I just discovered a fascinating fact: In some places in the world, mixed numbers apparently don’t exist.
So that made me curious about my blog readers:
- Did you learn about mixed numbers in school?
- Do you ever use mixed numbers in daily life?
- Are your children learning to work with them?
And if you DO know mixed numbers, can you simplify this mess:
[If you enjoy dry math humor, the answer is worth the work.]
Where These Questions Came From
Did your device hide the video? Find it on YouTube here.
“Mathematics can vary more from place to place than you might imagine.”
—Adam Atkinson
I wonder if the difference between mixed-number countries and non-mixed has anything to do with when (or if) they officially adopted the metric system. Here in the U.S., I can’t imagine holiday baking without mixed numbers of cups and teaspoons.
The Answer Is…
(In case you skipped the video.)
Isn’t it wild?
CREDITS: “Holiday baking” photo (top) by Christian Bowen and “Girl baking cupcakes” by Tanaphong Toochinda via Unsplash.com. I found the Mixed Numbers video through this month’s Carnival of Mathematics at Sam Hartburn’s blog.
Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math 
When I went to school in Finland in the 1980s, mixed numbers were definitely taught.
Thanks, Maria! I studied them in the U.S. (a couple of decades before that). I was surprised to hear that some countries ignore them.