On 7 December 2012 17:38, David Ward Lambert <b49p23t...@stny.rr.com> wrote:
> Teaching J for math class in school is a great idea. The same notation
> works for English class and for social studies too. The cost of entry
> is steep with algebraic notation so deeply entrenched. Can the US
> convert to Metric system? That's an easier task.
>
>> Linda Alvord:
>> Why not teach J in the math classes in the schools. Prepare all
> students for the skills they might need in science,
> technology,engineering, sand mathematics.
Traditional algebraic notation is very good for what it has been
designed, and much easier to learn for kids than parsing J, let alone
understanding the underlying computational model.
Consider what a juxtaposition of two tokens within an expression could
mean:
– (part of the) contents of an array;
– application of a monadic verb;
– application (in the opposite direction!) of an adverb;
– (partial) application of a conjunction (producing an adverb);
– a train of two adverbs;
– part of an application of a dyadic verb;
– part of an application of a conjunction;
– part of a train of three verbs;
– (implicit) composition of verbs;
– a hook.
I may be missing some but there are 10 (!) variants so far – all this
of nothing more than the innocent sequence of two. The tip of the
iceberg. How are kids expected to tackle the rest of it?
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