How is what HM said all that useful, though? I can't say that knowing that "'integration' involves area under a curve, and that 'differentiation' is the other side of that coin" does anything for my scientific literacy. It sounds like a Trivial Pursuit answer. I'd need to know a lot more than that for it to be meaningful to me.

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I would hope that even people who don't take calculus in the US system come across the basic ideas HK refers to, later, if they are scientifically interested and want to be scientifically literate - don't they? If not, I do think that's a problem.

I would certainly classify myself as scientifically interested. I'm married to a scientist and have edited many scientific journal articles. I have taken intro-level college biology and geology, intro- and mid-level ecology, and upper-level psych classes. I also worked as a biological research assistant in the field for many years. Calculus did not come up.

I'm trying not to take too much offense, but you know, I honestly don't think the people I went to HS with who took calculus are retaining some vast store of scientific literacy that I do not possess. I would never claim to have the background of someone *with a science degree*--but that's not what we're talking about here. I actually read scientific studies every day for work.

Last edited by ultramarina; 08/21/12 08:05 AM.