Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1915-05-01
MATHEMATICS
AS TAUGHT IN THE
HIGH SCHOOL

The following is a short synopsis OF
the work being done in the mathe
mates department of our high school,
comprising arithmetic, algebra and geo
mctry.
In our commercial arithmetic class
es we aim to explain and demonstrate
the principles pertaining to the every
day business transactions which al
most every boy or girl when entering
into the business world as wage earn
crs will need TO know.
In all lines OF work--in fact in any
branch OF work in which young men
and young women lind employment
there is every necessity for one to
be wideawake.
Business methods have advanced by
leaps and bounds in the past few de-
cadcs, and by the use of short meth
ods in multiplying and dividing, and
thus increasing his speed OF work,
an up-to-datc office boy or clerk at a
counter can double the amount OF
work is able 10 do and modern en-
ployers expect him TO do 50. Accur
aey above all things else is required.
Too much stress cannot be given to
perfcctng oneself i'll the fundamental
operations. for therein lies ones abii
ity to master readily and easily the
more intricate problems.
There very little reasoning power
required to mcmorizc the multiplied
ton tables, so why stop at the rs.
\ pupils work is very greatly lessen
ed if he has memorized the tables as
far as "a
Short methods OF computing inter
est are dwclt upon-many practical
problems exemplifying the relations
between commission merchants and
agents, problems of measurements,
papering rooms, laying carpets, floors
and sidewalks. shingling roofs, build
ing fences. problems pertaining to
taxes, duties, stocks, promissory notes
aud almost every kind OF business
trasaction with which one might pos
sibly have to deal is illustrated.
And above all much attention is
given to and much stress is laid upon
the real analysis OF problems by the
students in order that they may fol
low conseeutively each step in the
working. thereby making preparation
for the time when they meet with
the problems in their life work.
With = fair knowledge of arithme-
teal principles the student approaches
his algebra with confidence and hnds
little difficulty and oftimes much
pleasure in solving difficult problems.
Having the principles OF arithmetic
and algebra well mastered the student
has now prepared for himself a
smooth path for his geomctry-that
first and roblest OF all sciences.
He is now led TO reason step by
step to see the exact relation that
one thing bears to another Here
the true logical training OF the mind
begins and the beneficial Influences on
ones Intellectual powera, attained
tn, h,ough the study OF geometry. Is felt
in ones daily association throughout
life.
The carpenter, the blacksmith, the
machinist. the lawyer, the statesman.
are all benefited by it, For here moth
ing is taken for granted. a thing IS
not SO because il looks So but every
statement must be backed up by
strong proof. With clear knowl-
edge OF the underlying principles OF
geometry the carpenter can measure
and lay ont the plans for his building,
the machinist can construct his en-
gine. the astronomer can measure the
magnitude of the stars, and can com
pute their orbits and distances. The
lawyer can arrange the proofs of his
argument and can present his case
logically to the jury.
The work of our arithmetic class
is that of Morris Commercial Arith-
metic," complete The work of the
first year algebra is of wells Essen
tials of Algebra" as far as quadratics,
Our geometry work comprises the
first five books of plane geometry of
Wentworth" textbook.
JOHN J. KLINE.