A Fraction Of Fraction
I came to the US to live twenty years ago. This is a precious opportunity to live a new, different life. I decided that I would let myself try things I would never do in my native Hong Kong. One of the things I did was working as an art framer. I started as an apprentice for $6/ hr. I did quite well and it did not take long for my boss to give me a raise again and again so that I would stay to work as his Number 1. Even so, the pay was not great. I continued to work there mostly because it was really an interesting job.
One may think it does not take special qualifications to become an art framer. It should be easy to hire someone. It turns out not to be true at all. My experience of interviewing applicants for my employer reveals to me the sad truth.
When applicants come in, there are two major tests that we use to screen people. The first test is sorting mats. Not until I work as a framer do I know that there are so many different shades of "whites" in this world. Usually, we put on the table four or five different "white" mats and ask people to arrange them in order of whiteness. Many times, candidates stare at the mats with a blank look on their faces. "What do you mean by sorting them? They are all the same!" When someone says that, we show them out the door. If you cannot even see different shades, you cannot work as a framer. This is not even something that can be trained.
The second test is the most dreaded part for most applicants: Math. Because a framer has to deal with measurements all the time, we do not just test people any math. We ask them to do fractions. Almost every candidate turns pale the moment they hear this scary F word.
All we want to know is whether someone can do simple fractions. They do not even have to be good at it because we do train them, and people get better at it with practice. Yet, again, some things may be beyond training.
The following is typically what happens at an interview. Sadly, it is not an isolated incident . . .
Interviewer: How are you with math? A framer needs to do math. Wanna give it a try?
Applicant: Oh, oh, math. Hmm, math. Ah, okay. Hmm, I have not done math in a long time . . .
Interviewer: Don't worry. We don't need complicated stuff. You'll be fine. You remember how to do fractions?
Applicant: Fraction? FRACTION? OMG! I have not done fractions for a very long time. I am not sure if I remember . . .
Interviewer: Just relax. If need be, we will give you help. It's not hard at all.
Applicant: Errr . . . . Hmmm. (Panting starts. Uneasy smile)
Interviewer: Can you tell me what is half of half?
Applicant: Half? Half of half? Oh. Hmmm. Half of half . . . . Hmmm. Half? (Hyperventilations begins)
Interviewer: Yes, half of half. What is half of half?
Applicant: Half. No?
Interviewer: The half of half cannot be itself. What I want you to tell me is: what is the half of a half?
Applicant: . . . . . .
Interviewer: Let me give you some help here. Put it this way: I have half a pizza. And I am offering half of it to you. How much of a pizza do you get?
Applicant: Half a pizza . . . I get half . . . Oh, uh, two slices! TWO SLICES!!! Right? (Eyes brighten up. Big smile. Arms up in victory position)
Interviewer: Yes, you are right. You get two slices. So, in fraction terms, how much of an entire pizza do you get?
Applicant: What? Two slices. I said two slices. It's correct, no?
Interviewer: Let me put it this way: (writing it out on paper) What is 1/2 x 1/2 ?
Applicant: (Triumphant arms drop, face turns red. Speechless all over again) Errr, . . .
*At this point, we usually write out
1 x 1 1
2 x 2 = 4
to go through the steps with the applicant.
Applicant: Oh, yeah, of course it is a quarter! I know that! I just forgot. Yeah, a quarter!
Interviewer: That was good. Now, what if someone takes away half of what you have, how much of a pizza do you have now?
Applicant: That would be one slice!
Interviewer: In fraction terms . . .
Applicant: Oh, oh, oh, right. Argh! (Scratching head and pulling hair, squinting uncontrollably) I don't know. It's one slice . . .
*We usually would should them again the steps for reaching the answer of 1/8. And then we ask again.
Interviewer: Actually, I took your slice of pizza back. I had 1/4 of a pizza. Now I get another 1/8. How much of a pizza do I have now?
Applicant: Er, errrr . . . , I don't know. One third? Three quarters? Five eighths? Argh! I don't know!
This is how the math segment of interviews usually ends. We get this a lot -- even from college graduates and people who claim to have a master's degree. Most applicants cannot handle our pizza problem.
Many young people come to the US for school. Their parents spent a lot of money in order to give them a good education so that they can have a bright future. I wonder how these parents would feel if they learnt about my story.
