If you wonder why our schools are so screwed up

[m16a]

I do have one question, significant digits aside. Is not the standard number of digits taught in the basic textbooks 3.14?

All my books always said to use it as 3.14 in work, but would give it usually has 3.14159 and add a few more to show us that it was just the shortened version of a very VERY LOOOOONG and precise number. I'm pretty sure calculators(a standard scientific and graphing one at least) will do it out to about 7-8 decimal places. So yes, as far as I know, the textbooks will say 3.14.

[Dan Lambskin]

EVERYONE READ THE FOLLOWING. ALL OF IT NOT JUST PART OF IT

ALL OF YOU HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE POINT I WAS TRING TO MAKE. THAT IS:

When you teach the youth of our country to take the easy way out what do you get?

A bunch of adults that aren't worth a crap because they want everything easy. Work ethic goes to crap, parents don't raise their children, and just a general complete break down of basic respect for others.

Wait a minute we are already there. If I was single and had no family I would get the he--ll out of here before it gets any worse.

NOTE: BEFORE ANYONE THINKS THAT I AM SAYING THAT PI BEING ROUNDED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE OF OUR CULTURE I AM NOT. IT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW SCREWED UP OUR CULTURE IS.

you should lead by example then. you should have used "are not" here instead of the contraction aren't...why use the shortcut, the easy way out?

NOTE: yes i'm being extremely petty here (and using contarctions myself ) but i dont see using 3 for Pi as any different than using "it's" instead if "it is"

Well, I could find you maybe 1000+ English textbooks that teach the use of contractions. If you can find me 1 Mathmatics textbook that teaches that it is OK to round pi and other constants, I'll apologize for my ranting on this subject.

just because it's accepted doesnt mean it's not a shortcut. are you only for shortcuts that you deem worthy?

[bigh0rt]

My son was doing his math homework thursday evening. It was math and was working on some basic geometric shapes.

Area, volume and such. I looked at his paper when he was figuring the volume of a cylinder.

he had 2 x 3 x 1

I asked him what the 3 was repersenting. gues what I was suprised to hear. "It was pi" I told him that pi is 3.14. He told me that his teacher had told them to round pi to 3.

BTW my son is in 7th grade.

I called the teacher today to discuss this with her.

Here ware the reasons they round pi to 3

1. Its easier to multiply a 1 digit number rather than a 3 digit number.

2. The TAKS test (I am in TEXAS) is easier to figure the correct answer if you round pi, you don't have to make sure you round correctly your answer during the test.

3. Most of the parents are happier becuase its easier for them to help with homework.

And the #1 reason to round pi is

are you ready


are you sure


are you really sure

well her goes its a freakin duuuzzzzyy


"Well all the calculators have pi on them anyway."

I put this in quotes because that was her exact words

As a high school math teacher, this disgusts me...

PS - sorry for bumping a year old thread, it was linked to on the dark side.