New Books in Mathematics Jordan Ellenberg, “How Not To Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking” (Penguin Press, 2014)
15 snips
Jul 8, 2014 AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Balance Fluency And Understanding In Math Education
- Teach both fluent computation and conceptual understanding; both are essential.
- Ensure students memorize basics like times tables so higher-level math becomes possible.
Beware Implicit Linearity Assumptions
- People assume linear relationships where real-world effects are often curved.
- Mistaken linearity explains apparent contradictions like policy changes in different countries.
Many Trials Make Jackpots Inevitable
- Improbable events occur frequently when many chances exist, so apparent patterns can be selection bias.
- Incubator mutual funds and Bible-code claims both illustrate being fooled by multiple testing.