Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Multiplication and Long Division

It all comes down to math.

I didn't really set out to talk about math today, my point is about life. But it starts with math. For those of you who've been reading me for a while, you know that no one can make a short story long like I can. But if you stick with me, it'll end with life. And math. You see although I suck at parallelograms (love algebra, hate geometry), I'm pretty good with parallels.

Multiplication and Long Division, the math of politics | Graphic designed by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics #politics
  

If I could remember his name I'd thank my high school algebra teacher for solidifying my love of math, but another number (my age) precludes me from pulling that name out of the cobwebs over in that particular section of my mind. Yeah, those who knew me when know that lapse in memory isn't all to my current age, but we're not going there today. {{sigh}}.

I know I'm showing my age once again when I say that I used to be able to help my kids with their math homework, mostly because that's before they came up with this "new math" concept. Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah, I know, only old folks complain about newfangled concepts. I promise not to start talking about about walking 7 miles uphill in the winter snow to a one room schoolhouse (I didn't, btw) BUT I will admit that I don't understand this whole Common Core new math thing. New math? Really? Math is math, as old as Methuselah (which I am not). I've heard of "dumbing it down" but whose idea was it to take simple concepts like multiplication and division and "complicating it up" (yeah, that's a new expression, feel free to use it)?

There are those who feel that math principles are, for the most part, not necessary learning. We've not only moved on to the age of calculators, but moved past needing to have one, they're in our laptops and tablets and phones. But understanding math concepts are the basis of everything. Innovations, medical breakthroughs and treatments, the environment, our budgets, all have a solid base in math.

Yes, even cooking and baking (come on, you knew I was gonna go there).


Pound Cake Imposter is lower in fat and sugar than the original recipe, but you won’t miss it in this version, moist and delicious as you remember pound cake to be. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #cake

Pound Cake Imposter
Pound Cake Imposter is lower in fat and sugar than the original recipe, but you won’t miss it in this version, moist and delicious as you remember pound cake to be. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #cake


Here's the life part I promised:

Our politics as well. Numbers, statistics, the census and representation (or the lack thereof), analysis, projections. It's rooted in politics, this most important math lesson that I've come to learn. Not just me, unless you've been living under a rock (and I mean really, really, deeply under that rock), we all have figured out that our entire future boils down to a basic societal equation. Over the past 4 years we've been dividing and conquering, subtracting friends, adding alliances, calculating loss vs gain, in most all of our thoughts and actions.

I won't complicate it up, nor dumb it down. Mr. What's-his-name didn't teach it in a classroom and we won't get to the solution with a calculator or a cell phone. It doesn't require us breaking off into team old school math or team Common Core. The multipliers and divisors in this problem have dire consequences and it all comes down to this basic calculation of risks vs rewards: 

If we don't find a way, all of us, to multiply our common goals, this long division will be permanent.


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics




Pound Cake Imposter        
                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup butter substitute, softened
1/4 cup low fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.
*Cream the oil, butter substitute, yogurt and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, lemon extract, almond extract, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. Last, mix in the flour, baking soda and salt.
*Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the center springs back to the touch.
*Cool in pan for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge and removing. Cool completely before slicing.

15 comments:

  1. Math, New Math, Common Core, Bleh. Long division double bleh. Until our hearts and mind no longer hate, long division is here to stay. I can admit that I have to ask for forgiveness for my thoughts on what is happening. Praise God, I know I can ask and receive forgiveness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I ask for no forgiveness for my thoughts about what's happening, but I do ask for wisdom and compassion for those who seem not to have any.

      Delete
    2. It depends on who I should have compassion for. If it is those intent to destruct, I find that hard. If it is for those who give no thought to the value of life when they take an action involving violence. I find it hard when that action takes an innocent life.
      I have compassion for the parents that fear for their children. I have compassion when an innocent life is lost to violence.
      I just don’t have the wisdom to know what to do. I can control me, but that is all I can control. Hearts and minds need to change and I can’t do that.

      Delete
    3. I understand, but we can do things in very small ways call out the lies and promote the truths. We can encourage people to register to vote, we can support good candidates and the ACLU. We who have intelligence and compassion can be sure we never get so warn down by the constant lies and abuse that we stop trying.

      Delete
    4. I am afraid a lot of us are already there.

      Delete
  2. I am so tired of being depressed (which I think is why I am turning to stress baking). I'm far from a math genius - I hit the "math wall" in 6th grade, slid down and never climbed back up. But I understand the math of how infectious diseases start with a small number of cases and then...increase and increase and increase. So I hunker down so people can party? And people don't give a d**m about the health care workers who will work themselves to death to try to save their sorry...wait, I didn't mean to rant here. I'm fresh out of compassion for anyone but first responders, essential workers, and the other innocents in this nightmare. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a safe place for that kind of rant. I share your frustration. There's no room for being self-centered when it comes to public health, I honestly think these people should be locked up somewhere where they can all be together but not jeopardize the lives of those of us who live in the real world.

      Delete
  3. Loved the ending! You are spot on, and it shouldn't matter which "side" you are on to see it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There should really be no sides to public health and safety, that's what's most incomprehensible to me.

      Delete
  4. Many a time i have said, and no one wants to listen to me, that we are defining many of the problems incorrectly, and thus we will have a harder time coming to a solution.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Math???????????????????
    At school I was good at it more or less, learning useless stuff I have never needed to know
    Now I suck at it..........

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I depend on the calculator on my ipad more than I probably should, but at this point it's a lot more accurate than I am.

      Delete
  6. Ohmyword! You are absolutely (to use another number) 100% right!

    ReplyDelete

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