Number illiteracy

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Numeracy ( Engl. Innumeracy ) computational failure and thus the weakness issues in designated numbers or probabilities represent to understand issues or numerically represented. Sometimes people who are illiterate by numbers are referred to as innumerates.

John Allen Paulos , an American mathematician, describes the weakness as follows: “ Mathematically illiterate people tend to drastically overestimate the frequency of coincidences and give great importance to all kinds of matches, while conclusive, not so spectacular statistical evidence makes much less impression on them . "

Number illiteracy is not to be confused with dyscalculia , the weakness to understand and use the rules of the number system (arithmetic weakness).

literature

  • John Allen Paulos: Number Blind. Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences. Heyne, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-453-03623-9