Math for Maths Sake

Lindy Abbott
I want my children to be lifelong learners so that they will be able to pursue Gods purpose
for their lives. With this goal in mind, I have been careful to not force lessons on my
children in order to merely finish a textbook. I adapt the curriculum to meet the students
developmental ability and needs. In math, my first child sailed through every lesson with
ease. I simply presented the new concept once and he immediately could work the
problems. However, that was not the case with my other two children. When they
complained, Why do I have to do this mathI will never use it? I automatically responded
with all the things I had been told by teachers when I had asked that question: You need it
to get through college. It helps develop logical, critical thinking. Think of it as a game.
You must know it for the standardized test. As my bright, creative children continued to
struggle daily with math, I noticed they were becoming less confident and even feeling
dumb. They worried that they would never get into college since they were making little
progress in their math textbooks. I tried different curriculum, bought math games, and used
manipulatives. Still, they made little progress. All of this caused me to question if the
required math was really necessary. I began to wonder: Do my teens have a valid
complaint? Are the reasons given for doing required math true? Who decided students
needed four years of high school math, which in our state includes two levels of Algebra,
Geometry, and Advanced Math? Whom do these requirements benefit? Keeping my
foundational goals for homeschooling in mind, I was driven to find answers.
Science and MathInterconnected
As I began to research, I was encouraged to learn that Isaac Newton called irrational
numbers absurd and negative numbers not true. Historically, the very scientists who
pioneered scientific discoveries that led to major math discoveries did not receive the
advanced math instruction the state requires for my children. Until the late nineteenth
century, mathematicians focused on understanding what was observed in nature.
Mathematics was regarded as a tool used by scientists in astronomy, mechanics,
hydrodynamics, elasticity, electricity, and magnetism. Interestingly, mathematicians were
also scientists; therefore, computations were taught within the context of each scientific
subject. Famous mathematicians such as Pythagoras, Sir Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes,
and Albert Einstein are famous for their scientific discoveries in nature (matter, energy, time
and space) and the discovery of related mathematical principles. They developed patterns,
equations, and theories that had real-world applications, and they wrote about the math
that explained and supported their discoveries.
Pure Mathematics?
In the late 1800s many colleges began to regard mathematics as a separate discipline
instead of simply presenting it as a tool used in the study of science and fine arts. The
mathematicians concentrated their efforts on researching pure mathematical (math used
by mathematicians in the academic setting and in research of math) concepts. Math for
maths sake began and eventually filtered down to all math education in schools. New

textbooksfunded by the federal governmentwere designed in the early 1900s by college

professors of mathematics. Many rigorous high school math standards were established by
private organizations (specifically the Carnegie Foundation) that funded college professors
pensions and a team of scholars that developed college entrance examinations. The practice
of teaching to the test began because the college entrance examinations were printed
annually for students to use as they studied for the next years exams. The professors likely
did not consider the life needs and developmental stages of students when designing
textbooks. High schools began to teach pure mathematics concepts. The fact that teenagers
have little use for pure mathematics unless they are going to be studying advanced
levels of college mathematics for their career choice appeared, for the most part, to be
disregarded.
Modern Math Must Be Better
In the 1950s professors of mathematics, again through federal funding, redesigned
textbooks for students in elementary through high school. This time, traditional math was
discarded and replaced with the new modern math program. Elementary math textbooks
of the 1950s, which concentrated on applied mathematics (math used in science and real
life), were replaced with a program that introduced pure mathematics. The modern math
text focused on isolated math concepts and word problems contrived to practice the new
skills. With great fanfare, slick marketing, and unproven promises, classroom teachers were
vigorously trained in the new math vocabulary, methodologies, and the new content focus.
Traditional math relied heavily on sensibly written explanations using everyday examples to
teach the basic building blocks of number concepts. Math modernists replaced many
traditional math definitions with their own new versions. For example, elementary teachers
had to explain that the symbol 7 is not a number but a numeral. Teachers also learned the
number 343 contains three digits, but since 343 =73, which is the same number but does
not contain three digits, the new proper way to speak mathematically in the classroom is to
say the numeral 343 contains three digits. Modern math also clarified that since 7 is a
numeral for the number seven, students should be taught that a number is an idea! Of
course, all of this new terminology harmed understanding more than helping, because it
shrouded math in a vocabulary that did not relate to everyday common sense. Therefore,
even some of the brightest of children (as well as many teachers) began to doubt their
ability to master math since instructions were given with intangible concepts.
Solutions for Burdensome Math
Clearly, math became burdened with immense amounts of new terminology to be learned.
Several hundred new terms were added to Algebra and Geometry textbooks. The new math
focused on the learning processes requiring the memorization of (1) steps performed to get
correct answers, (2) precise math vocabulary, and (3) the order of given geometry proofs.
Many of the students, like my own children, found mathematics to be dull memory work
since the computations of equations had no significance. I needed to find a way to help my
children be successful in math; therefore, I looked for ways to adapt their lessons to give
them the least amount of math for maths sake concepts as possible. My children, who
innately were deeper thinkers, perceived pure mathematics to be senseless. Until math
requirements are changed, my children will have to learn the math required for College
Entrance Exams (ACT/SAT) if they plan to attend college and to complete their high school

