Subtracting fractions from the curriculum

College Dean Dennis DeTurck often challenges math department colleagues to tell him when exactly he would need to know that 5/7 plus 3/5 equals 46/35.

"The answer is never, except in a specifically mathematical context," DeTurck said.

That's why he wants Americans to rethink how and when they teach fractions.

Though fractions play an important role in math, he said it may make sense to teach them at higher levels - when students can better grasp their meaning and value.

Most studies show students lose touch with math between fourth and eighth grade.

"There's a divergence between math in the world, which is important and makes sense, and math in school, which . has to be memorized and spit back at the teacher," DeTurck said.

Students are willing to struggle with concepts like multiplication because they grasp their usefulness in the real world, he added.

But fractions confront them with numerators, mixed numbers and equivalents - jargon that seems arcane and impractical. Decimals may be a better answer, he said.

"We don't live in a world anymore where people are required to do complicated calculations by hand," he added.

And as technology evolves, so should teaching.

Educators should determine what the process of learning fractions helped students understand about other aspects of math and convey it in other ways, he said.

But not everyone's a fan of his proposal.

Harvard University Mathematics professor Wilfried Schmid called the proposal "misguided" and questioned how to teach the meaning of decimals without fractions.

"What is the significance of 1.1? It's one plus one-tenth," he said. "Fractions are more basic in development of understanding of numbers than decimals."

Schmid added that the sequential nature of mathematics makes fractions a "natural stepping stone" to algebra and advanced concepts.

"You have to ask if the best way to deal with problems in math education is just not teaching what is somewhat difficult," he said.

Mathematics graduate student Asher Auel voiced a similar sentiment, saying fractions are vital to understanding ratios and relative sizes.

"The only thing decimals are good for is plugging into a calculator or computer program," Auel said. "Nobody thinks in terms of decimals."

In recent weeks, DeTurck's ideas have been picked up by a number of media outlets, including USA Today.

DeTurck said he plans to release a book later this year that addresses the fraction debate and other questions about teaching in a technological climate.

Mathematics graduate student Paul Rowe said the U.S.'s lagging math performance makes education reform an important discussion to have.

"Whether or not you agree with the exact proposals [DeTurck] is making, it's good that he's getting people to talk about it," he said.

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