Borrowing

[omly]

Do you all remember borrowing? You know, it is that thing where when you are subtracting 2 numbers and you sometimes need to "borrow" from the tens place for example if you don't have enough in the ones place. Well apparently they have re-dubbed this "regrouping". Sounds all fancy like doesn't it? What was wrong with borrowing?

Comments

[indicolite.livejournal.com]

Well, if I put my geek hat on and remember my group theory, you are moving the number you are "regrouping" from group to group (the additive groups of natural numbers modulo 10, feel free to ignore this part) - and I kind of agree that "borrowing" implies that you have to give it back. If you have never heard of borrowing, you would know it as regrouping and hopefully grow up just fine. However, if I see a term that is actually accurate with respect to university-level algebra, it makes my new-math radar beep - but as long as the kids learn how to do it, and get it down to reflex, who really cares what they call it?