Recently I did a review chapter on some elementary techniques in solving systems of equations. So long as I was well rested such that I didn’t make calculation errors (mis-transcriptions, arithmetic faux pas etc…) I found i was easily able to do the work.
Then came the modelling part of the book I was working through. The first few questions I had no problems with, but the latter questions shook my confidence; I thought I had this.
Researching further I was reassured and reminded that modelling word problems isn’t always easy, and at times the wording may be obtuse or the situation not one that our cognitive endowments evolved around. In a similar vein, it would appear that machine learning approaches are still in their infancy. There has been some ground gained in recent years however there is still much to be done.
I’m aware of the folly that is looking for a holy grail. But are there any good books, short courses or other resources on the strategy of ‘translating’ word problems into the form we call mathematics (and back out again)?