arithmetic(6) arithmetic(6)
NAME
arithmetic - provide drill in number facts
SYNOPSIS
/usr/games/arithmetic [+-x/] [range]
DESCRIPTION
arithmetic types out simple arithmetic problems, and waits
for an answer to be typed in. If the answer is correct, it
types back Right!, and a new problem. If the answer is
wrong, it replies What?, and waits for another answer.
Every twenty problems, it publishes statistics on
correctness and the time required to answer.
To quit the program, type an interrupt (delete).
The first optional argument determines the kind of problem
to be generated; +, -, x, and / respectively cause addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division problems to be
generated. One or more characters can be given; if more
than one is given, the different types of problems will be
mixed in random order; default is +-.
range is a decimal number; all addends, subtrahends,
differences, multiplicands, divisors, and quotients will be
less than or equal to the value of range. Default range is
10.
At the start, all numbers less than or equal to range are
equally likely to appear. If the respondent makes a
mistake, the numbers in the problem which was missed become
more likely to reappear.
As a matter of educational philosophy, the program will not
give correct answers, since the learner should, in
principle, be able to calculate them. Thus the program is
intended to provide drill for someone just past the first
learning stage, not to teach number facts de novo. For
almost all users, the relevant statistic should be time per
problem, not percent correct.
FILES
/usr/games/arithmetic
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