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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: shelterguy
So we should have students opt out of any class they find to be hard?

Nope, just algebra. There is no need for mapping the everyday. It is like English grammer classs. If you can speak and write correctly, what do you need English grammer class for? With algebra, if you can figure up how much money you will left when you get your paycheck or whatever, what do you need it for?

581 posted on 03/08/2006 12:15:45 PM PST by BJungNan
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To: shelterguy
If Cohen is your hero for making 6 figures but doesn't get algebra

Nope, no hero worship involved. Merely pointing out that holding him up as a failure as in the given example, "Kids learn your algebra or you'll wind up like Cohen." isn't likely to yield the desired result. Since he's wildly more successful than anyone most of them even know personally, it probably doesn't look like all that bad from their vantage point.

582 posted on 03/08/2006 12:19:18 PM PST by Melas (What!? Read or learn something? Why would anyone do that, when they can just go on being stupid)
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To: BJungNan
It is like English grammer classs. If you can speak and write correctly, what do you need English grammer class for?

Grammar.

I suppose people uninterested in knowing how things work, whether they be numbers or languages or the physical sciences should be excused from school sometime after mastering their ABCs.

SD

583 posted on 03/08/2006 12:28:26 PM PST by SoothingDave
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To: cripplecreek

"I've managed to get to be 41 years old without learning algebra and I seem to get by just fine."

That's like the guys I keep running into who tell
me that they and computers don't get along.

When I point out that they're simply afraid of them
because they don't know anything about them, they get
defensive and use a phrase like, "I've managed to get
to be 41 years old without learning about computers,
and I seem to get by just fine."


584 posted on 03/08/2006 12:31:44 PM PST by righttackle44 (The most dangerous weapon in the world is a Marine with his rifle and the American people behind him)
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To: righttackle44

As long as you aren't calling me names I don't mind.

BTW, you couldn't pay me to use a computer.


585 posted on 03/08/2006 12:35:27 PM PST by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: Melas
Well guess the time has come for me to jump into the debate. One can live a happy and successful life without knowing how to solve simple linar equations, but the same could be said for the deaf, dumb and blind. Yes, one can over come a handy cap and be successful and happy, does that me it is good to be handicapped?

If one does not know algebra one does not know equations, if one does not know equations then one is deaf, dump and blind to almost all of the sciences. Perhaps the greatest achivement in all of human history, f=ma, is meaningless gibberish to such people.

Our maker reveals his hand in the absolute beauty of the mathicalical laws that describe our universe, but those lacking of even simple math skills will never be able to see or comprehend. It is really very sad. None are so blind as those that refuse to see.

586 posted on 03/08/2006 12:38:03 PM PST by jpsb
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To: righttackle44

Then lets just make algebra class an elective so self esteem won't be hurt. Let's replace it with Rainbow Painting, Paper or Plastic Fundamentals etc.


587 posted on 03/08/2006 12:39:11 PM PST by shelterguy (I can hear "Jimi".)
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To: SoothingDave; jpsb; Radix; aculeus; dighton
Or... Just use ounces. <<<

Sure. I didn't think of that. But I think the original poster probably could do with the re-enforcement of the idea of multiplying/dividing both sides by the same value. That's big in dealing with fractions, LCD, GCF, etc.

Regarding ratios, there is no need to convert 3/4 into a whole number (3) and then have to multiply 2 by 4. Too complicated. As long as the denominator is the same, the ratio is evident in the numerators. Thus, the only "work" required is to convert the 2 into 8/4.

3/4 to 8/4 = 3:8

588 posted on 03/08/2006 12:39:14 PM PST by Thinkin' Gal (As it was in the days of NO...)
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To: shelterguy

"Then lets just make algebra class an elective so self esteem won't be hurt. Let's replace it with Rainbow Painting, Paper or Plastic Fundamentals etc."

Yeah. You make railroad bridges and space shuttles out of all of that stuff.


589 posted on 03/08/2006 12:42:58 PM PST by righttackle44 (The most dangerous weapon in the world is a Marine with his rifle and the American people behind him)
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To: Thinkin' Gal

bump


590 posted on 03/08/2006 12:43:28 PM PST by jpsb
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To: Thinkin' Gal; Paved Paradise
Regarding ratios, there is no need to convert 3/4 into a whole number (3) and then have to multiply 2 by 4. Too complicated. As long as the denominator is the same, the ratio is evident in the numerators. Thus, the only "work" required is to convert the 2 into 8/4.

I think for someone having difficulty understanding the subject, it is simpler to obey certain rules. You may know intuitively to consider 2 as 8/4ths, but how does one teach that?

I laid out a simple method that should always get the novice the answer. Your shortcuts may be valid, but not for the novice.

SD

591 posted on 03/08/2006 12:46:12 PM PST by SoothingDave
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To: jpsb
I can't agree. I am to these people who don't understand algebra as Field's Medal winners are to me. Am I handicapped because my mathematical ability doesn't approach theirs? No, of course not. I'm no more handicapped because I don't undertand multivariate zeta functions, than I am handicapped because I can't dunk a basketball.
592 posted on 03/08/2006 12:47:35 PM PST by Melas (What!? Read or learn something? Why would anyone do that, when they can just go on being stupid)
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To: BJungNan

"If you can speak and write correctly, what do you need English grammer class for?"

Eh he he he he he. :P


593 posted on 03/08/2006 12:50:38 PM PST by Constantine XIII
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To: BJungNan
"The problem is, your alegbraic equation does not account for mold because you could not use all that ketchup in time."

That's why it's so IMPORTANT to know calculus! :)

594 posted on 03/08/2006 12:55:46 PM PST by Indy Pendance
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To: TX Bluebonnet

"Wow, over 500 replies to an algebra thread!"

Kinda of surprised me, too!


595 posted on 03/08/2006 12:57:15 PM PST by RBroadfoot
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To: SoothingDave

What I find interesting on this thread, those interested in math, are interested in other subjects. Those trashing math seem to not want knowledge. Math is the universal language. Most everything can be defined using some type of math.


596 posted on 03/08/2006 12:59:16 PM PST by Indy Pendance
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To: Indy Pendance

Cool. we will need a nice rate of decay equation as a function of temperature, then we will a temperature equation as a function of time, will need to be a trig function as we will want to repeat every 24 hrs. Will have to assume no cold fronts or heat waves, but we can work on that later. looks like a double or triple integral to me.


597 posted on 03/08/2006 1:01:45 PM PST by jpsb
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To: Melas

I'm an engineer, and I know that "tib-bits" is spelled:

tidbits.

It has a D and NO HYPHEN!


598 posted on 03/08/2006 1:02:01 PM PST by RBroadfoot
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To: jpsb
FR's first law of cleaning your refrigerator.

d(fr)/dt

It could be used for milk, bread, stuff in the freezer, salad dressings, the stuff that falls to the bottom of the fridge.... The application is unlimited!

599 posted on 03/08/2006 1:04:57 PM PST by Indy Pendance
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To: RBroadfoot

It's fun to watch the overt spelling and grammEr errors posted, all the while telling us math people can't spell.


600 posted on 03/08/2006 1:06:52 PM PST by Indy Pendance
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