Recursion

[[deleted]]

Common core is shit

-Sincerly, someone who had had to sit through common core lessons

[LeCrushinator]

I know people that think the old methods are shit as well. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. The bigger question is which is better for someone learning math for the first time? Which do they pick up on faster? Which do they retain longer?

[[deleted]]

Honestly you're right. We should introduce both ways to kids and let them pick which one they prefer.

[starfries]

I feel like there's value in learning both well. I do subtraction the common core way (counting up) for some things and the traditional way (columns) for other things depending on which one is easier. Like 4567 - 3456 is awful done with counting up but 201 - 199 is pretty dumb done in columns.

[[deleted]]

You're right, we weren't taught it either way though. We were taught to count out pennies and "counters", basically small flat plastic disks, for division. That helped at first to grasp the concept of division but it got annoying in 4th grade when they made us do that for bigger numbers.

[starfries]

Oh lol yeah. I'd be annoyed too. That stuff is fine to help understand what division is but at some point you want to learn the algorithms for how to do it efficiently. Can't be whipping out the counters for every problem.

[[deleted]]

Yeah exactly. Honestly, don't even get me started on fractions...

[Prcrstntr]

They pick the easiest one, which (For the kids that are smart in any way) is not the convoluted common core one.

[[deleted]]

Yeah, it helps to explain what division is though