Re:Math is still catching up to the genius of Ramanujan
by amenhotep on Tuesday October 22, 2024 @07:19AM
(#41913177)
In terms of not being able to read, I would count 8% as "many"? Select a group of ten random Americans and you'd expect one of them to be illiterate - that's appalling.
Re:Math is still catching up to the genius of Ramanujan
by coliveira on Tuesday October 22, 2024 @10:03AM
(#41914400)
Right there you have 8%. But it is worse because it says they're able to "read to varying level", which includes 2nd grade level, or barely at all.
Re:Math is still catching up to the genius of Ramanujan
by PlattypusRex on Tuesday October 22, 2024 @08:29PM
(#41920257)
Over 20% of American adults have a literacy proficiency at or below Level 1. This is defined as "difficulty using or understanding print materials" and "may struggle to understand texts beyond filling out basic forms." So 1 out of every 5 Americans is functionally illiterate. I would say that counts as "many of them don't even know how to read."
The number, while high, is not satisfactory. Clearly, we also want adults to be functionally and not pass a super low bar of being able to read a sentence which 92% does not care to distinguish, but it is not fact true that "many of them don't even know how to read".
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy_in_the_United_States