Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ever heard of Khan Academy? Would that be a good place to learn about algebra?
Also, is it good that I still recognized a formula?
\
Yes, Khan academy is an excellent place to brush up or supplement a current class. I wouldn't make it your only place to learn about math unless you just want a broad-brush introduction.
About recognizing a formula: Do you think it's good? Would it make you feel better if it was?
But I would never think of it that way in real life. I just use simple reasoning, not some sort of equation with a bunch of steps. I cannot do algebra. I gave up trying to get a degree in my 20s because I failed the "remedial" algebra course and knew I'd never be able to complete the math requirement regardless of the fact that I got As in English and Psychology and Accounting. That part of my brain simply doesn't function. I sat in that remedial class and thought I'd gotten it, only to have it leave my brain once I walked out of the classroom. Looking at my homework problems the next day would be like trying to decipher ancient hieroglyphics. It made no sense.
In seconds after I read the problem above I knew I'd need five eggs. There's no "calculation" involved. Two for six means four for twelve and then the remaining three is half of six so you need one more. It's logic.
And yes, like Jasper 12, I've had a decent job all my life, currently making just over six figures, and I've never needed algebra once in 35 years. It's biting me, however, because I can't leave my job and go elsewhere because I have no degree because I'm unable to learn algebra. Oh well. At this age, it really doesn't matter anymore.
That simple reasoning IS algebra. That's all algebra is. Reasoning through problems. Solving for an unknown by using what you know.
The problem is that I can't remember how to solve the problems.
That's why you need to take the time to understand WHY you do what you do. If you try to memorize steps to an answer, you'll just end up with a bunch of jumbled up steps.
Given 2/6 = x/15 You need to isolate the x. Since x is divided by 15, you multiply both sides by 15 (because you can do the same thing to each side and still maintain the balance. I tell my students to think of the = sign as the fulcrum of a balance. I sometimes even draw it balancing on a triangle or stand there with my arms out pretending to be a balance. As long as you do the same thing to both sides of the equation, you maintain your balance.) So you end up with 15*2/6 on one side and X on the other. 15*2/6 simplifies to 5.
That simple reasoning IS algebra. That's all algebra is. Reasoning through problems. Solving for an unknown by using what you know.
OK...then how come I CAN do those types of everyday reasoning, but I cannot learn algebra in a classroom setting?
At work, in order to move into management, people like me (I came in as a secretary--if you need to know what that job was back in the olden days, I can explain) could move up without a degree if you took three General CLEP exams and passed with a certain score and then went before a management board to be tested in different ways.
What I find curious is that although I could not do algebra in high school and failed the remedial/non-credit algebra course in night school college, I did very well on the Math CLEP, scoring higher than average. The difference was that it was multiple choice. The correct answer was sometimes obvious, but if I had been required to show the steps to get to that answer with all the lines of this equals that and parentheses and symbols and whatnot, I would never have been able to pass.
That's why you need to take the time to understand WHY you do what you do. If you try to memorize steps to an answer, you'll just end up with a bunch of jumbled up steps.
OK, here are my questions:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivorytickler
Given 2/6 = x/15 You need to isolate the x.
How would one know this? What would tip me off to think, "Hey, I need to isolate the x"?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivorytickler
Since x is divided by 15, you multiply both sides by 15 (because you can do the same thing to each side and still maintain the balance.
Same question, more or less. You say I would multiply both sides by 15 "Since...", but why? There's nothing in "2/6 = x/15" that would make a lightbulb go off in my head and say, "Hey, I need to multiply both sides by 15." What would be the clue that I would need to do that? (Not even going to where I wouldn't have the idea to write it like that in the first place, but since it was "Given", I don't have to!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivorytickler
I tell my students to think of the = sign as the fulcrum of a balance. I sometimes even draw it balancing on a triangle or stand there with my arms out pretending to be a balance. As long as you do the same thing to both sides of the equation, you maintain your balance.) So you end up with 15*2/6 on one side and X on the other. 15*2/6 simplifies to 5.
That part does make sense. It's a matter of knowing how to know WHAT I must do to both sides that is confusing.
OK...then how come I CAN do those types of everyday reasoning, but I cannot learn algebra in a classroom setting?
At work, in order to move into management, people like me (I came in as a secretary--if you need to know what that job was back in the olden days, I can explain) could move up without a degree if you took three General CLEP exams and passed with a certain score and then went before a management board to be tested in different ways.
What I find curious is that although I could not do algebra in high school and failed the remedial/non-credit algebra course in night school college, I did very well on the Math CLEP, scoring higher than average. The difference was that it was multiple choice. The correct answer was sometimes obvious, but if I had been required to show the steps to get to that answer with all the lines of this equals that and parentheses and symbols and whatnot, I would never have been able to pass.
That one you'll have to figure out. The reasoning is the same with or without the X. The X, however, does change how some people view the problem. I remember dd, who came up through Singapore math which starts algebra very early, stumbling when she got to algebra. I had to tell her to just put a box where the x was and solve for what went in the box. She was used to boxes from Singapore math. Putting letters in the problem didn't sit right. Eventually, she came to view the X and Y like the boxes she had to fill in her earlier work and she was ok but letters just don't work as numbers for some people.
