World 9-2
Sensible Measure
Math Matters Much, Man
Real Life Math
In real life, it’s important to check your maths answers make sense (it doesn’t really matter at school).
For example, let’s look at eating a 150g banana. That’s 150g after the skin is removed. (See? Subtraction is important; no-one eats the skin, not even chimps.)
How much sugar is there in this banana? Bananas are about 1/4 sugar (23% if you want to be more accurate).
Without using a calculator, I can use common sense to say there’s more than 23g and less than double that (46g).
Those would be the numbers for 100g and 200g bananas, and I know it’s between those.
Halfway between is going to be about the mid-30 gs. So I’ll just say 35g. A nice, round number.
Does 35g ‘feel’ about right? Maybe it lines up with a normal meal I eat. OK, sounds sensible.
Calculators Are Easy Aren’t They?
Calculators (and computers) only work as well as what info goes into them. I could have the flashiest calculator ever, and still push the wrong buttons and get the wrong answer.
The most important question I check my maths with is: Does that number ‘feel’ right?
You would be amazed at the many simple mistakes made by not asking this question when the maths really matters (like when injecting insulin to match glucose).