The math we'll need; the math we'll love

The assumption that we all need to take higher math is wrong. For those who love math, go ahead and wallow in the numbers! For most of us, though, arithmetic, thinking logically and reasoning is what we need most.

Based on math teachers' lectures on TED talks, taking Calculus and Trigonometry is practical for professions who put it to use--like engineers and technicians. The rest of us will remember just enough to pass the class or get through the SAT.

To keep math relevant and interesting, Nate and I are working through this book:

The Book of Perfectly Perilous Math: 24 Death-Defying Challenges for Young Mathematicians 

After most of these problems, he pronounced them "fun" and "cool." It doesn't take long to work through each dilemma, and the stories have a sense of exaggerated danger that boys love.  

 We are not spoon-fed the method, but are given "Euclid's hints." (If you are stuck, there is a flow chart that shows you how to work it out, but so far he has needed that for just one problem). 

 After each problem, there's a simple lab demonstrating how to use the method. The favorite required a half-gallon of ice cream. We had to figure out how many cone-sized scoops are in one carton. Eating the demo was motivation enough for Nate!

Here's a site of reasoning/logic games: http://www.mathplayground.com/logicgames.html  

We'll be using this for some of our math. I want them to know how to deal with numbers, but not to terrify and traumatize them.