What Happened To Numeracy?

[ToraToraTora]

https://news.sky.com/story/all-pupils-in-england-to-study-maths-until-18-under-rishi-sunaks-new-mission-12779266
Not sure what the PM means by, pupils will study Maths until 18, I assume he means the ones that are still in education. Anyway I find it shocking that:
"Around eight million adults in England have the numeracy skills of primary school children, " - so what happened? Why are we so innumerate as a nation? I'm not talking about Calculus here just basic 'rithmetic.

[Untitled]

i actually agree with you toratoratora but the simple fact that everyone has calculator + internet does disincentivize people from learning the methods

[cashier]

Not everyone carries a calculator at all times. I never have one, nor do I take my phone with me.

[Zacs-Master]

'ZM Ok you can use a calculator....What percentage of 167 is 35? Now I don't doubt for a minute YOU can do it but even with a calculator many can't'

I can't actually. I'd get my phone out and say 'Hey Google..........'

You still havent really told me why i need to know 'the method'.

[ZebuSanctuary]

TTT // trig, basic Algebra etc. //

Are numeracy skills intended to deal with unknowns?

[Tilly2]

Back to my post about Sunak wanting to develop analytical skills. Here's a list. Maths plays a small part.


Research
Forecasting
Problem-solving
Data mining
Data and metrics interpreting
Reporting
Organization
Communication
Diagnostics
Troubleshooting
Creativity
Theorizing
Brainstorming


I think he's talking though his hat!

[ToraToraTora]

ZM: "You still havent really told me why i need to know 'the method'. " - because a calculator is useless if you do not know how to work out what you want. Try it now get a caluclator and work out "What percentage of 167 is 35".

[piggynose]

https://youtu.be/1HoVF6iv7OE

[ToraToraTora]

zebu: "Are numeracy skills intended to deal with unknowns? " - Of course, what else? you don't know the answer you use numeracy skills to get it. Take my example above. From the outset you do not know what percentage of 167 35 is, but if you employ your numeracy skills you soon will, get it?

[roopower]

Maths is the same as English is going, you learn a lot of stuff that you won't normally need. I sweated over trigonometry and the like but didn't learn much that would be any use to me in life, apart from times tables. I'm 71 and nothing has changed except the work is more complicated. My son (now 34)struggled with simultaneous equations and I hadn't a clue so we saw his maths teacher who said the GCSE work was on a par with what he had done for his A levels.
If they're learning stuff thats only needed for certain occupations there is no time to entrench the basics.

[youngmafbog]

I dispair, as Untitled says if someone has got the 16 without the basics then there is little hope.

I also disagree with this 18 lark, let people who are not academic go and earn a crust, nothing wrong with that. Of course need to stop the shirkers so no job back to education, or whatever.

Personally I would like to see a lot more done for apprenticeships and less done for 'academics' which in many 'uni' cases is anything but.

I also find it odd, baring I suspect many are doing it simply to pick a fight with TTT, that people dont understand what TTT means by 'method'. If you are unaware of the existence of the 'method' you wont even think of asking Google or if you did you probably wont be able to do something with the answer.

Perhaps the way forward is to understand how people get through the system without basic maths.

[piggynose]

22.42%

[Zacs-Master]

'a calculator is useless if you do not know how to work out what you want. Try it now get a caluclator and work out "What percentage of 167 is 35'

As I've already said, I'd ask Google.

[youngmafbog]

That list is fine Tilly, but it's not for everyone. I do wonder if perhaps he is on about those who get to go to jobs that require such skills are found to be sadly lacking.

I used to interview Grads for a major world Bank in IT. You would be surprised at the poor skillset of many who hail from the UK. Those from outside the UK were often much better equipped with those sort of skills.

[ToraToraTora]

it's 20.96 to 2 dps piggy but that's not the point.

[Zacs-Master]

By the way, I'm 60 and not once have I ever had to work out what percentage a number was of a larger number and that includes in my professional career in which a significant amount of arithmetic is involved.

[ToraToraTora]

16:42, why are you being obtuse ZM? all I'm saying is that a calculator is no help if you do not know the method. Now why are you deliberately not grasping that?

[fender62]

hands on apprenticeships and not useless uni degrees in media studies
plumbers plasterers bricklayers electricians etc, basic arithmetic is all you need.

[youngmafbog]

Bully for you ZM.

Obviously haven't got much of a job then.

[drmorgans]

How out of touch Richy is that he thinks that numeracy should be his first major policy announcement of 2023? How about the cost of living, in particular energy and the dire situation his party has put the NHS in. And all they can do is talk about the extra £7 billion a year they're putting in to the NHS. Will that have any effect on after a decade of neglect?

[Zacs-Master]

Nope. Director of 2 companies, Associate Director of another and a Sole Trader in my time, YMB. Currently a 'Senior Principal [insert job title]'.