graduation requirements. In the back of the Kaplan test prep book for the ACT, I found a list
of one hundred key math concepts. This gave me a good guideline regarding the math
needed for college. Setting the goal for my children to learn the mathematics useful for their
God-designed purpose, I decided to not force them to struggle through unnecessary
advanced concepts of pure mathematics. Since I want my children be taught meaningful
math, I aim to present new concepts with significant explanations and to provide enough
practice to ensure understanding and mastery of the skill. As a homeschool parent, I am
able to pace math instruction to ensure mastery before introducing new lessons. In
textbooks prior to the 1960s, I have discovered delightful, easy-to-understand lessons that
still used applied mathematics! These books provided relevant, simple explanations of new
concepts; illustrations; and examples. Instead of math being taught as a series of isolated
facts that need to be memorized in order to find correct answers, topics are presented in
logical sequences, building on previously learned material. Meaning and relationships are
emphasized. I encourage you to pursue math instruction for your childs greatest benefit.
After all, we chose to homeschool for the sake of our children!
Scientists Whose Discoveries Led to Mathematical Discoveries
Pythagorass (about 570d. about 495 B.C.) work in the fields of mathematics,
astronomy, and music led to numerous discoveries about numbers and geometric
figures.
Blaise Pascal (16131662), a physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher, invented
the mechanical calculator, probability theory used in gambling, and triangle formulas
to project measurements.
Pierre de Fermat (16011665), a lawyer by vocation, developed number theories for
points, curves, and size.
Sir Isaac Newton (16421727) advanced the study of motion, gravity, astronomy,
light, color, and sound and wrote about numerous mathematical theorems.
Rene Descartes (15961650), famous for his work in analytical geometry, wrote
foundational philosophy writings, contributed to optics, and identified laws of bending
light and the radius of the rainbow.
Alan Turing (19121954) worked as a code-breaker during the Second World War
and later worked in developing computer science and mathematical processes in
molecular biology.
Samples of Word Problems from a 1955 Schoolbook
Sam and his father drove exactly 100 miles one afternoon. After they had driven 57
miles, they had a flat tire. They used the spare tire to travel the rest of the way. For
what percent of their drive did they use the spare tire?
Edith had $42 in a bank. Her interest for 6 months is 2% of $42. How much does she
get?
A department store allows its clerks a 25% discount. A clerk paid $18 for a suit.
What was the regular price?
Mr. Sands borrowed $1,500 and paid interest at 4%. At the end of 6 years he repaid
the loan. How much interest did he pay in all? What was the amount of the loan for
the 6 years?

A new label on a bottle of hand lotion listed the contents as 5 fl. oz. instead of 6 fl.
oz., as had been the case formerly. Find the rate of decrease. (Fl. oz. means fluid
ounces.)
To avoid raising the price, a manufacturer made a 4-ounce candy bar 25% smaller.
Find the new size.
Helen reads slowly. She averages 12 pages an hour. How many hours will it take
her to read a book of 275 pages?
Bob built a bookcase frame with an inside height of 4 ft. 5 in. Then, above the
bottom shelf, he put in 4 shelves, each in. thick and equally spaced. What was the
distance between the shelves?
A circular flowerbed in the park has 10 zinnia plants spaced evenly around the edge
and a marigold between each two zinnias. How many marigold plants are there?
How many 3" by 5" cards can be cut from a sheet of cardboard 12" by 20"? (" means
inches)
To fence a farm 1 mi. square requires how many times as much fence as would be
required for a rectangular farm 1 mi. long and mi. wide? (The formula to calculate
the perimeter of a rectangle is p = 2l + 2w.)
One boat had a triangular sail with an altitude of 9 yd. and a base of 4 yd. How many
square yards of material were there in this sail?
Teds bicycle has 28-inch wheels; each wheel is 28 in. in diameter. How far does the
bicycle travel with each revolution of the wheels?
Walter bought a road map with the scale 1 in. = 50 mi. On the map, two cities are
3 in. apart. Approximately how far is it from one city to the other?

