Quote:
Originally Posted by proximity
before trump, trans, biden, and borders, mathematics buttered the pacemen's bread and there should be special mention here of girolamo cardano, the godfather of pacemen!!
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30 years ago when I had to interview a lot of people for lower level jobs where math skills gave a person a better shot at advancement I gave all applicants a math test where the questions became increasingly harder.
It is hard to gauge what the standard is now as the average Joes math skills have eroded. I would say the average HS grad had what I call 5th grade math skills. I see cashiers struggle to even count change. I think the average person unfortunately in this country gives two shits about math.
My self employment requires proficiency in geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. Part of the need for those proficiencies is my refusal to spend $25,000 plus yearly subscription fees for programming software. Still even if you cough up the money for the software you still have to learn it and it is not easy to use. Also if you are proficient at math you can beat the speed of a software user. The reason being is regardless of the complexity of the problem the software has a minimum of time to solve it due to all the data that needs input. Case in point if I wanted to know the circumference of a circle, I just punch diameter x PI in a calculator. On the software you will have to draw a circle, and plot a center point, a point along the circumference, and input the radial value.
Still fascinated by what was accomplished mathematically before we had computers and even worse before calculators. I combine that with knowing
the evolution of manufacturing and I stare in amazement at antique equipment. We put a man on the moon when a computer with the power of a calculator mass produced a half dozen years later took up a whole large room. Most of the calculation were done with pencil and paper.
The rocket that went to the moon was designed with pencil and paper.
Computer assisted manufacturing and inspection were in their infancy and primitive. Most of the rocket components were made by people turning handles and forming metal by hand. None of this push the green button and watch the machine make a part while you drink a soda like I do.
What I cannot stand is those people who don't appreciate what our fore fathers accomplished with what they had to work with.
