I have had many different math and science teachers throughout the years, but nearly all of them have made the same claim: the standard system is ridiculous and America should switch to the metric system. The standard system is the units of measurement such as inches and Fahrenheit that are used in the United States, and the metric system uses measurements like centimeters and Celsius and is used in the rest of the world. Every time I hear this claim, I flinch internally. What did all these people have against the standard system? Why would we use it so much if it was completely impractical? Perhaps I was a bit over-attached to the standard system since I grew up with it, and the metric system really was easier to make calculations with…did I have an unreasonable loyalty? Though I had my doubts, as I have grown up and progressed through school, I have discovered many merits of the standard system over the metric.

Five members of the math club competed at the annual TAMU derivative bee earlier this month. Students include Kaitlyn Montgomery, Patrick Blumenthal, Will Schultz, Lois Warden, and Rachel Paholek. Patrick Blumenthal qualified for finals and Kaitlyn Montgomery placed third.

Senior Cooper McCall made it to the semi-final round of the integral bee and senior Bri Nugent made it to the same round during the fall. BC Calculus teacher Donna Miller placed 2nd in the adult category.

Students are often frustrated by the course requirements for graduation and what are sometimes seen as ‘useless’ courses that they are required to take. However, most of these classes are not ‘useless’ and there is reason to their requirement.

Out of all the useless classes we’re forced to take, math is the worst. I understand that in high school you don’t really know what you’re going to do when you graduate, so they compensate for that by throwing you into every possible class you might need.

Though math is a subject most students struggle with, good teachers can make the subject less of a hurdle and even instill a sense of respect for the subject.

Jill Morris, math teacher and department chair, has been an educator for 15 years, seven of which have been at Bryan High.

A spotlight on how the math, art and foreign language classes are using technology.