Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

My experience is that the third graders know how to multiply without a calculator. But they use the calculator in 6th grade through 12th grade. By the time they get to college the connections in their brain used to multiply haven't been used in a long time and thus they have forgotten it. It isn't a travesty though.

It used to be the case that high school students were taught interpolating polynomials but they aren't anymore. It used to be taught to make estimates on what log(1.0356) is based on a table to values. When calculators became common the old timers would say things like,

"Wow, kids these days. They don't know anything. They have to rely on a calculator to find what log(1.0356) is. I can do that using interpolating polynomials and a table of values."

I suspect everyone on this website using a calculator to find log(1.0356).



Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: