[stormer]

The real issue may not have anything to do with basic math - for those things, a calculator is a fine tool. What people need to know is how to approach problems quantitatively - you know, the dreaded story problem - from an educational perspective, how you derive values is perhaps more important than the values themselves. I have an advanced degree in a physical science, the math is the easy part - it's learning how to approach problems that is hard. Final recommendation: there is no branch of mathematics more misunderstood and invaluable than statistics. It should be a required course for graduation from High School and every college student should have to take at least one basic and one advanced statistic course.

[sima_yi]

...there is no branch of mathematics more misunderstood and invaluable than statistics. It should be a required course...

I could not agree more! Witness people bemoaning the fact that half the population is below average!