Cold Case

 

When given a choice between two, the choice should be one and a half, as that lives dead center.

The issue I’ve always had with story problems is the story itself.  Written my math professionals rather than literary people tends to lack the spark of clever, or the motivation of intrigue.  I’ve never cared which train arrived first, or how many apples Julie had left.  The way I saw it, with her braces, she shouldn’t be eating apples anyway. 

My way of thinking is to teach math using real-life examples.  I can’t tell you how many cashiers I have encountered that cannot count back the correct change.  And ask the guy at the deli counter to give you 1/3 pound and he’s flummoxed. 

Here is your stack of household bills for the past month.  Figure out how much to pay each one and how much you’ll have left.  Now, how much interest is each one charging you on your unpaid balance?  Which one is the most expensive?  Which bank account pays you the most for the use of your money. 

Education for real life.  Ignore speeding trains, just check the schedule and call to see if they are on time.  Problem solved.

 Just wander outside of the classroom and see what needs fixing.  Then fix it.