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My son and I often have interesting discussions. Last night was no exception.
So I being the geek I am often try to steer the discussion to programming and logic problems. Yesterday we were discussing variable assignments. Something I have notice with other "normal" people. My son is fairly normal even after my influence. (Must be mom).
So I as talking about
let a=2
and let b=3
So if we add a to b we get what?
responses from son ranged from "ab" or "c"
I then went into the whole memory address thing where a is just a name for a pointer to a memory address area where the value of "a" is stored. Soon as I asked for the value of "a". His response. "The value of "a" is always "a" right?" sigh no "a" is just the name for the pointer to the memory the variable name we use for then storing that value we will use later.
"Well why not just type in 2+3 if you are going to add 2 and 3 together?"
Ideas? I didn't get anywhere.
To err is human to really mess up you need a computer
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Sell him to white slavery...  
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
Me, all the time
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`The name of the song is called "Haddocks' Eyes."'
`Oh, that's the name of the song, is it?' Alice said, trying to feel interested.
`No, you don't understand,' the Knight said, looking a little vexed. `That's what the name is called. The name really is "The Aged Aged Man."'
`Then I ought to have said "That's what the song is called"?' Alice corrected herself.
`No, you oughtn't: that's quite another thing! The song is called "Ways and Means": but that's only what it's called, you know!'
`Well, what is the song, then?' said Alice, who was by this time completely bewildered.
`I was coming to that,' the Knight said. `The song really is "A-sitting On A Gate": and the tune's my own invention.'
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rnbergren wrote: Ideas? I didn't get anywhere.
Ya, let the kid just be a kid and enjoy 1st grade. 
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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RyanDev wrote: let the kid just be a kid
Well said. As a father of two, I agree with this statement.
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you do know his kid is 35?
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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Bergholt Stuttley Johnson wrote: you do know his kid is 35?
He's in first grade though.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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That has been seen before...
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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I'd just like a chance to prove that money can't make me happy.
Me, all the time
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as a father of three I don't disagree with this statement. But having good discussions with your children is a better teaching environment than they can ever get in school. My kids learn far more at home from Mom and I than they do at school.
You as the parent are the best and most important instructor your child shall ever have.
Fun discussions with my children are the best part of raising them. Watching them grow and learn is amazing.
To err is human to really mess up you need a computer
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All of your statements are true, and I agree with them as well, for the most part. However, my kid chooses to be what they want, not me. If you need to explain something to someone, and it is turning out to be work, then it may not need to be explained.
Frankly, variable assignment discussions with anyone, including engineers, is just boring. 
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Although I agree with what you say, I feel like it is too early to conclude the kid is not into programming yet. In fact, the question it asked is absolutely relevant - why would someone have to know all this stuff for memory addresses and so on, if s/he cannot see for any use of this.
I mean, if the kid is given an example - for instance to have some formula, that must be evaluated for a bunch of different values, then it would start making more sense to think of all the same operations that otherwise would be too repetative as a single formula with different digits(values). My point is that the kid just needs a good example, and I am willing to think when he grows older, he will understand this better - not only why and how it works, but when it is used and why.
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I agree - I do the same myself.
You don't have to push them in any direction, but it's always worth showing them what's out there so they can decide whether or not they're interested in looking further into it for themselves
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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rnbergren wrote: You as the parent are the best and most important instructor your child shall ever have.
So then why are you sending them to (public) school? 
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
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Who's on first!
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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What's on second!
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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I dont know - Third base
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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I'm at the same stage - I try to explain things in terms of "boxes".
Box "a" contains two items, box "b" contains three items, how many items have I got if I add what's in box "a" to what's in box "b"?
Pointers and memory addresses are a future topic
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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How many items? 2, box A and box B! Obviously!
You really need a box C. If I tip the contents of box A and box B into box C how many items are in box C?
The reason that algebra is so hard is because it is a double abstraction where most people see only a single. You have already made a huge leap in separating number from the count of actual objects. Now you're making a second in suggesting that you can work with numbers without actually knowing what they are! If you haven't got the concept of the first abstraction firmly fixed in your head then you stand no chance of making the second meaningful!
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Well my 6 year old seems to have grasped the concept using the "box" technique. I forgot I'm talking to programmers here, a much tougher audience
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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It works well - but with young kids you can make it easier if you use bags of sweets.
"I've got 2 sweets in this bag, and 3 sweets in this bag - how many sweets have I got?"
It kinda focusses them on the content rather than the bag. Greedy little swine that they are...
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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We use old cardboard boxes and Lego pieces.. nobody gets any sweets 
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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Sweets easier. How long was it since you handled kids?
The answer is four sweets, uhm I mean three sweets...
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Hey - I'm holding the bags, and I'm taller than they are!
(And I can eat sweeties faster it I want to...)
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Brent Jenkins wrote: Box "a" contains two items, box "b" contains three items, how many items have I got if I add what's in box "a" to what's in box "b"?
Some beans[^]. 
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
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There's a lot of truth in the Blackadder episodes
How do you know so much about swallows? Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.
modified 31-Aug-21 21:01pm.
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