On Thu, 06 Oct 2011 23:34:11 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 05/10/2011 3:58 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
>>> I blame the education system. I don’t know what for but something is
>>> to
>>> >  blame.
>> Technology.  Why should one have to figure out how to do sums when
>> everyone has a phone with a calculator built into it?
> 
> Basics?
> 
> And you don't want to look like a tosser walking around a supermarket
> with a calculator. Keep a running total in your head.

I rather have a shopping list. :)

And for something like a running total, round numbers are "good enough".

But one of the trends in learning in general is that people tend to not 
try to remember facts because they can be looked up so easily.  This is 
analogous to people not being able to do basic arithmetic because of the 
ubiquity of technology that makes it unnecessary.

I'm not saying it's a particularly good thing, but it's the way people 
tend to behave.

Jim

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