When you have this kind of crap going on in the schools claiming to be arithmetic, it’s no wonder they don’t even want to try Algebra anymore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y29XL99qM6s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr1qee-bTZI&feature=related
It just ASTOUNDS me that any parent would trust THE ENTIRE future of their kids to these menaces...but they do, I guess because they feel like they have some control over it? LOL.
That is utter madness. That “lattice method” may well work (in the sense of getting the correct product) but it completely obscures the reason for the placement of the numerals (1s, 10s, 100s etc place) and it introduces needless complication.