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"The premise of the sharks and oxygen claim is as follows: A) Sharks, many of which are apex predators, are important in regulating marine food webs; B) Phytoplankton, which create oxygen through photosynthesis, are in marine food webs; C) Therefore, without sharks, phytoplankton populations will crash and we won't have any more oxygen and we'll all die. "

"My premise is that we're all sympathetic towards students who dislike mathematics, this course they're forced to take. We all have answers to the question, "What does it take to interest students in mathematics?" Though those answers are often implicit and unspoken, they're powerful. They determine the experiences students have in our classes. I lay out three of the most common answers I hear from teachers, principals, policymakers, publishers, etc., two of which are "make math real world" and "make math relevant." I offer evidence that those answers are incomplete and unreliable. Then I dive into research from Willingham, Kasmer, Roger & David Johnson, Mayer, et al., presenting stronger strategies for creating interest in mathematics education. "