Five out of four people have trouble with fractions
-- Comedian Steven Wright
Apparently, Steven Wright and I are kindred spirits. Math was my Achilles’ heel in middle and high school, and to this day I cringe when measuring objects that stubbornly refuse to measure to the exact quarter inch. Hence, I am an excellent cautionary tale for students who moan about what useful purpose fractions can possibly serve in real life. Tell them that their window shades and blinds will fit correctly. So there!
Peggy's companion column:
Resources mentioned in this post:
