The Nation - News from March 22, 1989

Math teachers released standards designed to make sure that pupils learn to explore and reason as well as add, subtract, multiply and divide. John Dossey, chairman of the standards commission of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, said: “It is in the application of mathematics in geometry, measurement and data analysis where our students are falling short.” He cited studies showing basic skills have improved. “Yet today only about one-half of American 17-year-olds can say whether 87% of 10 is less than 10, greater than 10 or equal to 10,” or figure out how much carpet is needed to cover a floor, he said.