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...... (Truth time: when was the last time you used "least common multiple", except on a test?) ......
A couple of days ago while explaining to my differential equations class how to integrate rational functions. We went on to discuss the Lotka-Volterra fox-rabbit equations. In preparation I went looking through Internet for some of the history and relevant discussion, and encountered a module on how to present the concepts to young children. Some of the discussions here came to mind, but mostly I was impressed by the possibility of substituting "teacher" for fox or "predator," and repacing "juicy young rabbits" or prey by "students." And as for the comparison with music theory, isin't it true that long ago, before they had middle schools, young boys were sent out to the fields to watch over the sheep. To relieve their boredom they got to cutting branches to make whistles and flutes, incidentally entertaining both the sheep and the wolves? Did counting the sheep have anything to do with Arithmetic? -hvm