Reply #5: Ah, yes, the New Math, pushed by computer and DOD people

[Warpy]

as I recall, screwed up a whole generation of kids, most of whom now vote GOP because they can't add or subtract and have to go with their guts, which are invariably wrong.

I hated tutoring math when I was in nursing school because not only did the high school grads coming in think they were just going to sit there without participating, they honestly couldn't do the most basic arithmetic. There I was trying to teach them college level algebra and they couldn't even figure out percentages, multiply fractions, or do any basic tasks. Most couldn't do basic functions without a calculator.

I was expected to fix them without their active participation.