I would note that high school math isn’t really “math”.
At least I don’t think of it that way.
Maybe that’s because I’m a “rare case”: really good at math (though not super good like some people here) − 36 on math ACT, AIME qualifier—and then not at all exceptionally good at college math. It could have been psychological factors: maybe if I studied linear algebra now I’d understand it just fine (in fact, I suspect I would). That’s just the justification for my observation is all.
From the impression I get from my acquaintances who grew up in the USSR, high school math over there was considerably more advanced than what passes as ‘math’ in most of North America’s school system, and included linear algebra and calculus. I don’t know if this is still the case.
I attended 2 years of school in Ukraine before my family immigrated. This was in ’96/97. I can attest that math was far more advanced there (at least back then. Though this is still post-ussr). Ex: We were learning about functions in grade 2 (didnt touch it until grade 8-9 here in Canada.) I remember my parents being somewhat unhappy when most of the math I did in third Year was two digit addition and subtraction.
I would note that high school math isn’t really “math”. At least I don’t think of it that way. Maybe that’s because I’m a “rare case”: really good at math (though not super good like some people here) − 36 on math ACT, AIME qualifier—and then not at all exceptionally good at college math. It could have been psychological factors: maybe if I studied linear algebra now I’d understand it just fine (in fact, I suspect I would). That’s just the justification for my observation is all.
From the impression I get from my acquaintances who grew up in the USSR, high school math over there was considerably more advanced than what passes as ‘math’ in most of North America’s school system, and included linear algebra and calculus. I don’t know if this is still the case.
Based on anecdotal reports from my friends in the mathematics community, the fall of the USSR has not been kind to mathematics education.
I don’t know if it’s still the case, either, but I can confirm from first-hand experience that it definitely used to be as you say.
I attended 2 years of school in Ukraine before my family immigrated. This was in ’96/97. I can attest that math was far more advanced there (at least back then. Though this is still post-ussr). Ex: We were learning about functions in grade 2 (didnt touch it until grade 8-9 here in Canada.) I remember my parents being somewhat unhappy when most of the math I did in third Year was two digit addition and subtraction.