Source: Buswell, Guy, Wikkiam Brownell, and Irene Sauble. Arithmetic We Need. Ginn and
Company. 1955.
ACT Math Requirements Math Uses in Everyday Life
Order of Operations in Solving Equations
Absolute Value
Prime Numbers and Factorization
Least Common Multiple Helps in Dividing and Fractions
Greatest Common Factor
Multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10 Counting Quickly, Adding Items
Remainders Items, Money, Inventory, Sharing
Computing and Reducing Fractions Cooking, Carpentry, Nursing, Medical,
Science, Crafts
Percent Formulas Shopping, Sales, Tax, Commission, Debt,
Polls
Ratios, Solving Proportions Medical, Pharmacy, Crafts, Stats, Design,
Architecture
Average Rate and Formula Grading, Science, Business, Banking,
Finance
Probability Games, Cards, Dice, Statistics, Weather
Powers and Roots 2nd Power for Design, Science, Property,
Construction

Evaluating Algebraic Expressions

Solving Monomials, Binomials, and
Polynomials
Factoring Algebraic Expressions
Simplifying Algebraic Fractions
Solving Linear Equations
Solving Quadratic Equations
Solving and Graphing Inequalities
Pythagorean Theorem for Distance Formula Construction, Engineering
Find a Slope and Intercept Slope of
Equations
Equations for Parabola (seven pairs graph
coordinates)
Using Equation for a Circle and Graphing
Points
Statistics, Polls, Growth Charts, Medical,
Business
Graph Equations for an Ellipse Science
Determining Degrees of Angles Construction, Engineering, Architecture
Area of a Triangle, Using a Pythagorean
Theorem
Memorizing Special Right Triangles
Solving Area and Perimeter of Shapes Design, Construction, Decorators
Solving for Volume of Shapes (cube,
cylinder, and cone)
Design, Architecture, Retail
Formulas for Circumference, Arc, and Sector
of a Circle
Engineers, Designers
Sine, Cosine, and Tangent of Acute Angles
Solving and Graphing Trigonometric
Functions

Some facts came from ACT Primer. Kaplan, Inc. New York. 2010.
Lindy Abbott is a passionate follower of Jesus with a strong understanding of the Biblical,
Christian worldview. She is a certified teacher and a homeschool mom of three teens. From
childhood, she discovered writing as her way to express what she felt and learned. Lindy is
a published author, freelance writer, editor of a homeschool newsletter, and avid blogger.
Read her regular post at www.lindylou-abbott.blogspot.com .
Bibliography:
1. Arbuthnot, John. An Essay on the Usefulness of Mathematical Learning. Oxford,
1701,
a. www.archive .org/stream/anessayonuseful00arbugoog#page/n2/mode/2up
2. ACT Primer. Kaplan, Inc. New York, 2010.

3. Buswell, Guy, Wikkiam Brownell, and Irene Sauble. Arithmetic We Need. Ginn and
Company,1955.
4. Cline, Morris. Why Johnny Cant Add. St. Martins Press, New York, 1973.
5. Fiske, Thomas. College Entrance Examination Board Second Annual Report. New
York, 1902.
6. Garelick, Barry. The Myth About Traditional Math Education, Education News, 2011
www.educationnews.org/education-policy-and-politics/barry-garelick-the-myth .
7. Pritchett, Henry. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of TeachingThird
Annual Report. Merrymount Press, Boston, 1908
(www.archive.org/stream/annualreportcarn03carnuoft#page/n5/mode/2up).
8. Pritchett, Henry. The Carnegie Foundation for The Advancement of TeachingSixth
Annual Report. Merrymount Press, Boston, 1909
(www.archive.org/stream/annualrepor1905a06carnuoft#page/n3/mode/2up).
9. Mirel, Jeffrey. The Traditional High School,Education Next, Volume 6, No. 1, 2006,
www.educationnext.org/the-traditional-high-school.

Copyright 2013, used with permission. All rights reserved by author. Originally appeared in
the January 2013 issue of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, the family education magazine.
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