Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

What Is the Value of Algebra?
The Washington Post ^ | February 16, 2006 | Richard Cohen

Posted on 03/07/2006 10:12:59 AM PST by RBroadfoot

None, according to Richard Cohen of the Washington Post.

EXCERPT: I am haunted by Gabriela Ocampo. ... failing algebra six times in six semesters, trying it a seventh time and finally just despairing over ever getting it.

The L.A. school district now requires all students to pass a year of algebra ...

Here's the thing, Gabriela: You will never need to know algebra. I have never once used it and never once even rued that I could not use it. ...

Gabriela, sooner or later someone's going to tell you that algebra teaches reasoning. This is a lie propagated by, among others, algebra teachers. Writing is the highest form of reasoning. This is a fact. Algebra is not. The proof of this, Gabriela, is all the people in my high school who were whizzes at math but did not know a thing about history and could not write a readable English sentence. ...

Algebra ruined many a day for me. Now it could ruin your life.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: education; matheducation
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 361-380381-400401-420 ... 661-674 next last
To: phil1750

22.80 * 1.34

I must admit, I find a lack of understanding of basic algebra hard to comprehend, because when you go on to higher math, chemistry, physics and (especially) engineering courses as I did you use it so often that it becomes completely internalized. But there are many types of questions, particularly those involving trig, that I would have to break out the books to anser. And the calculus I learned in university didn't stick at all, other than some very basic single-variable stuff. But the great thing about learning stuff like this, even if you don't remember a lot of it, is that when faced with a problem you can recognize what you need to know to solve it, and then seek that knowledge out.


381 posted on 03/07/2006 12:47:14 PM PST by -YYZ-
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 369 | View Replies]

To: Beckwith

You don't need algebra to know how much paint to buy. And even if you did, you should have extra paint anyway! I do think algebra is useful but for the average joe, it doesn't probably come into play much.


382 posted on 03/07/2006 12:47:37 PM PST by Paved Paradise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: jpsb

"unit circle"

Ahhh, the Unit Circle.
Pure simplicity covering Sine and Cosine bouncing from 1 to -1, producing trig tables and x-y projections. Adds a nice mechanic to all of those 90 degree out of phase signals.

If you haven't used it your missing out!


383 posted on 03/07/2006 12:48:11 PM PST by YouPosting2Me
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 375 | View Replies]

To: jpsb
Bump, I can't tell ypou how many times I've gone back to the "unit circle" just to try to make trig second nature.

The unit circle is brilliant. They didn't teach it until after they did the whole triangle "opposite over adjacent" bit when I was in school.

The unit circle is much simpler to me.

SD

384 posted on 03/07/2006 12:50:03 PM PST by SoothingDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 375 | View Replies]

To: SoothingDave; martin_fierro; Toby06
are yunz math nerds aware that one week from today is PI DAY? i thought not....


385 posted on 03/07/2006 12:51:32 PM PST by xsmommy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 359 | View Replies]

To: george wythe

I think they make it harder than it is. I got straight A's in geometry and algebra back in HS in the early 70's. Meanwhile, I have to take some higher math now that I'm in college again but I've forgotten it mostly. I'm in prealgebra now for the refresher - most of it is easy but we're doing ratios and for the life of me I can't get it. I went to a tutor at the college and couldn't understand her either. I know I didn't suddenly get "dumb." They explain it now in the weirdest ways and they don't teach as they did in the past and I have to believe something is wrong with how they are teaching otherwise how does one explain so many young people flunking math and science thes days. Did people get more stupid? Me thinks not.


386 posted on 03/07/2006 12:52:15 PM PST by Paved Paradise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Flavius Josephus
Now they have a fancy euphemism for it. They say they're "dyslexic."

HEY!!!! I resemble that remark. And I read at a level that most people only *wish*. And I'm heavily dyslexic. Which is why my current project here at work is to digest 4,000 pages of enterprise software documentation and pass it on to my coworkers. They have just figured out how to read Jho-ese, that's all. At least every other word is spelled backwards. But the comprehension is all there.

Those that use dyslexia as a crutch to say they cannot read are more than just stupid, they are lazy of the soul. All you have to do to get past it is learn some phonics. Heck, I was in the generations of students that proved it worked, hence that I could read and write, but not SPELL worth a darn. Imagine how happy I was (and am) for spell checkers.

