Re: [HoE] Math! (was Re:[HoE] A Complete Review of HoE)

[The Baron Samedi <baron11@netmcr.com>]

At 06:04 PM 11/2/99 , you wrote:
>Loki wrote (in response to Kirt Dankmyer's issue with Junker math in his
>review):
>
umm...Loki=Kirt Dankmyer, and did not respond to himself.



>Bravo, Loki - I'm with you on this!  I realize this is an old argument
>folks, but it never fails to get my dander up and I need to vent.  I'm
>an Elementary School teacher (U.S., but no offense taken).  I taught
>remedial mathematics for grades K-6 for several years and am now
>teaching 5th grade. The Junker math "given what we're used to...is very
>advanced"?  Please.  Fractions and decimals are not that complicated.
>No more so than basic probability and percentiles, and they're all over
>the game! Heck, math is one of the great educational bonuses about
>playing RPGs, second only (of course) to reading! The basics of
>fractions (halves, quarters and wholes) are covered as early as
>Kindergarten these days, and by 6th grade the mechanics of addition,
>subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions, mixed numbers and
>decimals have been taught.  From my experience, that (along with basic
>reading comprehension...don't even get me started) is as hard as the
>Junker math gets. Sorry if this comes off as heavy handed (no hard
>feelings, folks...and I realize you probably didn't intend to make a big
>deal about it, Kirt), but the whole thing just burns my biscuits black!
>Harumph!
>
>Matt Steflik

generally yes. but the fact that the question-from many parties-esp of 
order of operation for dealing with the fraction modifiers (the fact its 
asked means the people asking don't know proper order of operation) 
suggests that it is a problem for at least a few in the target audience.

the "what we are used to" in PEG games is basic addition and 
subtraction.  when you have to decide how to factor out multipliers and 
figure out the other stuff, that is a small jump.  Now, its not for day to 
day, just in this RPG setting.

TBS
not saying I am above or below anyone, but still.