Advantage Of A Calculator

Taylor happens to be a fifth grade student in today’s day and age of technology. Her generation has been raised by technology. Although the technology may benefit society in several ways, it may also set it back in others. Calculators being used in math classes are one example of the technology that remains unbeneficial for society. The benefit is students solve problems faster, yet calculators diminish the crucial points of why students utilize them. According to Christina Sheets’ experiment, restricting the employment of a calculator of four months improved the average final exam scores from 88.4% to 91.7%. Calculators impair learning the concepts behind the math and diminish critical thinking while practicing math problems. Instead

A large portion of calculators diminishing the skill to critically think is not being able to estimate. According to Bill Pride, who has an M.A. in mathematics from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and happens to be currently working toward his Ph.D., stated, “You have no way to check your answer on a calculator if you don 't know approximately what answer to expect”. Pride is referring to the ability to critically estimate an answer. Without being able to conclude this, students may be unable to recognize when the calculator gives them an outrageous, incorrect answer. Instead, students whose critical estimating skills remain inadequate accept the outrageous answer since they did not discern what number to expect in the first place. Not only do students lose the ability to estimate; using a calculator becomes a mindless task. Instead of thinking through the problem, the students carelessly press buttons on the calculator (Sheets). This is an issue since there remains no contemplation behind what they are doing; students who do not critically thinking concerning what buttons to press to complete this type of problem, yet they instead guess for the correct answer. Losing the critical thinking with numbers due to calculators may affect individuals in everyday life, too. When students become accustomed to using a calculator for manipulating numbers instead of

Their argument is that calculators exist at our fingertips; consequently there remains no point solving problems the long way (Ralston). Although their point is valid that calculators are constantly available, students should still have the skills to solve the problems the long way. Having the ability to solve the problems the traditional way shows true understanding instead of pressing buttons mindlessly. Another argument remains that calculators level the playing field for the students who remain inadequate with their natural math skills (Sheets). The issue with this argument is that the students who struggle should not rely on a calculator since doing the problems on a calculator remains partially impairing their learning; they may be able to master the material if they studied the material without the calculator doing the