Teaching Math in 1950: “A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of this price. What is his profit?”

Teaching Math in 1960 (Traditional Math): “A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of this price; in other words, $80. What is his profit?”

Teaching Math in 1970 (New Math): “A logger exchanges a set L of lumber for a set M of money. The cardinality of set M is 100, and each element is worth $1. Make one hundred dots representing the elements of the set M. The set C of the costs of production contains 20 fewer points than set M. Represent the set C as a subset of M, and answer the following question: What is the cardinality of the set P of profits?”

Teaching Math in 1980: “A logger sells a truckload of wood for $100. His cost of production is $80, and his profit is $20. Your assignment: underline the number 20.”

Teaching Math in 1990 (Outcome Based Education): “By cutting down beautiful forest trees, a logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? (Topic for class participation; How did the forest birds and squirrels feel?)”

Teaching Math in 2000: “By laying off 40% of its loggers, a company improves its stock price from $80 to $100. How much capital gain per share does the CEO make by exercising his stock options at $80? Assume capital gains are no longer taxed, because this encourages investment.”

Teaching Math In 2010: “El hachero vende un camion carga por $100. La cuesta de production es………….” :-\