NationStates Jolt Archive

i think someone is unclear on the concept

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5306332.html
AUSTIN — Sample copies of Texas elementary math textbooks for next fall contain more than 109,000 factual errors. While that sounds like a big number, it's not necessarily a big problem at this point in the process.

And it's not as if the publishers fouled up a ton of simple addition or subtraction problems, though there are some. One second-grade math book, for example, has 4 plus 7 equaling 10.
...
Many of the math book errors resulted in faulty translation from English to Spanish language textbooks, Givens said. Some of the student editions also improperly included answers to chapter quizzes.

"So every time there was an answer in the students' editions that shouldn't have been there, that's an error," Givens said.

The errors are spread out over 164 elementary math textbooks and online products that will be available for Texas schools to choose from next year. About 1.8 million Texas children attend elementary school this year.

Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Co. is responsible for 79 percent of the 109,263 factual errors in the math textbooks, including both student and teacher materials...

read that again, just in case you missed it the first time around

i think someone is unclear on the concept

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5306332.html


read that again, just in case you missed it the first time around

So one company is responsible for almost 80% of the errors?

Time to get a new company in. Free market and all that.

Edit: scratch that. I actually read the article:

Errors in textbooks are fairly rare by the time they reach students, Givens said. Final, error-free books are due from the publishers in May.

"The last time we had any errors that were identified after they hit the classrooms was in 2005. We found one," Givens said.

I can do selective quoting too!

So one company is responsible for almost 80% of the errors?

Time to get a new company in. Free market and all that.

maybe. but you should read through one more time.

Hmmm....I went to school in Texas. That explains a few things.:p

maybe. but you should read through one more time.

I did and edited my post :p

Hah! I heard someone complaining about Texan math just this morning. Something about their High School-aged kid having to do "synthetic division," which he thought was lazy and unnecessary. Gibberish to me, but funny anyway. :p

Clear something up for me: What exactly is a Sample of Textbooks? It seems pointless giving specific statistics to such a sweeping classification...

so far, the thing to notice escapes notice

so far, the thing to notice escapes notice

Giant flaming arrows can help with that, I hear.

Hah! I heard someone complaining about Texan math just this morning. Something about their High School-aged kid having to do "synthetic division," which he thought was lazy and unnecessary. Gibberish to me, but funny anyway. :p

Synthetic division IS unnecessary :mad:

But really, that many errors in textbooks? Jeez! You'd think SOMEBODY at those companies would know how to do simple math...

what are we supposed to notice?

That a Boston Baised company had so many mistakes in their books? (it may be baised in Boston but the actual publishing could be within Texas.)
That 1 written in spanish is 1 thus hard to have any translation errors? (but there are word problems...)
that 79% from 109,263 is not 86,026? (but it's close enough.)
That one company made 86,026 errors? (spread out over how many products being created?)
or is it the fact that math books (which rarely change per edition) need to be corrected? (however, given that mistakes could just be typos...)

Wait, does that mean it's only Spanish books or English books too?

Our standardized tests are even worse. Each one is guarenteed to have 1-3 questions with more than one or no correct answer out of 50. They call these "field questions" after they catch them.

By the way, that quote about 2005 is utter crap. I can open up any of the new math books my school recieved last year and find at least 20 incorrect statements or questions with incorrect answers.

That 1 written in spanish is 1 thus hard to have any translation errors?

actually, it written "el 1" - thus the problems.

Well, I just caught the error alluded to in th OP. I think I will let others find it for themselves. Joy of discovery and all that.

I also found an error in this quote from the article:

"The board has put such a rigorous process in place and a significant fine so there's an incentive for publishers to really do diligence and make sure that the final copy of subject material is error free," she said.

Doo-Doo Diligence.

Somebody shoot it with a flaming arrow, if I missed it.

Surely, it can't be the 79%? That's an approximation after all, not an exact figure.

How can you make 86,026 errors, Craig asked of Houghton Mifflin.
/me winces

Ow that hurts.

That's why we shouldn't be accommodating spics. No other immigrant group ever got translated book editions or glossaries (in my school) like this. It's ridiculous that they are so coddled. It might be the overall mentality: let's coddle everyone.

The natural logarithm of 0 yields a real number answer.

That's why we shouldn't be accommodating spics. No other immigrant group ever got translated book editions or glossaries (in my school) like this. It's ridiculous that they are so coddled. It might be the overall mentality: let's coddle everyone.

That's just incredibly offensive for so many reasons.

How hard can it be to translate this?

ENGLISH DIGITS: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

vs

SPANISH DIGITS: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

How hard can it be to translate this?

ENGLISH DIGITS: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

vs

SPANISH DIGITS: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

ah, but in spanish 7+4 does equal 10. this actually explains a lot...

ah, but in spanish 7+4 does equal 10. this actually explains a lot...You should consider a career in textbook writing.

How hard can it be to translate this?

ENGLISH DIGITS: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

vs

SPANISH DIGITS: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Have you ever considered that math textbooks include more than just math?

You know, much like they include words such as division and addition?

They usually do include explanations for the students, so that the students can understand what's going on. Even at university level they do this.

That's just incredibly offensive for so many reasons.

Yes, but its true. Think about it.

Yes, but its true. Think about it.