Multiple choice math tests are not true tests of your math ability. They are always easier because all you have to do is plug in the answers given to see which one works most of the time and you have a 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 chance of just guessing right if you just guessed. Plugging in the answers to see which one works is one of the tricks taught to high school students taking the ACT and MME tests here in Michigan. They are also taught to eliminate obvious wrong answers to increase their chances of guessing right.
According to the state teacher math test, I'm a freaking math genius which is simply not true. It was a multiple choice test. I missed 4 questions only because I ran out of time and guessed on 4 that I had skipped because I felt they weren't worth the time given all questions count the same (I was scheduled to take both the math test and the physics test in the same 4 1/2 hour block and allotted 2 hours for math so I'd have 2 1/2 for physics. When I hit the 2 hour mark, I bubbled C for the remaining 4 questions, turned in my math test and picked up my physics test. Ironically, I missed 4 questions. I don't know which 4 but, statistically speaking, 3 of the 4 should have been among the ones I guessed on. I probably bubbled something wrong somewhere because I knew the others were right.)
My students who are adept at taking MC tests do very well on our math finals at my school. They are MC simply because the teachers do not have time to grade 150+ exams with 200+ questions on them and get grades in on time. My chemistry finals are MC as well and, again, I will see more A's than normal because some kids are very good at plugging in answers to see which one works and eliminating obvious wrong answers (I'm really good at writing 1-2 attractive distractors to go along with the right answer but the other choices will be complete garbage just to have other choices.). I have never understood how people do poorly on MC math tests when you can guess and check on most problems. I'm guessing no one ever taught them that trick.
Even back in high school with my 1.67 GPA and pretty much failing grades in math and science I managed to pull scores high enough on in math and science on the ACT to get admitted to several colleges. Of course they were all going to require remedial writing classes, lol. My writing is terrible unless I have a writing prompt I like. I've never gotten less than an A on a research paper and never scored higher than just passing on a writing exam. I never seem to like the prompts.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 12-29-2013 at 01:15 PM..
That one you'll have to figure out. The reasoning is the same with or without the X.
Multiple choice math tests are not true tests of your math ability. They are always easier because all you have to do is plug in the answers given to see which one works most of the time and you have a 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 chance of just guessing right if you just guessed. Plugging in the answers to see which one works is one of the tricks taught to high school students taking the ACT and MME tests here in Michigan. They are also taught to eliminate obvious wrong answers to increase their chances of guessing right.
According to the state teacher math test, I'm a freaking math genius which is simply not true. It was a multiple choice test. I missed 4 questions only because I ran out of time and guessed on 4 that I had skipped because I felt they weren't worth the time given all questions count the same (I was scheduled to take both the math test and the physics test in the same 4 1/2 hour block and allotted 2 hours for math so I'd have 2 1/2 for physics. When I hit the 2 hour mark, I bubbled C for the remaining 4 questions, turned in my math test and picked up my physics test. Ironically, I missed 4 questions. I don't know which 4 but, statistically speaking, 3 of the 4 should have been among the ones I guessed on. I probably bubbled something wrong somewhere because I knew the others were right.)
My students who are adept at taking MC tests do very well on our math finals at my school. They are MC simply because the teachers do not have time to grade 150+ exams with 200+ questions on them and get grades in on time. My chemistry finals are MC as well and, again, I will see more A's than normal because some kids are very good at plugging in answers to see which one works and eliminating obvious wrong answers (I'm really good at writing 1-2 attractive distractors to go along with the right answer but the other choices will be complete garbage just to have other choices.). I have never understood how people do poorly on MC math tests when you can guess and check on most problems. I'm guessing no one ever taught them that trick.
I agree with that, since I was able to score well on that CLEP, which enabled me to take the Jr. Management Assessment and move from clerical into management even though I would not have been able to actually do any real math. That was a long time ago, too. Now they need a degree just to get in the door.
But hey, you look like a freaking math genius to ME!
I have considered taking out a basic algebra book from the library or buying one just to try again after all this time and see if I COULD understand it. It's always bugged me that I was so unable to comprehend algebra.
You are on the internet. You are using English, grammar and punctuation. Your brain seems to be working just fine. There are no special "algebra brains." Don't make excuses.
I was a math tutor in college. The biggest hindrance to people learning algebra, calculus, etc is that they are intimidated by math. They use negative self talk to talk themselves out of learning.
Instead of thinking "I'm doomed," how about thinking "regular people do this everyday. I'll work hard and I'll eventually get it too."
A positive attitude and patience will take you far.
Algebra is a total waste of time for non-math people. Never needed, never will.
One of the happiest days of my life was finishing my final exam for the only math class I had to take in college. I practically danced out the door. No more math classes -- ever!!! Now I could concentrate heart and soul on literature and writing classes.
However, I've been told by some on City Data that English and literature classes were a waste of time (beyond basic literacy skills, of course). According to them, the only subjects we that are necessary are STEM subjects. Phooey!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That's all algebra is. Reasoning through problems. Solving for an unknown by using what you know.
) could move up without a degree if you took three General CLEP exams and passed with a certain score and then went before a management board to be tested in different ways.
