What's The Purpose Of Learning High School Level Math?

What’s said in this shiur

The opening of this shiur, in Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky’s own words — taken from the captions, so names and Hebrew terms may be approximate.

Hi, this is David Olovson with our question and answer series. Somebody wrote in, "What's the purpose of learning high school level math?" I don't know. >> [laughter] >> I think cuz otherwise, you know, you'll end up using your time poorly. So, now, I I let's be fair. If you're considering becoming an engineer or uh some sort of a profession where you need math, I understand 100% why you need these kind of things. I've as of you to be a computer programmer, etc., you know. But um uh there are certain gemaras where it'll definitely help you when you come to the gemara in Eruvin where it talks about making a circle around the city and then squaring it, you know, and how to figure out uh the circumference versus the area. I'm sure that would definitely come in handy. I know if you want to figure out uh the various permutations of letters, like the Yud Kay Vav Kay, the way you calculate the different combinations, the formula of 1 * 2 * 3 * 4. Whereas, if you wanted to do Elokim, it would be 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5, which means 125 different combinations. So, uh some of these things will help. Um I'm not sure why you need the geometric proofs. I have been in uh you know, education for close to 50 years. And I've been asked many questions over the years, but never did anyone ever ask me, "Are the base angles of an isosceles triangle congruent?" To which I would respond, "Yes." And then they say to me, "But can you prove it?" And I'd say, "Yes, I can prove it three ways. I can drop line AD and bisect angle A and then use side angle side. Um I could uh bisect the line

Jump to a moment

1. 0:00Hi, this is David Olovson with our question and answer series. Somebody wrote in, "What's the…
2. 0:30you to be a computer programmer, etc., you know. But um uh there are certain gemaras…
3. 1:02various permutations of letters, like the Yud Kay Vav Kay, the way you calculate the different…
4. 1:32years. And I've been asked many questions over the years, but never did anyone ever ask…
5. 2:02BC [clears throat] and then I have side side side. Uh I could do uh it…
6. 2:32And there are people who may have mastered uh mathematics and aren't very good at uh…
7. 3:02you take the O levels and that's the basic. If you want to continue onwards, you…
8. 3:33could very well be. Um but uh I don't know. Any equation that begins with solve…
9. 4:03Um there was a movie called Peggy Sue Got Married and she basically gets hit on…
10. 4:34and you have to divide it among eight people. What do you do?" He says, "Make…

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