Numerati's definitions

Zombie Math

When canned and conventional math methods (or dated and dead ideas) live on, and anxious teachers and parents rely on old school techniques to solve word problems, especially when oft-visual problem-solving strategies are available to help students with “look-see” solutions.

Tens of thousands of American math teachers are stuck with zombie math, refusing to experiment with Singapore’s more intuitive bar model method in solving brain-unfriendly math questions.

by Numerati December 9, 2024

What if?

Two of the most powerful words in your vocabulary that could empower you to change the world and make it a better place for billions of people on the planet.

Asking “What if?” is all about possibility. What if Trump were a truth teller? What if Kim were a peacemaker? What if Christ came back next summer?

by Numerati February 8, 2024

X

The name of an arguably mismanaged company, invariably defined by a range of unknowns or variables, such as the true value of its assets, the number of fake or spam accounts, the uncertain dismissal of more employees with declining ad revenue, its decision to allow hate speech on its platform, and its possible sale to a gullible or rogue owner to avoid bankruptcy.

What are the odds that with all the lawsuits, fines, and more advertisers deserting the platform, not to say, the low morale among its overworked staff, X might be the next Blockbuster or Kodak?

by Numerati August 3, 2023

Rogue Ratios

Quantitative bad deals whereby enslaved workers or employees are being taken advantage of by their bosses or entrepreneurs, who have financial control over their lives, be it five days of work in exchange for a weekend break (5 : 2)—an investment of –60%—or a two-week annual leave (2 : 52), or a 5% savings rate on gross salary for 40 years.

Millions of people around the world are aware of the rogue ratios that force them to live a mediocre life, but only a very percentage of them think they can work for a better ratio to achieve financial freedom.

by Numerati August 17, 2023

Zero Fucks

When someone doesn’t give a heck or damn if they feel they were or are right, even if others didn’t or don’t like them because of it.

Leaders can’t lead their sheep effectively unless they give zero fucks to all those oft-unreasonable or biased complains or protests against them.

by Numerati January 26, 2024

The Singapore Mathematics Calendar

A math calendar à la Singapour, which is designed in such a way that the answer to the problem on each day is the date on which the question appears, aims to develop in children a positive attitude towards the world’s most disliked school subject—when they are exposed to the beauty and joy of math rather than seeing it as a mere drill-and-kill subject.

The Singapore Mathematics Calendar—which takes three or four times longer to write than a typical assessment (or supplementary) math title, and costs a few folds more in publishing it—is a first in Singapore math publishing, as it offers students a creative and fun way to learning math, while honing their problem-solving skills.

by Numerati November 25, 2024

Numeracy Hubs

Where school libraries in both elementary and middle schools, working with local partners, try to tackle numeracy issues in lower-income communities nationwide, where low levels of numeracy (and literacy) are impacting on people’s lives.

Civic groups in red-pilled states want oft-morally corrupt lawmakers to persuade businesses to fund more numeracy hubs to reduce the high rate of poverty among nonwhite families.

by Numerati September 28, 2025