24 replies to this topic

[DotNetDemon]

This is always a fun discussion I have with my students, especially since a lot of them are old enough to be my parents. What is the most useless topic taught in school? In other words, what are some things that you have learned that you have found no real application in the real world for? For me, I would have to say Calculus. People often say, "Well, you're a software engineer, don't you need to know math?" Well, it depends. Algebra and trig stuff, yeah that's good an all (people love them charts) as well as statistics. But if you need to know something, usually you can just fire up Wolfram or, imagine this, Google it. But calc? I have yet to find a need to find the area under any curve whatsoever or find the volume of a 3D odd shaped object. Zip. Nada. And yet I had to suffer through two years of it in my undergrad. Algebra is a cakewalk, geometry can get frustrating, statistics I use YouTube videos, and calculus is just asking to have a nail gun right to the private parts.

[Uncle Ben]

Hehe. For me i thought the most useless class in school was this class we had called "Problem Based Integrated Research" or PBIR for short. We did absolutely nothing in that class every time we had it and i actually convinced the School board to drop the class from the curriculum and got my psychopathic teacher fired in the process but other than that i feel that Science or Pre-cal w/trigonometry was useless for me since i'm at Johnson & Wales for culinary and i really didnt need those subjects

[ILOVEVHS]

FUCK YOU ALGEBRA.

FFFFFFFUCK YOU.

[RedAuthar]

Newspaper.

There is already a Journalism Class that pretty much does all the newspaper required stuff anyways and more. Who needs a Newspaper class on top of that?

[MoKat]

For me, I would have to say Calculus. People often say, "Well, you're a software engineer, don't you need to know math?" Well, it depends. Algebra and trig stuff, yeah that's good an all (people love them charts) as well as statistics. But if you need to know something, usually you can just fire up Wolfram or, imagine this, Google it. But calc? I have yet to find a need to find the area under any curve whatsoever or find the volume of a 3D odd shaped object. Zip. Nada. And yet I had to suffer through two years of it in my undergrad.

I'd say Calc as well. I had to suffer through all 4 semesters of it (my degree was in Computer Science), and have -never- used it since. At least Trig came in handy a few times in the machine shop (I'm also a certified machinist, BTW) when we had to figure a few angles, but Calculus? Nope. Heh, it's been so long since I used any of that stuff, I've probably forgetten most of it (except how much I -hated- solving differential equations).

[Uncle Ben]

Do i get any points for getting my teacher canned?

[MoKat]

Do i get any points for getting my teacher canned?

Nope, but ya get the following achievements:
"Hell no, Useless Class Must GO!" unlocked
"Canned the Incompetent" unlocked

[Uncle Ben]

sweet

[ILOVEVHS]

Do i get any points for getting my teacher canned?

You win 20 billion dollars! However, with taxes, house taxes, food taxes, game taxes, standing taxes, sleeping taxes, and breathing taxes, that leaves you with 50 cents. Sorry.

[RedAuthar]

Also there is a 50 cent shipping fee.

[Vlad Yvhv]

Foreign language.

[DotNetDemon]

Do i get any points for getting my teacher canned?

Were they that bad or did they touch you in a naughty place without giving a good grade

[Uncle Ben]

Do i get any points for getting my teacher canned?

Were they that bad or did they touch you in a naughty place without giving a good grade

Bro that was disturbing and potentially mentally scarring....

but they were that bad

[DotNetDemon]

Do i get any points for getting my teacher canned?

Were they that bad or did they touch you in a naughty place without giving a good grade

Bro that was disturbing and potentially mentally scarring....

but they were that bad

It could always be worse. You could always have Herbert the Pervert as a teacher o.O

[Uncle Ben]

actually i did have a guy who looked EXACTLY like Herbert

here's the kicker: he was a gym teacher

[DotNetDemon]

actually i did have a guy who looked EXACTLY like Herbert

here's the kicker: he was a gym teacher

Sweet Jesus...

All I can think of is this:

[ILOVEVHS]

God help you.

[Uncle Ben]

i'd be creeped out if i had a neighbor like herbert

[SonicAaliyahFan]

For me, I would have to say Calculus.

FUCK YOU ALGEBRA.

FFFFFFFUCK YOU.

LOL i think any math-based class after geometry is pointless and unnecessary to learn...unless you wanna be a rocket scientist. I was NEVER good at math, i can only remember up to basic fractions but i can't do the reduced fractions. During my high school years i got an F in algebra and had to repeat the class so i could get a D+ and move on to Geometry. Geometry was a little easier for me to understand cause it's visual angles and stuff, i earned a C in that one. After that was economics, which was dealing with math in some way but it was involving supply and demand and all that other stuff i couldn't comprehend. But if it wasn't for that D i got i would've never graduated with my class. English was always my strongest subject, science was okay on some levels, and history/social studies was boring (except my junior year cause my teacher made it funny and entertaining). I took drama and spanish classes too, which i also liked and enjoyed.

My daughter is the complete opposite of me. Her strongest subject is math, she reads at a 3rd grade level and she's in 5th grade, and unlike me she does pretty good with social studies. Her reading has improved alot over the past year though, so those SDC classes are really working for her. Aaliyah's gonna be in middle school next year, i just pray she transitions well, not only academically but socially

[DotNetDemon]

Hey SonicAaliyahFan, don't feel bad--I didn't get the hang of fractions until I was a freshman in high school. Math still gives me a run for the money whenever I have to recall all those stupid theorems and formulas.