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From: tracy@ihuxl.UUCP (Kim)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Intelligence
Message-ID: <1584@ihuxl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Jun-85 09:28:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxl.1584
Posted: Fri Jun 21 09:28:39 1985
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Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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> >Much of my academic energy over the past decade has been spent in finding
> >ways to progress academically without having to study calculus.  My mind
> >simply shuts off and refuses to deal with it.
> 
> However, this might itself be an indication of "intelligence".  A major
> problem with teaching of the calculus is that it is taught differently, in
> most colleges, from higher mathematics; this is especially true of the
> integral calculus.  It is taught by memorization, the same as Organic
> Chemistry.  I have seen several computer scientists have trouble with the
> introductory calculus courses as a result of this, and some even become
> disillusioned with mathematics as a result.  Later, if they are fortunate,
> they find that most mathematics is nothing like the calculus...
> -- 

I am not sure why a discussion of calculus is in this newsgroup, but I have
to respond to the comment that mathematics is nothing like the calculus.
As you pointed out calculus is taught in many different ways, and one of 
these ways is to teach it as "real" mathematics. But sadly, the elementary
calculus series is often taught in this cookbook form. And indeed, it may
be a sign of intelligence to avoid such courses....

If taught properly, calculus can be quite elegant. Anyway....

				Kim Tracy, AT&T Bell Labs
				Naperville, Il
				..ihuxl!tracy