Variable Name

I almost forgot that I am a Math teacher. My bad. So here’s an entry to remind you (and probably myself as well) that I used to teach Mathematics.

As a Math teacher, I stressed the importance of defining the variables at the beginning of each solution. Of course, I was used to using the standard variable names x and y, to be consistent with the notations that students will encounter in their higher math courses. But I always remind them that they can use any variable name that they want, as long as they define it at the beginning.

Upon seeing this link from College Humor, I am inclined to rethink my policy on variable names. See for yourself.

What amazed me is that the student knows what he was doing. But it takes a bored mind to use drawings instead of letters to represent the unknowns in this problem. If I saw a paper like this, I probably would have the same reaction as the professor who corrected this quiz.

I now accuse my former students of being too boring. Not one of them thought of using this tactic. Weak. Haha.