Why Grid Books for Maths? (1 Viewer)

[Drongoski]

I've been wondering for a very long time - why do we still keep using grid books for our maths. This has been the practice for over 60 years. Year in, year out, students, almost religiously, use them for their maths. Do schools prescribe them? It seems to me such a silly practice. Grid pages are terrible to write on, compared to ordinary-ruled pages. Writings become less readable. They are excellent for graphs - but then you very seldom need to draw them. They also cost quite a lot more.

Maybe you can tell me why.

 

[4025808]

I've been wondering for a very long time - why do we still keep using grid books for our maths. This has been the practice for over 60 years. Year in, year out, students, almost religiously, use them for their maths. Do schools prescribe them? It seems to me such a silly practice. Grid pages are terrible to write on, compared to ordinary-ruled pages. Writings become less readable. They are excellent for graphs - but then you very seldom need to draw them. They also cost quite a lot more.

Maybe you can tell me why.

When I draw graphs it actually gives me a good scale to work on
But tbh when you write it's harder to see...

 

[AAEldar]

I've been wondering for a very long time - why do we still keep using grid books for our maths. This has been the practice for over 60 years. Year in, year out, students, almost religiously, use them for their maths. Do schools prescribe them? It seems to me such a silly practice. Grid pages are terrible to write on, compared to ordinary-ruled pages. Writings become less readable. They are excellent for graphs - but then you very seldom need to draw them. They also cost quite a lot more.

Maybe you can tell me why.

From Year 7 to Year 10 my school provided them (we had to buy them, but the school kept them in stock). At the start of Year 11 I made the choice to use loose sheets of lined paper, and moved away from grid paper. It is so much better than using grid paper because it's easier to see what you've written and looks neater in general as setting out is easier. Sure, grid paper is good for graphing but like you said, it's seldom done.

 

[ohexploitable]

I've never ever used a grid book for maffs, only normal lined paper.

 

[annagurl]

I like grid books... it gets me in the mood to do some math and for some reason, makes my writing neater.

 

[slyhunter]

I can still see my writing. What is this?

 

[Aindan]

Lined paper all the way. I just use the same paper for every subject. Less hastle (H)

 

[Gigacube]

I like using grid books because it just makes it easier to draw graphs and setting out stuff.

I don't think I could switch to lined paper because I've used graph paper since year 5.

 

[slyhunter]

The influence primary school can have on life is amazing.

 

[Trebla]

Grid books are particularly useful for measurement topics.

 

[blackops23]

Grid books are particularly useful for measurement topics.

measurement topics? like we do in primary? Yeah i don't see the use of grid books. Waste of ink. Looks messy. Your standard 8mm ruled books makes everything clear and neat.

 

[davidbarnes]

Used them all through high school. Don't see the point of them or like them.

 

[jet]

People still use them in uni too..............

 

[Trebla]

measurement topics? like we do in primary? Yeah i don't see the use of grid books. Waste of ink. Looks messy. Your standard 8mm ruled books makes everything clear and neat.

Measurement topics also exist in Year 7-10 lol

I also think grid books are useful when learning coordinate geometry and curve sketching for the first time. For example, when you learn to plot points on a number plane and develop some sense of scale, determining the gradient of a line using rise over run, sketching lines/curves by plotting points from a table of values etc...

My view is that grid books were very useful in junior years but when you hit senior years and do more advanced mathematics, they start to become pointless...

 

[Drongoski]

My view is that grid books were very useful in junior years but when you hit senior years and do more advanced mathematics, they start to become pointless...

Agree

 

[powlmao]

makes it easier for shapes etc