[hguant]

I fail to see the problem here. In a curriculum that takes the joy out of math and attempts to reduce the student's mind to a calculation machines, students employed a calculation machine.

I understand the arguement that math is important, but the way it's taught in America, even at the AP level, is criminal. It boils down to "if you see this pattern, apply these steps" without any effort at going beyond. We teach "how" but not "why", which I think is a common refrain when talking about the American education system, or any test driven education system. Math is a means, not an end.

[aesthetics1]

This drives me crazy in my mathematics courses. Sometimes I just do not recognize the pattern, and tools like Mathway or Wolfram Alpha can say "right here dummy" and give me the first step. It is not always about cheating, but seeing the steps for solving the problem logically outlined. I often back myself into a corner working out a difficult problem and need a lifeline.