[Blindmath] Math for everyday use

[Joseph C. Lininger]

I think Bente already answered the question pretty well from a direct 
answer point of view, but let me share an experience with you which 
provides another answer. Feel free to share this experience with your 
student.

All through middle school and high school, I was basically a bad 
student. I didn't like studying, and I especially didn't like doing 
homework. I was more interested in studying things I did find of 
interest, such as girls and computers. (Yes I know those two aren't 
often seen paired, but I digress) I knew grades mattered, and I even 
believed people when they told me that later in life I'd be sorry I 
approached school the way I did. Unfortunately, I didn't care much.

That came back to haunt me in college. I was interested in a degree in 
Computer Science, which required a lot of mathematics. Unfortunately, I 
hadn't built the mathematical foundation properly. I ended up having to 
go back and take several remedial math courses. I also had to do a math 
learning group for at least one of the courses.

I have completed several more advanced math courses now, including some 
in more abstract areas. I would not call myself a math expert, however. 
I've always felt my math is a bit more shaky than it could have been  
had I learned it when I was younger. Yes, I can do math now. I even use 
my math skills for day to day things for work sometimes, and for my 
graduate level studies. I'm not nearly as confident in my mathematical 
abilities as a person at my level should be, however, and I feel this is 
a direct result of how I behaved in middle and high school.

Hope this helps

Joe