Oh dear, did you miss the memo? A professor of mathematics dropped by and offered her authority in the matter of fifth grade math.
I am utterly stunned at the level of innumeracy in this thread. If you spelled a word wrong, and someone with an English degree said, "that's wrong" - you'd take the hit, right?
I have had men on this and other boards ask me for help with training - especially diet; recently gear; I have no qualifications whatsoever in any of these fields and yet, I have read enough on my own to have earned some respect from at least a few of you.
I have two science degrees in applied mathematics. I taught math all the way through both degrees. I earned a national scholarship because my grades were so high. I work in an economics unit and build Access and Excel applications for work off the side of my desk, while I'm doing research and writing up analyses. I know WAY more about math than I know about physical culture - and yet, when I DARED to question your authority, I received INSULTS on this thread; I had a man accuse me of PMS-ing; another who told me to leave science for the menfolk. Now I realize this is in fun but MEN don't get to do that; not yet. It's like the n-word; Anybody else says it, it stings like a whip. I'm white and Canadian and even I can see this.
I'll explain where I am coming from:
I wasn't allowed to take grade 12 math when I wanted to. I got through grades 10 and 11 math when I was in grade ten, earning a nearly 100% average in grade eleven algebra. I wanted to take grade 12 math the next year.
You know what I was ALLOWED to take? Typing.
And some dorky made-up science class called Human Biology where you just basically had to show up to get an A. Oh, and grade 12 geometry. Interestingly, they couldn't keep me out of Electronics. I was the first girl ever to take electronics at Magee high school. Took it through grade 11. It was just like physics, only easier and more fun.
Still though, these weren't the courses I wanted to take. They were just fluffy little courses. I got so bored in school after that I just quit.
I went back to school at 25 when my first husband left, and finished high school. I was really poor; I kept running out of money; I waited tables and worked in a warehouse, did room service Sunday nights at the Hotel Georgia in Vancouver but I kept going. Then I started teaching math - that paid WAY better, so I dropped everything else and just tutored.
All told, it took me me ten years of plugging away at it a few courses at a time, working a semester or two, then another few courses but I just kept at it - and earned a BSc in math. I took my credential in statistics, and earned a $35,000 scholarship for my grades and planned research. I had two universities fighting over me to go to grad school; I sadly followed the money but that's a different story. I completed a graduate degree and defended a thesis in operations research.
I mean really - I live through all that, explain, in detail, over numerous posts, the underpinnings of number theory - and I'm told I'm a stupid woman who needs to concede her "error", take Midol, and go cry somewhere.
Later, a math professor dropped by and blinded you with science - still, I see these posts:
How can you
not be ashamed to be so innumerate? People are ashamed when they're illiterate; I feel so sorry for people who haven't had the opportunity to learn how to read.
But the rest of you. I'm beginning to wonder if they teach this stuff at all anymore.
To all you gear-users out there: I hope you dose better than you compute.
I'll give you four good reasons:
Stay safe, hear?