Say Goodbye To X+Y: Should Community Colleges Abolish Algebra?

NPR ^ | July 19, 2017 | Kayla Lattimore and Julie Depenbrock

[C19fan]

Algebra is one of the biggest hurdles to getting a high school or college degree — particularly for students of color and first-generation undergrads.

It is also the single most failed course in community colleges across the country. So if you're not a STEM major (science, technology, engineering, math), why even study algebra?

[kosciusko51]

Thank you. This is the short version. A Mathematician's Lament is longer. I've read both. I was looking for a math professor's opinion of it.

If you have read it, what do you think of his premise?

[goodnesswins]

I had Algebra 1,2,3,4 ...then calculus in college...this was 1969 to early 70s....REAL math

[goodnesswins]

PS...did well in algebra and calculus. ..Geometry was my downfall...

[csivils]

The concept of x + y = anything is offensive to the liberal gender warriors.

[Reily]

Actually these 1, 2, 3, ..... are just symbols.
When they were broken away from using them to keep track of things. (like inventory - 1 sheep, 2 sheep...1 bushel 2 bushels, etc)
The real math begins !

Number Theory - Far deeper and more complex then you can imagine! Shockingly so !
Symbols with patterns within patterns within patterns!

Derbyshire wrote a good book on the Riemann hypothesis and the chase for that proof!

[Chode]

since when is algebra required in black/transgendered/women's/lesbian/unicorn milking/whatever studies anyway?

[minnesota_bound]

I found the algebraic pattern for 2+2=4

[Mycroft Holmes]

As a practicing research scientist and engineer I have always regarded math as language, not art. I don't really disagree with his premise but the only useful thing I learned in school was typing. Everything else was a rehash of what I had learned on my own. in other words I was bored to tears in school.

I never had a math teacher who understood math. It wasn't till after I left school and started doing actual work that math made sense. Then I devoured whatever I needed to know to solve the current problem. I have tried to teach individuals general techniques for problem solving and had some success.

[Reily]

Keep at it!
There’s more!

[wintertime]

True! And the left brain thinkers should be required to take classes in the arts and humanities as well.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

They are. They sit in the same classes as those majoring in history, psychology, English ( etc,). But....The liberal arts majors take baby science courses. I'm not impressed.

[amihow]

No. No triggers.

Will give you benefit of doubt that spell check devil put in physiological.

Read study. Please do not recommend such stuff to bolster your position.

Study small.150 to 250 kids in 3 studies. Confusing about total. Done in Singapore. Result inconclusive.

People with normal IQ and good working memory tend to do good at math in the learning and quick testing situations.

People with normal IQs and not so good working memory have to rely more on memorization which takes longer. However, those people will retain and be able to recall better than those with great working memory. They put it in long term memory bank. That study was not spread over a log enough time to compare the 2 kinds of learners.

Sounds like you do not have education or pscyhology background which is o.k., but be careful making snarky remarks about others. It is hurtful to some here who may not be so agile at math in the classrom/ testing situation.

Lots of learning styles and bouquets of attributes in all God’s children.

And kids with low IQS can be good at algebra and even higher math.

[generally]

LOL!

That’s one of the cool things about FR. Somebody comes up with a great idea and puts it out there, then we all can build on it.

Best FReegards!

[where's_the_Outrage?]

[where's_the_Outrage?]

As a math major (that worked as an engineer) I remember assigning an electrical engineer and a guy with a MS in Physics an engineering task. They came to me with a formula, unfortunately for them the variable they needed to find was in the middle of the equation.

Lucky for them that's basically all I did as a math major was manipulate equations, took the whole white board but I reworked their equation. The was when I realized the value of math.

But being kicked upstairs my interface with high order equations became nonexistent. When I open my Ordinary Differential Equations text, it is literally and figuratively all Greek to me.

[j.argese]

There is also a learning disorder known as dyscalculia. Thumbnail definition, dyslexia but with numbers, mathematics, patterns. Probably not someone to crack the code but would most likely be the one to envision the code.

[jpsb]

I loved Linear Algebra. Now Dify Q was my wall. I got thru it with a B but I never really understood how to use it outside of the class room.

[cynwoody]

The teacher tried to explain but the guy was too rigid. He was a math major and he said he took the programming class as an elective so he dropped it.

Thus giving central_va a comparative advantage in the employment arena?

[cynwoody]

Today's cash registers already do this for them. In fact, they don't even have to read anymore, just push the button with the picture of the food on it.

And when the payment is entered, today's better cash registers show a picture of the change due.

[rdl6989]

The sorry thing about this is that most “math teachers” teach the arithmetic. Students are all worried about the arithmetic when the secret is to just study and remember the rules.

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This was my biggest problem with Algebra.