> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
> Behalf Of Marvin Long, Jr.
> Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 7:39 AM
> To: Brin-L
> Subject: Re: The language of simple math
>
>
>
> I didn't really "get" algebra until I had taken geometry for some reason.
I wonder if that would help Cindy, too... especially after the "pi"
discussion, which started along the lines of "when do you use it and why is
it 3.14? Who invented it? Why didn't they pick an easier number?" Vague
memories of sine functions came to me, but I didn't even start trying to
remember... and had to fall back on, "You'll just have to memorize the
formulas for circumference and area of a circle. And the value of pi."
I think the rest of your message will be very helpful, especially the
imagery of things balancing one another. A long time ago, Alan Kay
convinced me that learning math is much easier if one can manipulate
objects. So is learning in general, of course. (And that's why the
Macintosh UI behaved the way it did in the beginning, which is off
subject...)
Nick
