Why do so many people...?

Question

Why do so many people giving answers on the mathematics part of this website misuse it. (Perhaps misuse is too strong - better might be not use it to best advantage.) You don't help someone in the long run by just giving an answer. It might get them a higher mark or grade on that assignment (and even this is not certain - a good teacher can in seconds distinguish between someone who has copied an answer and someone who has, perhaps with help, worked it out for themselves.) I am a retired British mathematics teacher who found this site by accident when asking how much a replacement central heating boiler would cost! I Have spent a few hours helping students understand HOW to do questions only to find that two minutes later someone, presumably another student, comes along and just gives every line of the working to an answer (and in at least three cases it was partially incorrect.) Does this really help them?

Answer 1

Having a full worked through solution can be helpful, depending on what use you make of it. If someone just copies it down without going through it, then obviously it won't be helpful. If, however, they use it to further their understanding of the subject and it allows them to answer similar questions in the future, then it's very helpful.

It is up to the questioner to use the help responsibly, not up to the answerer to try and guess what the questioner will do with the answer.

Answer 2

No, it doesn't always, but there are times when it may help. Sometimes it's obvious the questions are typed straight out of someone's assignment, and those are usually met with a lot of flack by others.

I'm as guilty of dropping answers to some questions as anyone else. I try not to, but sometimes I get tired of regarding *every* question as someone being lazy and not wanting to do their own homework and I find myself sitting here either responding to anything. So I compromise and do my best to pick and choose as carefully as I can.

I do know what you mean tho, how you will find a question that is obviously a lazy person asking the question, and then you post a response that is polite (most of the time) and offer suggestions they can use to do it themselves, and someone right after me will post a full-blown solution.

So, again, all I can say is if you want to answer questions in math and physics and such, you will ultimately come to the same conclusion I have; if you want to help people and answer questions, you will have to compromise and just do your best to weed out the obvious lazy people and still try and help the ones genuinely needing/wanting help. There are always leeches in a system, but they are hurting themselves, they just don't realize it yet.

Someday they will have some kid wanting help with their homework and will be looking to them for help, and they won't be able to because they never bothered to learn when they had the chance.

Glad you have come to the site tho.....it's good to see conscientious folks here. Good luck. :)

Answer 3

I was researching something related to my job when I found this web site, I have no formal education but somehow I can do some math stuff. It's been awhile since I've used math or some engineering knowledge so by answering to some questions made me put back mi thinking hat, I try to help the people who ask this questions, but mostly I enjoy thinking again, if a kid want the answer to his homework assignment he wont care if you walk em trough the steps to solve it, but it helps me, some people need information, not all questions are math related.

give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day
teach a man to fish, does not warranty he'll catch fish for life
but teaching will help me learn and keep my knowledge fresh

It helps me!

Answer 4

As a Math major, I have to agree with much of what you say. Some of the math questions asked are so basic, I wonder why students aren't researching the answers for themselves. One certainly learns nothing if someone else is working out their homework/problems.

Answer 5

I have to agree. Some students are using this site as a tool for having others do their homework for them, rather than the opportunity for learning. Thank goodness for final exams!

Answer 6

welcome to the internet my friend....a cast, free unorganized pile of information....where you can find ANYTHING :p