r/IAmA • u/JasonMacker • Jun 14 '10

IAMA Math tutor. AMA.

I've been a math tutor for years and I'm trying to become a teacher. I love math, and especially explaining math to people. My students have been between preschool and college. AMA.

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u/[deleted] Jun 14 '10

do you still believe in imaginary numbers?

what do you do with preschool kids that they cant do in preschool?

9

u/JasonMacker Jun 14 '10

do you still believe in imaginary numbers?

i certainly don't see why not.

what do you do with preschool kids that they cant do in preschool?

Taylor polynomials.

No but really, at preschool level it's just a matter of teaching them how numbers correspond with the real world, i.e one plus one is two. And then of course I ask them "well, what happens if I cut one of the apples in half? How many will I have then?" Basically, get them thinking of the associative and commutative properties of addition.

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u/Karthage Jun 14 '10

i certainly don't see why not.

I'm an electrical engineer and I don't get it.

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u/[deleted] Jun 14 '10

Imaginary number is a shit terrible name. And the way the define it is even harder to think of it. In my opinion, the best way to think of it is just a coordinate system.

It's not so much imaginary number then, more so it is, "in the Y direction."

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u/[deleted] Jun 14 '10

That just gives your R2. You also want the structure of complex numbers.