Why maths in UK is going downhill
 

checkout this maths tutoring.

jump to around 3:45 and play the clip from there.
(this specific section takes about 3 mins playback time)



i loved the fact that the tutor was so insistant that each step had to be taken carefully as it was so easy to make silly little mistakes.

no wonder maths (and science in general) is going downhill in UK !

Oh good grief. 9720 minus 972 is not 9748.

I do math in my head like this:
972 ~ 1000, so I use 1000. 9720 - 1000 = 8720.
The difference of 1000 and 972 is 28, so I add back 28.
8720 plus 28 is 8748.
Easy.

Even if you do it the long way as in the graph, the shortcuts I use act as check/balance on the work. It's obvious that the answer should be in the neighborhood of 8720 (rounded to 8750, since 28 ~ 30).

Math fail.

Not that I would believe USA math education is much better. :(