New Google tool = more math cheaters?Solving a math word problem means having to translate that problem into an equation. With the new calculator feature introduced by the search engine Google, hurried or lazy students might skip that step. The regular search box at Google.com is now able to handle all of the functions of a typical calculator and then some--because it recognizes words as well as numbers. Type in the query "100 m in km," and the answer (106.9344 kilometers) pops up. Besides conversions, the tool calculates percentages, square roots, Roman numerals Roman numerals System of representing numbers devised by the ancient Romans. The numbers are formed by combinations of the symbols I, V, X, L, C, D, and M, standing, respectively, for 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 in the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. , remainders after division, factorials, trigonometric functions, logarithm logarithm (lŏg`ərĭthəm) [Gr.,=relation number], number associated with a positive number, being the power to which a third number, called the base, must be raised in order to obtain the given positive number. bases and more. Users can enter queries in hexadecimal See hex. (mathematics) hexadecimal - (Or "hex") Base 16. A number representation using the digits 0-9, with their usual meaning, plus the letters A-F (or a-f) to represent hexadecimal digits with values of (decimal) 10 to 15. , octal A numbering system that uses eight digits. It is used as a shorthand method for representing binary characters that use six-bits. Each three bits (half a character) is converted into a single octal digit. Okta is Greek for 8. or binary numbers. A National Council of Teachers of Mathematics The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) was founded in 1920. It has grown to be the world's largest organization concerned with mathematics education, having close to 100,000 members across the USA and Canada, and internationally. position statement recommends the integration of calculators into all levels of math programs. Yet, despite research favoring appropriate calculator use, it's still a somewhat controversial issue among educators, says NCTM NCTM National Council of Teachers of Mathematics NCTM Nationally Certified Teacher of Music NCTM North Carolina Transportation Museum NCTM National Capital Trolley Museum NCTM Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage President Johnny Lott. The Google tool certainly complicates that debate. "Ironically, the release of a calculator of this type might be a boon" to schools that can't afford to put a calculator in the hands of every student, he says, adding that any available tool to help students learn math deserves serious thought. First, teachers should work with the tool to see how it could be used effectively. And if the tool's use were to become commonplace, Loft says, "It would cause a re-thinking of drill sheets given to students as homework." |
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