Originally Posted by LMom
Originally Posted by Kriston
Dr. F gave some examples of just this sort of intuition-deadening, cym. People who figure 100/8 by doing long division in their heads, for example. That's not the "natural" way to do it; it's learned. And sometimes that learning can kill the intuition.

Do you mean that whoever can figure out 100/8 in their head or just whoever does it the same way like long division on the paper?


It's about the method. Long division is one way to get the answer, but if you basically write the problem out in long division form in your head, then you're not using intuition because long division is a method taught to you, not one you would just come to on your own.

Yes, pretty much everyone can figure out 100/8 in their heads, I hope! smile The problem itself has nothing to do with intuition; it's just a way to check how you think about math.

Kriston