Or, maybe, you know, you could take this oppurtunity to learn a second language.

Edit: Then there's also the fact that this company might offer these books to Texas AND Mexico AND a number of other states.

Or, maybe, you know, you could take this oppurtunity to learn a second language.

Jah, I suppose I could. but then again so could the immigrants. Just about every other immigrant group has assimilated, why not the hispanics?

[/hijack]

Jah, I suppose I could. but then again so could the immigrants. Just about every other immigrant group has assimilated, why not the hispanics?

[/hijack]

*shrugs* You all could and everyone would benefit.

Knowing two languages improves your horizons considerably.

Also, the English never assimilated ;)

That's why we shouldn't be accommodating spics. No other immigrant group ever got translated book editions or glossaries (in my school) like this. It's ridiculous that they are so coddled. It might be the overall mentality: let's coddle everyone.

spics? :( that's so........wrong. Why would you use that word?

*shrugs* You all could and everyone would benefit.

Knowing two languages improves your horizons considerably.

Also, the English never assimilated ;)

No, they stole the nation, and during the age of the British Empire, a good portion of the world.

spics? :( that's so........wrong. Why would you use that word?

I would like to think that the word was used for emphasis, but most likely it was used to be offensive.

I would like to think that the word was used for emphasis, but most likely it was used to be offensive.
but, it's not nice. :( You are supposed to be holding people up to a standard.

but, it's not nice. :( You are supposed to be holding people up to a standard.

Smunkee: Reality is not nice. And why am I supposed to be holding people up to a standard?

Smunkee: Reality is not nice. And why am I supposed to be holding people up to a standard?

because......uh.....yeah........and stuff.

also, you have been here forever, and you are nearly always nice and your wife is nice and she would want you to?.......I got nothing.

:(

were we supposed to notice that 79% of 109,263 isn't 86,026 an error adding humourous irony to the story?

because......uh.....yeah........and stuff.

also, you have been here forever, and you are nearly always nice and your wife is nice and she would want you to?.......I got nothing.

:(

Thank you (I think). Anyway, If I were expected to hold anyone to a stadard here, I would be a Mod. Not happening.

P.S. plus it's hard enough for me to maintain a civil, let alone nice persona around here, considering some of the um....questionable intelligences we get posting.

Thank you (I think). Anyway, If I were expected to hold anyone to a stadard here, I would be a Mod. Not happening.

P.S. plus it's hard enough for me to maintain a civil, let alone nice persona around here, considering some of the um....questionable intelligences we get posting.

forgiven. ;)

Also, the English never assimilated ;)
Which is exactly why I'm currently sipping tea and adding unnecessary U's to my wourds.

i think someone is unclear on the concept

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5306332.html


read that again, just in case you missed it the first time around
Missed what?

Which is exactly why I'm currently sipping tea and adding unnecessary U's to my wourds.

And dipping your chips in vinegar, of course.

The UK in Exile;13222852']were we supposed to notice that 79% of 109,263 isn't 86,026 an error adding humourous irony to the story?

No, it is, if you round to the nearest percent.

Synthetic division IS unnecessary :mad:

Synthetic division is awesome and easy! :)

That's just incredibly offensive for so many reasons.

spics? :( that's so........wrong. Why would you use that word?

I only use it in this type of context. I don't walk up to Hispanics and say spic. I only use it when I'm angry at them or something caused by them.

I only use it in this type of context. I don't walk up to Hispanics and say spic. I only use it when I'm angry at them or something caused by them.

That just adds an entirely new layer of offense.

I only use it in this type of context. I don't walk up to Hispanics and say spic. I only use it when I'm angry at them or something caused by them.

Calling someone a bitch, even when you're angry at them or something caused by them, is still rude and offensive. It's a bit the same here, especially given the type of context you only use it in.

I only use it in this type of context. I don't walk up to Hispanics and say spic. I only use it when I'm angry at them or something caused by them.
That's stupid. The only legitimate reason to use a term that a particular group finds offensive is when you are addressing that group directly and want to make it known that you find something so personally aggressive or invasive that you are prepared to strike their nerves directly in spite of the consequences. Otherwise, all you're doing is displaying innate dislike and prejudice.

Have you ever considered that math textbooks include more than just math?

You know, much like they include words such as division and addition?

adición
división
etc.

That's why we shouldn't be accommodating spics. No other immigrant group ever got translated book editions or glossaries (in my school) like this. It's ridiculous that they are so coddled. It might be the overall mentality: let's coddle everyone.

Your racism, as always, is disgusting.

I only use it in this type of context. I don't walk up to Hispanics and say spic. I only use it when I'm angry at them or something caused by them.

Oh that makes it all better. Angry racial slurs are ftw!

Not that I frequently leap to the defense of Texas but consider a couple of things.
Are the publishers a bunch of native Texans?

And as goes Texas, so goes the nation. At least in textbooks. When Texas picks it's textbooks, most school systems around the country hop on and buy the same books. Limited number of textbook publishers and ease.

Not that I frequently leap to the defense of Texas but consider a couple of things.
Are the publishers a bunch of native Texans?

And as goes Texas, so goes the nation. At least in textbooks. When Texas picks it's textbooks, most school systems around the country hop on and buy the same books. Limited number of textbook publishers and ease.