I got through HS level chemistry in JrHS in my lab and studies at home, enough to get straight “A”s in HS chemistry. By that time my interest had moved on to subatomic physics, but I could not set up that kind of equipment at home on my $1.35 per hour job at Tommy Tucker’s Hamburgers, and I did not have the math I found I needed. In JrHS I had a drunk for a math teacher. He used to sneak drinks from his briefcase at the back of the classroom so he covered for himself by being very grouchy and nasty. I was sick for a few days when variables were explained and I was lost. I faked it for some time before learning about them on my own but it put my far behind and I had trouble with algebra for a long time. He was just not a teacher you could approach for help. I had a good relationship with the science teacher and he helped me follow my interest but I could not really share my problem as I did not want to be held back. I was in advanced classes and had gotten some higher level attention because of my high results on standardized testing. When I went into HS I was able to take science classes like chemistry, a year ahead of my level.
I’d argue that point -- especially if you always know how to use a can opener!
BTW, I told my can opener incident to my doctor during my physical last week and that both of my parents had dementia. He said “Well, you seem fairly functional right now” which made me laugh, but we agreed that some testing might be warranted.
Happy Physics Friday, Gerbil Nation!
Good morning, Sven, and Mac!
I had many, many honors students who had poor math backgrounds and found chemistry difficult because of that. A simple problem involving a formula like a = b/c would stump them if I gave them values for a and b, and asked them to solve for c. They had all taken algebra in Middle School and the teachers taught them to substitute in the answers on a multiple choice test if they didn’t know how to solve the problem. That doesn’t help when the test isn’t multiple choice. I grew up with Ohm’s Law (I = E/R), so that was never a problem.
The biggest problem with HS physics was realizing that there may not be a formula to solve the problem you’ve been given, but you can use more than one formula to eventually get to where you need to go.
I’d tell my students that they may find chemistry difficult because it is the first math-based science that they had encountered, and it was true. They weren’t accustomed to using math anywhere other than in math class and had to wrap their heads around the concept that math actually had application.
One of my personal projects in HS was to calculate how many mile/tons of energy I would get from turning one hamburger patty from work into energy using E=MC2. I ended up learning a lot in the process but this was before affordable portable calculators and I had no confidence in slide rules so I taped many sheets of graph paper together and folded them up. I carried it around and worked on the calculations when I had time. I think it was something like 700 plus tons, one mile up. Spent a lot of time learning about energy units and conversions. The biggest pain was C squared as it was centimeters per second. It was a huge number. I only had miles per second so there were a lot of digits. I was considered a bit odd.
Apparently the country is bracing for a night fiery, but mostly peaceful protests triggered by the release tonight of videos showing five black Memphis cops killing a black citizen.
I agree. That’s why the entitle, rich, white off-spring of other rich, white people are burning down the inner-cities, where minorities live. All in the name of anti-racism and anti-fascism.
It sounds like someone hasn’t thought this through.
And if nothing happens, they’ll all clap themselves on the back and brag about how civilized they are and how systemic racism made people think that they were going to burn down WalMart.
Friday. Thankfully. I do have to admit that today’s thread pic is a headscratcher.
I got through HS level chemistry in JrHS in my lab and studies at home, enough to get straight “A”s in HS chemistry. By that time my interest had moved on to subatomic physics, but I could not set up that kind of equipment at home on my $1.35 per hour job at Tommy Tucker’s Hamburgers, and I did not have the math I found I needed. In JrHS I had a drunk for a math teacher. He used to sneak drinks from his briefcase at the back of the classroom so he covered for himself by being very grouchy and nasty. I was sick for a few days when variables were explained and I was lost. I faked it for some time before learning about them on my own but it put my far behind and I had trouble with algebra for a long time. He was just not a teacher you could approach for help. I had a good relationship with the science teacher and he helped me follow my interest but I could not really share my problem as I did not want to be held back. I was in advanced classes and had gotten some higher level attention because of my high results on standardized testing. When I went into HS I was able to take science classes like chemistry, a year ahead of my level.
I am still interested in science and I am fascinated by the birth and death of stars and how they generate energy.
Mind is too far gone for such things now.
I’d argue that point -- especially if you always know how to use a can opener!
BTW, I told my can opener incident to my doctor during my physical last week and that both of my parents had dementia. He said “Well, you seem fairly functional right now” which made me laugh, but we agreed that some testing might be warranted.
Cats trained me well on can openers.
I think Sven has a new answer to that age-old question, “How are you?”
“Fairly functional right now.”
Happy Physics Friday, Gerbil Nation!
Good morning, Sven, and Mac!
I had many, many honors students who had poor math backgrounds and found chemistry difficult because of that. A simple problem involving a formula like a = b/c would stump them if I gave them values for a and b, and asked them to solve for c. They had all taken algebra in Middle School and the teachers taught them to substitute in the answers on a multiple choice test if they didn’t know how to solve the problem. That doesn’t help when the test isn’t multiple choice. I grew up with Ohm’s Law (I = E/R), so that was never a problem.
The biggest problem with HS physics was realizing that there may not be a formula to solve the problem you’ve been given, but you can use more than one formula to eventually get to where you need to go.
“Difficult” perhaps because math is racist?
My white privilege did not seem to help me.
I’d tell my students that they may find chemistry difficult because it is the first math-based science that they had encountered, and it was true. They weren’t accustomed to using math anywhere other than in math class and had to wrap their heads around the concept that math actually had application.
One of my personal projects in HS was to calculate how many mile/tons of energy I would get from turning one hamburger patty from work into energy using E=MC2. I ended up learning a lot in the process but this was before affordable portable calculators and I had no confidence in slide rules so I taped many sheets of graph paper together and folded them up. I carried it around and worked on the calculations when I had time. I think it was something like 700 plus tons, one mile up. Spent a lot of time learning about energy units and conversions. The biggest pain was C squared as it was centimeters per second. It was a huge number. I only had miles per second so there were a lot of digits. I was considered a bit odd.
Apparently the country is bracing for a night fiery, but mostly peaceful protests triggered by the release tonight of videos showing five black Memphis cops killing a black citizen.
Yet another example of how structural racism has infected every aspect of American society. I wonder if those cops were all Uncle Tom’s?
The usual MAGA types -- somehow, it happened because of Trump.
Videos released -- haven’t watched yet, but what actually happened doesn’t matter nor does it matter that it happened in one city in the country.
I agree. That’s why the entitle, rich, white off-spring of other rich, white people are burning down the inner-cities, where minorities live. All in the name of anti-racism and anti-fascism.
It sounds like someone hasn’t thought this through.
And if nothing happens, they’ll all clap themselves on the back and brag about how civilized they are and how systemic racism made people think that they were going to burn down WalMart.