Why the New York Times Stinks at Math

CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

I liked this article for two reasons:

• I also cringe every time I see the "American" references, as if we are the sole inhabitants of the Americas. Always told my United States history students that I was anti-American, pausing to see their reaction, then pointing out that the name emblazoned on our current textbook was "American History", yet there was no history of Canada, Mexico, Central America, etc. (Then, again, we do live in a country conveniently nicknamed "US" implying that anything and everything is all about us.)

• I like catty commentary

• I'm an old math teacher

That's all folks!

Enjoy the remainder of your summer...

...as we get ready to turn another page on the calendar.

Yes, sigh...

...you, more than I. (Or is it "me"? Or is it "US"? Stay tune for ELA wars!)

POSTSCRIPT:

Well, maybe not quite "That's all folks!"

If you had the patience - the "grit" - to read both of these articles, we should really determine whether: "Are you, or are you not, a 'math person'?"

There is a simple test.

Not to worry, you don't have to study, you've already taken it!

After you read my reasons for liking the article, did you notice that they did not add up to "two", but "three"?

If you "got it", then give yourself an "A" for numeracy!

PPS:

I'd request that you send your results to me, but I don't want to run afoul of the author, that my collection and reporting of numeracy statistics for readers of CAT Tracks was simply junk science and terribly flawed.

After all, your noting of the three rather than two reasons could be that you are a frustrated grammarian...