asr comments on Why do people commit mathematical mistakes? What are the mechanisms behind them? - Less Wrong

4 Post author: Raw_Power 07 September 2011 09:57PM

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Comment author: asr 07 September 2011 11:56:56PM *  2 points [-]

I suspect the answer will vary based on the children's ages. My recollection is that I made very different mistakes in 10th grade than I did in 2nd or 6th.

Misunderstanding the question, for instance, may show up more at later ages as the questions get less cut-and-dried. Forgetting the rote-memorized multiplication table may show up most at young ages. Misremembering and misapplying the rules for symbol-pushing may show up more at middle ages.