Honestly, mathematicians are such drama queens.
Posted on 03/28/2016 5:07:09 PM PDT by Olog-hai
Who needs algebra?
That question muttered by many a frustrated student over the years has become a vigorous debate among American educators, sparked by a provocative new book that argues required algebra has become an unnecessary stumbling block that forces millions to drop out of high school or college.
“One out of 5 young Americans does not graduate from high school. This is one of the worst records in the developed world. Why? The chief academic reason is they failed ninth-grade algebra,” said political scientist Andrew Hacker, author of “The Math Myth and Other STEM Delusions.”
Hacker, a professor emeritus at Queens College, argues that, at most, only 5 percent of jobs make use of algebra and other advanced math courses. He favors a curriculum that focuses more on statistics and basic numbers sense and less on (y – 3)2 = 4y – 12.
“Will algebra help you understand the federal budget?” he asked. …
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words. Of course the great wastage is in the verbs and adjectives, but there are hundreds of nouns that can be got rid of as well. It isn’t only the synonyms; there are also the antonyms. After all, what justification is there for a word, which is simply the opposite of some other word? A word contains its opposite in itself. Take “good,” for instance. If you have a word like “good,” what need is there for a word like “bad”? “Ungood” will do just as well — better, because it’s an exact opposite, which the other is not. Or again, if you want a stronger version of “good,” what sense is there in having a whole string of vague useless words like “excellent” and “splendid” and all the rest of them? “Plusgood” covers the meaning or “doubleplusgood” if you want something stronger still. Of course we use those forms already, but in the final version of Newspeak, there’ll be nothing else. In the end, the whole notion of goodness and badness will be covered by only six words — in reality, only one word. Don’t you see the beauty of that, Winston? It was B.B.’s idea originally, of course.We appear to be surrounded by self-professed teachers that seem to actually think like that.
“The world needs ditch diggers too”
It about developing a thought process to solve problems. You either have “it” or you don’t
My HS Algebra teacher often said that too.
Do I get a gold star on my forehead and a participation trophy?
I think not we no need learn any school things they put in brain.
***only 5 percent of jobs make use of algebra and other advanced math courses.***
Strange. In my jobs in steel fabrication and layout I found algebra to be useful for the layout of cuttings.
Other shops had people who just drilled holes. I asked one toothless man how he got the holes correct and he showed me his personal drawings from Trig.
When I worked in Power plants I used algebra all the time. I did not understand it as I had a mental block, then one day in training I broke through! I have taken the ICS Electrical Engineering course (required by my company) and passed!
Algebra teaches kids to think in an oppressive male white Euro way that obstructs progress. We need math courses that teach us that math is our friend...that teach us how to calculate the correct answer to global warming and the correct answer to deficit spending when we are told ahead of time what the correct answer is.
X = Mistress Times 8
X = Mistress Times 8
I agree that algebra should be dropped. In fact, everything but coloring inside the lines should be dropped. That way, everyone will graduate!
Yep, try dividing both sides of Washington by Zer0.
Getting rid of Al Gebra is racist towards Arabs.....
Test taking ability is the real stumbling block. Get rid of tests and the rest is easy-peasy.
Actually, statistics are an example of applied math including Algebra.
Learning at least the minimum Algebra required in High School is very important to shaping thought process and world view.
I learned this the hard way when, in the spirit of the Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out generation, I blew Algebra off in high school.
I later learned the value of Algebra the hard way - by needing it and not having it.
It was a valuable lesson.
Every person should graduate with at least a basic introductory knowledge.
In our technology driven society, algebra and the thought process and world view it provides is the foundation everything technology is built on.
Interesting: when my daughter, now an engineer, studied calculus, she opined that she wished she’d had calculus first, as the whole process was more logical and effortless than algebra.
I’m clueless as to why, but I wonder if she was onto this thing?
Honestly, mathematicians are such drama queens.
No wonder I could’t get algebra! My paintings are all a-symmetrical, balanced but not equal.
If you completed all of those courses and learned the basics, then you have been using it all along - even if you are not aware of it.
You may not make use of equations but you benefit from the cognitive and reasoning skills that you develop from studying those mathematical principles.
The well developed reasoning skills and the rational and logical thought process developed from studying math carry over into all aspects of life, even including the raising of children
today’s kids and their parents are lazy, they took away phonics, diagramming sentences, memorizing the times tables and cursive writing.
“Thinking it was necessary for college, I took trig, analytical geometry and plane geometry in high school.
Never used any of them in college. I did take statistics which required fairly complex figuring.
I always thought plane geometry was the one which encouraged thinking.”
I have a business degree, and a MBA and have never used Algebra in any manner in college. Nor have I used it in 5 decades after college.
Geometry was/is invaluable. I use it every day in driving, navigating a fishing boat, kayak, canoe and in the Navy to plot navigational courses. I use geometry in walking, back yard construction projects and inside household projects.
I had a lot of accounting hours in college.
What I learned in accting one is all that I needed in my 5+ decades of business life and personal life. We use CPA’s for our taxes.
The same experience with many hours of statistics. The first course has been very helpful everyday in business and real life. The other courses were a waste of time.
What you learn in basic economics and in particular basic supply and demand and their impact on price is probably enough for 99% of us.
Basic math, %’s and being able to budget business expenses and balance your personal checkbook are critical to surviving in our world not doing something you learned in Algebra.
Recognition of trends increasing or decreasing is helpful and critical in many aspects of life including investments.
Problem solving and being able to adapt to changes in the world and life are critical areas. This problem solving is dealing with humans and life events not with a straight line or curved approach or a mathematical theory. Those, who can only approach a problem with a certain mathematical process are often screwed when reality throws their straight line process into the garbage.
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