The reports of the London University on the General School Examinations throw an interesting light on the knowledge of candidates of the subject of approximations. The 1928-30 reports make it quite clear that the subject is badly taught and that glaring errors occur very frequently The 1929 report states that this fault is general and is not confined to particular schools. When it is considered that the University examines annually about 25,000 pupils from schools all over the country there is justification for the suggestion in the title of this paper.