Well, Barry Garelick, a veteran 7th and 8th grade math teacher, sent me a thoughtful note on the exchange. Garelick is the ...

For example, the algorithm could be tweaked to raise the bar for a diagnosis of cancer. There would be fewer false alarms, but patients receiving a negative result could no longer rest so easily.

In the so-called MINT subjects—mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology—up to 40 percent of students drop out of their studies in the introductory phase. A research team ...