What Is the Value of Algebra?

The Washington Post ^ | February 16, 2006 | Richard Cohen

[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.

[Carolinamom]

#28 LOL!

[jpsb]

I am Dyslexic too, making phone calls is hell.

[Richard Kimball]

At best he is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear shoes, bathe, and not make messes in the house.

I got two out of three. Do I qualify as a subhuman?

BTW, for me, the value of algebra was that I went to high school after mini-skirts became popular but before they let girls wear pants to school, and that my teacher had half the desks on each side of the classroom facing each other. There was an aisle down the middle, so the teacher could walk back and forth while lecturing.

This led to many notes being passed between my best friend and myself, with brilliant formulas like "the angle of the dangle times the square of the hair equals the heat of the meat," all written as proper algebraic formulas. Kathy, Jenny, Belinda, Nancy, and Anna: I've never said it before, but THANK YOU! You made one hour of high school tolerable, although it was very difficult to get up and walk to the next class, as this was also the era of tight jeans.

[shelterguy]

Reminds me of a customer that wanted footing increased from 12" diameter to 24" diameter. He figured they would then be twice as large. I had to use some finesse to explain to him that they would be four times as large.

[Taliesan]

Why is it I just can't grab my calulator and say: 508.00 minus 6%? You would think I would get the right number....

No. It's not 6% of 508. It's 6% of an unknown, TO GET TO 508.

You see, that's why we we need algebra. : )

[SoothingDave]

Reminds me of a customer that wanted footing increased from 12" diameter to 24" diameter.

Some people think two 8-inch pizzas is the same as one 16-inch pizza.

SD

[shelterguy]

So the point has been proven. You need to know algebra to work at a pizza place. Now, go collect your prize.

[shelterguy]

Two 8" pizzas would give you 100.48 square inches of pizza. One 16" pizza gives you 200.96 square inches.

[Fawn]

Then....if I can't subtract the 6% in a calculator......why CAN I say:

What is 479.25 + 6%? and get the right answer?

Personally ~~I think the calculators are defective. Probably made in Taiwan or China.

[Radix]

Most people "solve for X" countless times without even realizing it.

How far can you drive before needing gas?

How many beers to buy for the party?

How many hot dog rolls will you need?

Algebra is just everywhere.

[SoothingDave]

Bottom line is innumeracy can leave you hungry.

SD

[Radix]

"A train leaves N.Y. City heading East at 50 MPH. How long before someone drowns?"

Is Ted Kennedy driving?

[Kaylee Frye]

Exactly my point. So we can call Algebra "apples" then. :) Or Easy. That's it, all Algebra classes will now be renamed to "Easy Class".

[YouPosting2Me]

"Two 8" pizzas would give you 100.48 square inches of pizza. One 16" pizza gives you 200.96 square inches."

Once the pizza chains get a hold of this devious information we will start seeing hexagon and octagon pizzas that hide the 'better' value from the consumer.

"Should we get the triangle, round, square or dodecahedron pizza?"

"Hold on, let me compute the area's and compare prices.

[SoothingDave]

Then....if I can't subtract the 6% in a calculator......why CAN I say: What is 479.25 + 6%? and get the right answer?

If you are serious, the question hinges on "6 per cent of what?"

Try it this way. Let's say you make $100/wk and the boss gives you a 50 % raise one week. You'll get $150. Right?

Now, if you screw up the next week, do you want the boss to take back 50% of your new salary?

That would leave you with $75.

SD

[Tokra]

Indian civilization invented zero, this invention was transmitted to Europe via the Arabs. Remember in 800AD much of what today is Arab/Islamic was then Roman/Christain. Islam had not yet completely turned the lights out on the older Roman civilization.

True enough - but the muslims did contribute a lot to European civilization. They didn't really start on their downward slide until the 1300s. For the first 500 years the muslims were a vibrant society. The whackos didn't appear until later in their history.

[TLI]

If DeShawn sells 27 crack rocks at ten dollars each, and then takes the money and buys a new Saturday Night Special, how many pimps can he whack in the next two nights before the cops can trace the bullets?.........

4.25 +3rd?

[Sofa King]

"Then....if I can't subtract the 6% in a calculator......why CAN I say:

What is 479.25 + 6%? and get the right answer?"

Because 6% is not a fixed quantity. 6% of 479.25 is 28.75. 6% of 508 is 30.48.

[Flavius Josephus]

Well, there's no need to get snippy.

[Sofa King]

"limgpa->0 Engr=B.A."

LOL!