Re: [TUHS] Photos of University Computer Labs - now off topic

[Dr Iain Maoileoin <iain@csp-partnership.co.uk>]

On 12/23/21 4:35 PM, Larry McVoy wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 23, 2021 at 04:28:26PM +0000, Dr Iain Maoileoin wrote:
>> On 12/23/21 4:00 PM, Larry McVoy wrote:
>>> On Thu, Dec 23, 2021 at 03:29:18PM +0000, Dr Iain Maoileoin wrote:
>>>>> Probably boomer doing math wrong.
>>>> I might get flamed for this comment, but is a number divided by a number not
>>>> arithmetic.?? I cant see any maths in there.
>>> That's just a language thing, lots of people in the US call arithmetic
>>> math.  I'm 100% positive that that is not just me.
>> Interesting - have you always done that??? Or is it a more recent use of the
>> word?
> It's always been that way, arithmetic is a mouthful so people use math
> to mean arithmetic.  You are correct, arithmetic is a distinct subset
> of math.  But it's pedantic to call that out, math is a superset of
> arithmetic so it is perfectly reasonable to call doing some arithmetic
> "math".  If we started nit picking about those types of differences,
> we'd never get anything meaningful done.

I totally agree.  My question is about language use (or drift) - nothing 
else.  In Scotland - amongst the young -  "Arithmetic" is now referred 
to as "Maths".   I am aware of the transition but cant understand what 
caused it to happen!  I dont know if other countries had/have the same 
slide from a specific to a general - hence the questions - nothing deeper.

In lower secondary school we would go to both Arithmetic AND also to 
Maths classes.  I suspect that no longer happens in the schools.  I 
guess I will need to go speak to some teachers.

I am not nit-picking, this is just the first time I have picked up the 
use of maths in the context amongst eh how do I phrase it "the older 
generation" oops....