The Math Fix

This blueprint is provided in triplicate; a good thing for blueprints, but it can detract from readability. The author is quite right (if repetitive) and provides some excellent suggestions for reaching educators, students, testing agencies and especially those who need the results - effective math problem solvers.

Existing curricula focus on (and test) calculation ability - the one thing that is least informative. Wolfram's strategy is to educate a 4 step process - define the the question, abstract the provided information (to better choose which tools can be used to find the answer) calculate the result, then interpret (and validate) the calculated answer. Assuming the problem is defined properly and the answer is interpreted correctly, the calculation is the obvious step. One that can be taken over by a computer with no fear. This process is used in the real world, why not teach it in schools?

I've been reading this for more than a month, which is longer than any other book in the last two years. Sometimes that was because I was thinking about the text and ideas, but more often it was a lack of compelling text. I appreciated the chapters that examine the objections and look at implementation details. The author's plan for getting governments, colleges and hiring companies on board looks pretty good. Unfortunately, as glimpsed in the intro, the text is repetitive at times. The same anecdote of Latin is mentioned four times - it's a good fit, but even after adding a reference to Yes, Minister, Latin gets a bit overwhelming.

The author is right in conclusion - not enough people are talking about this topic. A great book or article could be written with reference to this text, and I hope one is soon. I suspect the testing companies will be the hardest to get on board. I am grateful that Wolfram Publishing provided me with a copy of The Math(s) Fix to review - overall rating, 3 of 5 stars.