[vundercind]

Illustrative point for the “the value isn’t explained” issue: I’ve spent two years on calculus in school plus some more time on my own and don’t know how or why I’d e.g. use it to derive the formula for the area of an oval (I think that’s the kind of thing you’re getting at?)

Actually, I can count the times I’ve applied math from later than 6th or 7th grade on one hand. I’m almost 40 and have been writing code for pay since I was 15. I struggle with this with my own kids and dread their reaching those later classes because I have no compelling answer for “why do I have to learn this boring shit?”