in every answer mean something?
Do you actually know what it means?

Baz

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"Bill Grey" wrote in
:


"'Mike'" wrote in message
...

I wonder if there are any Electronic Engineers reading this who
remember the mnemonic for remembering the Resistor Colour Code ;-}}


Mike

Or indeed the colours of the rainbow :-)

Bill




Does putting the word "indeed" in every answer mean something?
Do you actually know what it means?

Baz

A bit picky aren't you ?

Bill

"Baz" wrote in message
...
"Bill Grey" wrote in
:


"'Mike'" wrote in message
...

I wonder if there are any Electronic Engineers reading this who
remember the mnemonic for remembering the Resistor Colour Code ;-}}


Mike

Or indeed the colours of the rainbow :-)

Bill




Does putting the word "indeed" in every answer mean something?
Do you actually know what it means?

Baz

Just to things into perspective, I've replied 14 times in this thread and
used the word indeed in only two of those replies, so what's your point ?

Please crawl back under your stone.

Bill

'Mike' wrote:
I love it when the press or the like come out with ""And 35% are against
.................""

and what does that leave? 65% in favour, but that is bad for the press!!!!

I like* things like '75% fat free' ... meaning 25% fat? Eyww.

Baz wrote:
I remember 'completing the square on a generic quadratic from first
principles' suddenly clicking whilst I was in the dentist chair having
a tooth removed ...
No doubt it is completed now?
I wonder if you would like to share your findings with us.

I'd rather not have another tooth pulled out so I can re-remember it!