University Survey

[slinger]

Obviously I'm mistaken then.

[Geoff.R.G]

Obviously I'm mistaken then.

Not necessarily, it could be that it was a later exam but we tend to forget minor ones and remember the big ones, O levels, A levels etc. as a result we tend to associate little things, like the "Calculators must not be used" note with more major events.

[slinger]

Obviously I'm mistaken then.

Not necessarily, it could be that it was a later exam but we tend to forget minor ones and remember the big ones, O levels, A levels etc. as a result we tend to associate little things, like the "Calculators must not be used" note with more major events.

Quite possibly, Geoff. I took enough exams during my time with BT. It's weird how a story gets stuck in one's head like that though. I've believed it happened that way for years.

[Geoff.R.G]

If you had asked me I would have said that I was using the Sinclair in 1972 as a second year apprentice but in researching the notation I discovered that it was later than that. Only when you start finding fixed points do you realise that what you remember isn't what actually happened.

[guydarryl]

I remember being very miffed at school - when I was in the second or third year (71 or 72), the year below were all given calculators but we had to stick with log tables or mental arithmetic.

Mind you, some of the little dears that I have taught over the last few years can't really "do" mental arithmetic. I told some of my pupils how I keep a rough tab on what I have in my shopping basket and they just said that if they don't have enough money for what they have selected, they leave some of the goods at the checkout - no embarrassment whatsoever!

[slinger]

I found that one of the best ways to learn mental arithmetic or to preserve one's ability to do it was playing competitive darts. If you can't count your "out" shot on the fly it hampers your ability to hit it. It always amazed and amused me to see "great" players like Eric Bristow using a "counter" in the front row of the audience shouting scores and shots to him. A lot has changed since those days. I'm pretty sure that's not allowed now, and today's top players must know how to count.

[guydarryl]

Bullseye Slinger!

When I first started going to the pub if you wanted a game, you would have to "take the chalk" first - any mistake and the old boys playing (nearly always in flat caps and with a rollup dangling out of the side go their mouth) would let you know what they thought of you