Sure we do have some really brilliant, knowledgeable people in this country. At the same time, a large fraction of the population cannot even deal with simple fractions. You want to make America great again? I think we first need to improve the education in our nation.
One may think it does not take special qualifications to become an art framer. It should be easy to hire someone. It turns out not to be true at all. My experience of interviewing applicants for my employer reveals to me the sad truth.
When applicants come in, there are two major tests that we use to screen people. The first test is sorting mats. Not until I work as a framer do I know that there are so many different shades of "whites" in this world. Usually, we put on the table four or five different "white" mats and ask people to arrange them in order of whiteness. Many times, candidates stare at the mats with a blank look on their faces. "What do you mean by sorting them? They are all the same!" When someone says that, we show them out the door. If you cannot even see different shades, you cannot work as a framer. This is not even something that can be trained.
The second test is the most dreaded part for most applicants: Math. Because a framer has to deal with measurements all the time, we do not just test people any math. We ask them to do fractions. Almost every candidate turns pale the moment they hear this scary F word.
All we want to know is whether someone can do simple fractions. They do not even have to be good at it because we do train them, and people get better at it with practice. Yet, again, some things may be beyond training.
The following is typically what happens at an interview. Sadly, it is not an isolated incident . . .
Interviewer: How are you with math? A framer needs to do math. Wanna give it a try?
Applicant: Oh, oh, math. Hmm, math. Ah, okay. Hmm, I have not done math in a long time . . .
Interviewer: Don't worry. We don't need complicated stuff. You'll be fine. You remember how to do fractions?
Applicant: Fraction? FRACTION? OMG! I have not done fractions for a very long time. I am not sure if I remember . . .
Interviewer: Just relax. If need be, we will give you help. It's not hard at all.
Applicant: Errr . . . . Hmmm. (Panting starts. Uneasy smile)
Interviewer: Can you tell me what is half of half?
Applicant: Half? Half of half? Oh. Hmmm. Half of half . . . . Hmmm. Half? (Hyperventilations begins)
Interviewer: Yes, half of half. What is half of half?
Applicant: Half. No?
Interviewer: The half of half cannot be itself. What I want you to tell me is: what is the half of a half?
Applicant: . . . . . .
Interviewer: Let me give you some help here. Put it this way: I have half a pizza. And I am offering half of it to you. How much of a pizza do you get?
Applicant: Half a pizza . . . I get half . . . Oh, uh, two slices! TWO SLICES!!! Right? (Eyes brighten up. Big smile. Arms up in victory position)
Interviewer: Yes, you are right. You get two slices. So, in fraction terms, how much of an entire pizza do you get?
Applicant: What? Two slices. I said two slices. It's correct, no?
Interviewer: Let me put it this way: (writing it out on paper) What is 1/2 x 1/2 ?
Applicant: (Triumphant arms drop, face turns red. Speechless all over again) Errr, . . .
*At this point, we usually write out
1 x 1 1
2 x 2 = 4
to go through the steps with the applicant.
Applicant: Oh, yeah, of course it is a quarter! I know that! I just forgot. Yeah, a quarter!
Interviewer: That was good. Now, what if someone takes away half of what you have, how much of a pizza do you have now?
Applicant: That would be one slice!
Interviewer: In fraction terms . . .
Applicant: Oh, oh, oh, right. Argh! (Scratching head and pulling hair, squinting uncontrollably) I don't know. It's one slice . . .
*We usually would should them again the steps for reaching the answer of 1/8. And then we ask again.
Interviewer: Actually, I took your slice of pizza back. I had 1/4 of a pizza. Now I get another 1/8. How much of a pizza do I have now?
Applicant: Er, errrr . . . , I don't know. One third? Three quarters? Five eighths? Argh! I don't know!
This is how the math segment of interviews usually ends. We get this a lot -- even from college graduates and people who claim to have a master's degree. Most applicants cannot handle our pizza problem.
Many young people come to the US for school. Their parents spent a lot of money in order to give them a good education so that they can have a bright future. I wonder how these parents would feel if they learnt about my story.
Sure we do have some really brilliant, knowledgeable people in this country. At the same time, a large fraction of the population cannot even deal with simple fractions. You want to make America great again? I think we first need to improve the education in our nation.
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