They think they're at a University for Science and Engineering. How do I tell them they need to learn 6th grade math without sounding ... impatient?
I teach calculus-based physics. The level of math failing is astounding. This isn't new, it's persistent.
One of the big ones is not understanding percentages. Sure, I can have a discussion about which value goes in the denominator when calculating a percentage. (Percent change? Then it's the initial value. Percent error? Then it's the more trusted value. Percent difference? Then it's more of a judgement call.) But they have to realize that a percentage represents some portion of some whole amount.
When 20 and 21 are said to be either 95% different or 0.05% different, they just don't understand what they're doing well enough to proofread the statement.
I want to point them to practice resources, but they're all labeled something like 7th grade math. These students have supposedly passed calculus!