SUBJECT MATTER AND METHODS l6/ 



fords food for thought. One member of the class dis- 

 covered that his rate had been almost doubled during the 

 last year. A committee of the pupils sent to investigate 

 concluded that it was because a large hay barn had been 

 constructed on the adjoining lot. 



Comparisons between the school house and other build- 

 ings are made. The pupils are encouraged to bring in all 

 the questions that they can, and by the time that we are 

 ready to take up a new topic the ground has been very well 

 covered. The teacher is often surprised to see how inter- 

 esting a dry rate book becomes when put into actual use. 

 Many oral and a few written problems are given, and every 

 pupil writes a paper summarizing the knowledge that is 

 gained. 



In computing interest the hundred month method is used. 

 The basic idea is that the interest on any principal for one 



hundred months at 12 per cent, is equal 

 Interest 



to the principal, and that the interest for a 



number of months, an aliquot part of one hundred, is just 

 that part of the principal. The interest for one month is 

 yj-g- of the principal, and the interest for a certain number 

 of days is equal to so many thirtieths reduced to the lowest 

 terms of y^ of the principal. If we desire the interest 

 for eight months, we point off two places in the principal 

 and multiply by 8. Having found the interest at 12 per 

 cent., the interest at any per cent, may be found by first see- 

 ing what part the given per cent, is of twelve, and then by 

 taking that fractional part of the interest at 12 per cent. 

 The advantages of this method are speed and the avoidance 

 of bothersome fractions, for the work is largely of a deci- 

 mal nature. 



