I encountered this question on a random Facebook post. And perusing the comments revealed so many ways to solve the problem.
First up, the “classic” method I was taught to do by paper. 7 + 8 = 5, carry the 1 over, making 2 + 4 + 1 = 7. So the Answer is 75.
Second method, Round up, then subtract the differences. 27 + 3 = 30. 48 + 2 = 50. 30 + 50 = 80. 3 + 2 = 5. So 80 – 5 = 75.
And finally, I thought this was super interesting: “24 hours” system. 27 = 24 + 3. 48 = 24 x 2. 3 x 24 = 72, add the +3 = 75.
So my first observation, everyone understand and operates math differently. When I was taught math back in my day(queue old timey voice), there was only one way to do it. It is clear however that not everyone learns the same way.
Even though math has very set rules and there is only one correct solution to the above problem, there are almost limitless ways to get there.
There are so many people out there that will say they are bad at math or that they hate math. What I think is that the way they were taught, does not match the way they learn. The future of public education should really be tailored to each student and how his/her brain works to learn information.
The right way to teach something is whatever gets the student to really absorb and be able to use the information.
The second observation is that there was both an awful lot of judgement as well as surprise at the variation of other’s responses.
I shouldn’t be too surprised at the judgement part as this was on social media. And when not monitored, social media due to anonymity, keyboard warriors take glee in tearing others down. But as Gary Vaynerchuk advocates: we need more empathy towards one another. The reason why someone is so nasty to others is because they are suffering themselves.
Acting negatively back at the trolls just keeps looping the cycle of suffering. We can rise above it. Show empathy. We don’t have to engage them in negative behaviors. We just have to end the suffering.