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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
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To: smith288; Toby06
"You don't seem to understand my point."

I do - an example can be found in students who do well in Geometry and fail Algebra (or vice versa). Both are math classes, but both require different thinking / reasoning.
421 posted on 03/07/2006 1:39:58 PM PST by bwteim (Begin With The End In Mind)
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To: Flavius Josephus

No need for you to be an ignorant jerk.


422 posted on 03/07/2006 1:40:45 PM PST by Toby06
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To: RBroadfoot
I've been working a problem for about a month and cannot answer it. I figured I'd ask here:

What's the square root of orange (The color)?
423 posted on 03/07/2006 1:41:10 PM PST by M1-A2 ( "Never offend people with style when you can offend them with substance." --Sam Brown)
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To: M1-A2
What's the square root of orange (The color)?

Is this a Netflix commercial? Blue.

-PJ

424 posted on 03/07/2006 1:42:40 PM PST by Political Junkie Too (It's still not safe to vote Democrat.)
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To: Tokra
"For the first 500 years the Muslims were a vibrant society"

Yes, like I said it took awhile to turn the lights out in what once was the most learned and advanced civilization of the ancient world.

425 posted on 03/07/2006 1:42:59 PM PST by jpsb
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To: CodeToad
You would never say in your head, "Let's see, now, if x is the distance..."

Unless you're me. I do. I'm nutz. :P
426 posted on 03/07/2006 1:44:04 PM PST by Jhohanna (Born Free)
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To: Jhohanna
(Me, too, but I just think wierd.)
427 posted on 03/07/2006 1:48:22 PM PST by CodeToad
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To: -YYZ-
22.80 * 1.34 wrong answer to question.

Correct answer to mark-up formula is: price paid-divided by-100% less mark-up desired. My example: $22.80 divided by 66= $35.625

428 posted on 03/07/2006 1:51:41 PM PST by phil1750 (Love like you've never been hurt;Dance like nobody's watching;PRAY like it's your last prayer)
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To: Sofa King
What is 479.25 + 6% = 479.25 x 1.06

the 1 in 1.06 gives you the 479.25 and the .06 in i.06 gives you the six percent so you can do the computation in one operation with a calculator, if you know algebra!

429 posted on 03/07/2006 1:52:04 PM PST by jpsb
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To: RBroadfoot

My paternal grandfather never stepped foot in a school. He was a mason and could cipher as well as any layman I've ever seen (mostly in his head). I ran across a few of his notes once, and the man was doing algebra and trig. He had his own way of working out the problems, but the algebra was unmistakable.


430 posted on 03/07/2006 1:53:30 PM PST by numberonepal (Don't Even Think About Treading On Me)
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To: Radix

Is the problem with the students (too dumb?) or incompetent teachers? How many teachers read out of the algebra books year after year, but really can't explain the subject matter? Books may do a good job describing in detail one method for solving problems, but how many students think in the exact manner as the textbook author?

IMO the good teacher shouldn't need the narrative in the book, he should be able to explain the material in a number of different ways. Whatever method makes the light bulb go on in the students' brains is the one that works.

Then again, that methodology relies upon and encourages independent thinking, and we certainly can't have that going on.


431 posted on 03/07/2006 1:53:48 PM PST by Thinkin' Gal (As it was in the days of NO...)
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To: M1-A2

SQRT(orange #CC3232) = SQRT(52274) = ~228.6

228.6 ~ #00000EE ~ blue2 (Hex3)

Therefore the square root of Orange is approximately Blue.


432 posted on 03/07/2006 1:54:11 PM PST by YouPosting2Me
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To: trubluolyguy
I am almost 37 and have never used algebra for literally anything.

You've never figured out how long it was going to take you to drive somewhere?

433 posted on 03/07/2006 1:55:05 PM PST by numberonepal (Don't Even Think About Treading On Me)
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To: numberonepal

Exactly. Without an understanding of basic algebra you can't even understand the whys of arithmetic - just the how. Like why to divide by a fraction you multiply by its inverse.


434 posted on 03/07/2006 1:57:20 PM PST by -YYZ-
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To: george wythe
Perhaps trade school would be more appropriate.

Which trade does not use algebra? Ever try to lay a tile floor or build a fench without algebra? Can't do it.

435 posted on 03/07/2006 1:57:25 PM PST by numberonepal (Don't Even Think About Treading On Me)
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To: calljack

Didn't they retire 42 a few years ago?


436 posted on 03/07/2006 1:58:05 PM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, DemocRATs believe every day is April 15th. - Reagan)
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To: phil1750
Correct answer to mark-up formula is: price paid-divided by-100% less mark-up desired. My example: $22.80 divided by 66= $35.625

22.80 divided by 66 is .345

Did you mean to say something else?

SD

437 posted on 03/07/2006 1:58:05 PM PST by SoothingDave
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To: YouPosting2Me

cool!


438 posted on 03/07/2006 1:58:21 PM PST by jpsb
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To: YouPosting2Me

LOL. The world would be a better place if more people were so helpful.


439 posted on 03/07/2006 1:58:56 PM PST by bwteim (Begin With The End In Mind)
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To: jpsb

There are many helpful tricks to use in math. I use some of them myself. For instance if someone asks you to multiply 19 X 44 - I just add a zero to the 44 (440), double it (880)then subtract one of the 44s (since there are 19 and not 20 of them). Answer is 836. I can do it in my head much faster than a calculator. Math is full of short cuts like this.


440 posted on 03/07/2006 1:59:36 PM PST by Tokra (I think I'll retire to Bedlam.)
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