Baseman posted:I don’t care what you (Stormy) or Ksazma say, lil memorization of some basics and formulas don’t harm you thinking and problem solving skills!
Do you work out the formula for measuring a circle or you memorize and applying to solve a given problem?
I agree that beyond the basics, too much memorization impedes innovative thinking!
Progress comes because you don’t try to figure what has been done, you use it to solve bigger problems!
Ksazma stupid analogy about Excel formula is stupidness!
You can only know the ratios that are used in the formulas calculating the property of a circle by deriving it from the definition of a circle.
There is a philosophy of mathematics and it must be inculcated in the student so they can see how for example, euclidean geometry comes from five basic precepts. Kaz is not wrong. I do not know what he does but Excel is made up of a set of "c" algorithms that generates functions.
While it is not necessary to know them to do ordinary accounting you do need to know the underlying mathematics if you are mapping of the weather and doing physics ie modeling astronomical phenomena. Wall streets hire physicists not statisticians to model their hedge fund program Just as you need to know the mathematics to program the excel functions, you need to know the mathematics if you are to be a good scientist.