Ribs and 'rithmetic. (For instructors really, but all welcome)

[peterb]

As a novice instructor, I keep making discoveries of things that students find tricky, which I suspect that most RIB owners would take for granted.

The main area of failure with the students seems to be Maths?Algebra.

To keep things simple when we do passage planning, I make them work out a short course where the legs are perhaps 1.5 to 2.5 miles each.

I then get them to give me a couple of possible cruising speeds - and the usual answers given are 20kts and 30kts.

Now comes the "tricky" bit. I ask them to work out the time each leg will take. (In conjunction with the time/distance table in an almanac if they need it).

Those who use the almanax table normally get the correct answer but needless to say it takes a fair while!

I think at the moment, almost none of the others have got anywhere near the correct answer by using their heads, or phones, or PDAs or other gizmos. In one case, I had a 3.5 mile leg at 30 kts taking a suggested 40 minutes!!

When they "fail" the maths, I usually refer them to the almanac and then go through the routine of "60kts = 1 nm per minute, so 30kts is 1 nm per 2 minutes, 20 kts is 1 nm per 3 minutes etc etc". Even this is sometimes met with looks of concern until you explain in a little more depth.

Out of interest, who else finds the above surprising when most of the clients drive cars and surely must have some idea that 60mph equals a mile a minute.

The next thing that surprises me is that the greater majority have no idea how many degrees are in a right angle, and even less of how many degrees are in a full circle!!

Again, I find this pretty amazing and normally draw a picture on the board and annotate it accordingly.

Or am I just expecting too much from those doing a basic PB course?

Thanks for your input, in advance.

[BogMonster]

all seems like common sense to me and I knew all of those things!

[peterb]

Thats pretty much what I thought too.

[codprawn]

May I ask what age range the typical culprits belong to - or are they all the same???

It never ceases to amaze me how thick many people can be. I was talking to a group of people the other day and commented on how some people don't even know if the Moon goes around the Earth or the Sun - many in the group had to stop and think as well.......

[peterb]

Ive had as young as 14 and as "old" as 50.

(Would that I was as young as 50........ )

[The Garfish]

Originally Posted by codprawn

some people don't even know if the Moon goes around the Earth or the Sun

itt gows arownd bowf yew nobbend.

yew mite bee avin a clowse upp luk at de awbits ov de planits wen dat bastud fewze onn de semtix deesides too werk.

gaRf

[codprawn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

Wonder how she would cope with the finer points of navigation???

You just MUST watch this............

Where's that semtex when you need it Garf - I used the last lot for a spot of fishing!!!

[walruz]

Sorry but most people (especially the younger 25 & less ) REALLY struggle with BASIC mental arithmetic. Your comment does not surprise me at all. Until people are forced to use the most complete computer in the world (our brain) this will not change. Take away the calculators and PDAs and get people to use their brains.

Rant over.

Seriously I am all for assistance with all things and am a techno geek myself. BUT, you must be able to back it all up with basics. Otherwise you are taking unreasonable risks with yourself and others. At the risk of getting flamed - I suspect there are more problems caused by incompetence than by drunkeness.

And yes I have had to call for assistance myself.

walruz.

[jwalker]

The next thing that surprises me is that the greater majority have no idea how many degrees are in a right angle, and even less of how many degrees are in a full circle!!

Again, I find this pretty amazing and normally draw a picture on the board and annotate it accordingly.

Or am I just expecting too much .....

all seems like common sense to me and I knew all of those things!

Welcome to the world of above average intelligence. Let's not deride those who have a little more difficulty though.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Welcome to the world of above average intelligence. Let's not deride those who have a little more difficulty though.

Agreed, but would you think most people have had no practice at mental calculations because they always use calculators!

PeterB give your stoodents a break tell em what the speed is in Knots per hour and then tell em what it is in Knots per minute. That technique usually enables people to be accurate