Reply #14: math isn't being taught in the US at all, to be honest [View All]

[wli]

Grade school arithmetic is prehistoric. High school algebra (which is not what is called algebra in math) in its modern incarnation is 500 years old, though its precursors are likewise prehistoric. Trigonometry dates to antiquity.

That's the end of what most American people learn, and in fact, most never get beyond grade school arithmetic. Integrodifferential calculus of the form high school students study was entirely known to the originators of the integral and differential calculi (Newton & Leibniz) 300 years ago, and those same originators did much, much more than HS calculus courses ever cover (differential equations, calculus of variations, etc.).

It is entirely descriptive to say that the level of general math knowledge in the US is stone age.

From what I see of foreign students, it looks like the standard is more intensive skill-building in high school algebra and high school calculus in most cases. Hungary in particular seems to be particularly advanced. In Hungary, it appears that high school students take on real analysis (theoretical underpinnings of calculus) and asymptotic analysis (slightly advanced calculus-related subject), and possibly more (probably complex analysis). In the US, these things are not seen except at the university level, and in ways that are arguably less intensive (for instance, US grad students I knew were stumped badly by several problems posed in a Hungarian high school student's homework). There are likely other countries with similarly higher levels of math education.