Python, Factors, and Primes

So my son had math homework on determining the factors of numbers. This was part of a larger mondule on factors, prime, and composite numbers. So after completing the homework together I asked him: "Do you think we can modify our times table program to calculate the factors of a number?".

He thought for a moment and then said: "Yes".

And so we set to it. As it turns out, the program required little change, but the significant new piece of learning was the moduls operator.

We essentially looped from 1 to the given number and took the modulus of the given number by the loop iteration. If the modulus had a value, then the loop iteration was not a factor. If there was no remainder, then it was a factor, which we would print.

Of course this also introduced to him the concept of the if test statement in python.

Killing Motivation #12: More Training

So I know I have talked about demoralizing your staff with training games - but the fun is only limited by your capacity for evil.

Here is another trick.

Pretend to give you employees training by getting other employees to share what they know. The design pattern here is called "The Blind Leading the Blind" - or in the case of some three letter corporation "Think".

Let your staff pretend to think they are getting training. I mean really you don't care if they get training or not. What is important is that they "Think" they are getting training. And it costs you nothing.