[Edu-sig] Setting a variable's value

[Winston Wolff]

On May 11, 2006, at 9:50 AM, Vern Ceder wrote:

> I also teach Python in that age range and I've seen the same  
> confusion, so I know what you mean. OTOH, I wonder if it's worth a  
> change in the language to delay facing the fact that code is not  
> algebra.
>
> It's always seemed to me that once they get the idea that code  
> doesn't necessarily follow the rules of algebra (which it doesn't  
> in many ways) the symbol isn't such a big deal.

You have a good argument.  I suppose since they'll need to  
differentiate algebra and Python soon enough, and it's just another  
little thing they'll have to remember.

-Winston



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