I agree with your comments, David, that fractions are necessary to maths, especially algebra, and should continue to be taught at schools.
However, apart from simple fractions like halves and quarters, I believe fractions (not decimal) play very little part in everyday life. Percentages and decimals are used much, much more in everyday life instead of fractions, particularly in the workplace where fractions are rightly regarded as a right royal pain in the backside. A couple of examples, 0.44 or 11/25? 2.72 or 2 18/25? In measurement terms in particular, decimal has the upper hand. By all means keep it in the classroom but all the evidence seems to point out that, in everyday life, fractions are increasingly becoming obsolete. I hope they continue to do so. ----- Original Message ----- From: "David King" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 10:43 AM Subject: [USMA:34852] Re: fractions > I have to agree with Stephen on this. Fractions of all kinds, vulgar, > common, decimal, whatever you call them, are still necessary and > important in the world of mathematics and in everyday life. They should > continue to be taught and I am glad that I was taught them at school. I > was taught metric and not imperial, but there was no reason to not teach > fractions, as they are an important concept in mathematics, and should > not be avoided. Fractions are not exclusively part of imperial, but are > part of mathematics, and should not be equated with imperial (or > metric), but are neutral of measurement systems. Just as are whole > numbers (integers). > > David King > > Buy UKMA's report "A Very British Mess" ISBN 0750310146 > http://www.ukma.org.uk/Docs/pubs.htm > > Avoid confusion with conversion, just learn to think metric! > http://www.thinkmetric.org.uk > > > > > Stephen Humphreys wrote: > > > Not surprisingly I'll have to disagree. > > I cannot see a point in any time where the teaching of fractions > > becomes obsolete. > > Once again "metric" has been mixed with "decimal" and "fraction" when > > it should not be. > > For a country that has not metricated (US, and infact, the UK) it > > might be wise to use, as examples, fully metricated countries such as > > Germany to realise that fractions remain part of the curriculum, > > speach and everyday transactions. > > > >> From what I've heard on these forums and others I note that the vast > > > > majority of pro-mets can seperate and distiguish between the > > fraction/metrication argument. > > > > > >> Fr > > > > >
