A course outline for eighth grade mathematics as applied to home expenditures

94 Pages·03.107 MB·English

by  Hendricks, Homer L

A COURSE OUTLINE FOR EIGHTH GRADE MATHEMATICS
AS APPLIED TO HOME EXPENDITURES
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
by
Homer L. Hendricks
August 1950
UMI Number: EP46356
All rights reserved
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UMI EP46356
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This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate’s adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of Master of
Science in Education.
Date :
djktsls.....
Adviser
Dean
ii
INTRODUCTION
Statement of need. It is generally recognized, in
varying degrees, by teachers of mathematics in our junior
high schools that there is a great need for making their
subject matter more "alive," more applicable to life problems.
The formal division of subject matter into fractions,
decimals, per cents, etc., and the mechanical manipulation
of numbers is not a way of using mathematics to the best
advantage in solving problems of daily living nor is it
even a good method of learning.
Statement of problem. This course outline for eighth
grade mathematics is being written, actually, with two
problems in mind. First, there is the general problem of
making mathematics meaningful by "functional!zing" it. That
is, making realistic application of the subject matter to
the needs of the student as they exist now and insofar as
the student is able to comprehend such needs. In other words,
the viewpoint taken herein is that mathematics is not in it­
self purposeful, but rather, that it becomes purposeful only
to the extent that it becomes functional and is used as a
tool for meeting real life problems.
This leads to the second, more specific problem with
which this course outline in mathematics is concerned: that
of meeting those financial needs and problems that arise in
iii
the home whose solutions are better insured through the use
of mathematical understandings.
It is generally accepted practice in teaching mathe­
matics to put the tail before the house; to begin with
numbers, processes, and manipulations involved and assume
that application will ’’naturally’* follow. This is actually
a carry-over of the erroneous "faculty discipline" theory
of transfer which simply required the pupil to redigest the
reasoning of others, and which in no way contributed to the
development of the pupil’s ability to think.
Point of view. This course outline for eighth grade
mathematics is an attempt to avoid the fallacious assumption
that the study of mathematics per se in the classroom results
in an automatic application of the "learned"techniques to
real life problems outside of the classroom. The point of
view taken herein is that understandings and applications
must go hand in hand; that a separation of the two kills
both. Mathematics has meaning only when applied to real
life problems and these problems should be brought directly
to the classroom.
Method of attack. This course outline in mathematics
is directed toward the student. The basic assumption is that
each student would like to see his or her family get more in
return for the money that is spent in the home. It follows
then that the area under consideration is home spending, with
the chapters being laid out in terms of how the money is
spent. Each chapter is divided into sections titled "re­
wards,” "investigations," "over-all activities," and "testing
programs.” It is intended that the "rewards” section provide
motivation. The "investigations" section has a dual purpose:
first, to provide direction for the inquiries that are to be
made, this being done by means of statements in "how to"
form with questions following; and, second, to slant these
directions in such a way that most of the answers can only
be obtained by the use of mathematics. Mathematics is,
therefore, being brought into the picture through the "back
door." The student is not studying mathematics in its
purity but is using it as a tool to solve life problems,
during which process he gains a better understanding of
those problems and certainly an ability to apply mathe­
matics in a way that is useful to him. The "over-all activi­
ties" section puts into one action those directions given
in the "investigations" section and the last section,
"testing program," is an evaluation check-up for the student
on what he or she has learned and accomplished through a
participation in and a carrying out of these courses of
action listed in the "over-all activities" section.
As a means of combating the need for diagnosis of
and practice on the basic operations in mathematics, the
teacher is provided with a series of four minute tests in
the appendix that are especially designed to bring to light
the students* computation difficulties as well as furnish
whatever drill that may be necessary. Further information
on how these tests should be incorporated into the curriculum
is given in the appendix.
Materials for this course outline in mathematics were
gathered from students (two hundred strong), teachers, books
and articles. Contributions from students and teachers were
in the form of statements concerning those problems of home
spending that they were most interested in knowing more about.
These replies were grouped according to problem content and
form the basis of the chapter divisions. Consideration is
given to the individual problems within the ’’investigations1’
section of each chapter. The writings' of Brueckner and
Grossnickle, Fay Adams, Claude C. Crawford, and others as
is indicated in the bibliography, are recommended for giving
additional support and information on the point of view and
method of attack used herein.
vi
PREFACE TO STUDENTS
Is mathematics one of your poor subjects? Or is it
easy for you but just a little boring? How would you like
to have it changed into a course that is neither of these—
a course that is new and different and full of ulife"? If
this doesn’t sell you, how about considering the next point:
there are ways and means by which you can help your family
save money that you have never heard of— methods and techniques
of buying that, when used, result in savings never before
thought possible.
If you want your family to get the most out of Its
Income, and if you want to learn a few things yourself that
many adults don’t even know, then make an honest effort to
follow the directions given herein and you will not be
disappointed.
vii
TABLE OP CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
PART I. THE TWO ESSENTIALS
HOW TO AUDIT EXPENSES ON POOD AND CLOTHING
1. PURCHASING POOD: How to evaluate the wisdom of
your parents' food expenditures ................... 3
2. BUYING CLOTHING: How to help your parents save
money on buying clothes . ............................10
PART II. YOUR CASTLE AND SURROUNDINGS
HOW TO GET MORE VALUE OUT OP THE SHELTERING DOLLAR
3« BUYING A HOME: How to help your parents save money
on buying a home.......................................17
1}.. PAYING FOR RENT AND UTILITIES: How to help your
parents save money on house rent and utility costs . 23
5. PAYING FOR UPKEEP OP HOUSE AND YARD: How to help
your parents save money on furniture and appliance
expenditures ........................................ 29
6. BUYING FURNITURE AND APPLIANCES: How to help your
parents save money on furniture and appliance ex­
penditures ............................................. 36
PART III. THE THREE MUSTS
HOW TO BE FREE FROM PEAR, KEEP UNCLE SAM HAPPY,
AND STILL GET AROUND
7. BUYING A CAR: How to help your parents save money
when buying a c a r ................... lj.3
8. PAYING INCOME TAXES: How to help your parents save
money on income taxes . . . . . . . . ............. $0
9- INVESTING IN INSURANCE: How to help your parents
save money by the proper use of insurance........
BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................... 6l
APPENDIX 63
1
PART I. THE TWO ESSENTIALS
HOW TO AUDIT EXPENSES ON POOD AND CLOTHING
There are two things in life that you are always
going to have a need for, namely, food for your stomach
and clothing for your body. The following two chapters
will help you, and through you, your parents to provide
for these two essentials at greater savings. Make an
honest effort to follow the directions provided for you
herein, and you will not be disappointed. You will notice
that these directions are given in terms of questions and
you are asked to find the answers in "everyday life" by
means of investigation, inquiry, search, quest, and explo­
ration. Your teacher, of course, will provide all the
help and guidance that you will need.