For what it's worth, I type 95wpm, read faster than anyone I know with 96% retention, and um.... I'm an IT Systems Engineer. Diagnosed with dyslexia at 7 years of age and told I'd amount to nothing more than a prostitute or a burger flipper. The funny thing? Since I learned how to read and comprehend at 2 (SHOOOSH, don't *make* me prove it) years old, at 7 years of age, I was already reading at a 10th grade reading level. Don't ever tell me that I can't do something. :)

Dyslexia is a funny illness. I firmly believe that it is related to either severe emotional trauma, autism, both, or a combination of the two. All of which I was brought up with. It seemed to edge out with time, but no... it hasn't. It's actually gotten worse in my writing... I have to pay real close attention when jotting down stuff, particularly numbers. And I made it all the way through Diff Eqs in PreCalculus, and Trig II with a B. So, dyslexia is more of a functional problem than a reasoning issue.

Proud sufferer for 25 years. (you should be able to figure out my age now! :P)
387 posted on 03/07/2006 12:52:29 PM PST by Jhohanna (Born Free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Zzyzx

Gregor Mendel, the monk with the peas, had a doctorate in mathematics from the U of Vienna. Darwin saw his work and remarked, in awe, "learning math gives one another sense." Pretty well sums it up for me.


388 posted on 03/07/2006 12:52:37 PM PST by Poincare
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: xsmommy

Keep us informed when it's hair pi day too


389 posted on 03/07/2006 12:52:48 PM PST by Hegewisch Dupa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 385 | View Replies]

To: jdm
if zot = kitty and kitty is less than tinfoil, but more than hugh, how much is series?

0.09 of cheese.

390 posted on 03/07/2006 12:54:35 PM PST by fanfan ( "We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality" - Ayn Rand)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Waryone

*snicker*


391 posted on 03/07/2006 12:54:45 PM PST by Professional Engineer (Ground Zero - microscopic and colossal at the same time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 354 | View Replies]

To: xsmommy
are yunz math nerds aware that one week from today is PI DAY?

Approximately.

SD

392 posted on 03/07/2006 12:54:51 PM PST by SoothingDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 385 | View Replies]

To: SoothingDave

393 posted on 03/07/2006 12:55:36 PM PST by xsmommy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 392 | View Replies]

To: xsmommy

LMAO, math nerd I am not, I just think everyone should know algebra. Most kids know some by 6th grade!

Those who do not know algebra are unarmed in the battle against getting hosed.


394 posted on 03/07/2006 12:58:21 PM PST by Toby06
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 385 | View Replies]

To: Professional Engineer

I think there is actually a family of equations of the form you indicated (i.e., successive limits as GPA approaches zero in finance, accounting, marketing, liberal arts, art history, education and, finally, gender studies.)


395 posted on 03/07/2006 1:00:01 PM PST by RBroadfoot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 323 | View Replies]

To: Toby06
eh, shove a piece of pi in your pi hole! ; )


396 posted on 03/07/2006 1:01:50 PM PST by xsmommy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 394 | View Replies]

To: YouPosting2Me

"Trigonometry is essentially a procedure for turning angular measures into linear measures." --Saunders Mac Lane


397 posted on 03/07/2006 1:03:00 PM PST by Poincare
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 383 | View Replies]

To: Paved Paradise
"but we're doing ratios and for the life of me I can't get it"

What do you mean by "ratios"? Fractions? I'll bet we (FR math fans) can explain things to you so that you'll get it.

398 posted on 03/07/2006 1:03:08 PM PST by jpsb
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 386 | View Replies]

To: Jhohanna
Learning is a wonderful human characteristic and I thank God for all of my great Texas primary and secondary teachers. I have two degrees in biology but I would say the most useful course I ever took was auto mechanics in high school. I was out of school and working in my career about the time the XT PCs and DOS came on board. What little I know about PCs came from simply piddling with office machines but it is another skill, albeit limited, that I am very thankful for. Looking back, I'm glad I decided not to be a mechanic for a living although I probably would have made a heck of a lot more money.:)

Muleteam1

399 posted on 03/07/2006 1:04:22 PM PST by Muleteam1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 358 | View Replies]

To: george wythe

Math is hard. Let's go shopping!


400 posted on 03/07/2006 1:06:41 PM PST by nygoose
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 361-380381-400401-420 ... 661-674 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson