NY Professor Says Algebra Is Too Hard, Schools Should Drop It

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Comments

  • Ajackson17
    Ajackson17 Members Posts: 22,501 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ? really in here saying they sucked at algebra?

    I only sucked when I didn't pay attention, but when I did it on my own I learned that ? really fast. It's based on how things apply in real ? life, but some people didn't catch. Life is mathematics PERIOD.
  • OhMars
    OhMars Members Posts: 6,085 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I ? with algebra, its like solving a puzzle.
  • JokerzWyld
    JokerzWyld Members Posts: 5,483 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Algebra should be taken in elementary school. It's basic and essential to life in Capitalist societies.
  • The_Jackal
    The_Jackal Members Posts: 3,628 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Statistics>>>>>Algebra
  • SneakDZA
    SneakDZA Members Posts: 11,223 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Dropping algebra from public schools will go a long way toward the agenda of creating an under-educated servant and worker class.
  • the dukester
    the dukester Members Posts: 1,822 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    This push to eliminate algebra is a power-grab to create a permanent underclass of muh-fuckas who don't have the ability to think critically for themselves. Plus more cheap H1-B visa immigrants from India.

    Algebra is about honing problem-solving skills. And approaching life situations through a critical/analytical lens.

    I've always been better at writing than Math. It wasn't until I started programming that I noticed the similarities between the two subjects which enabled me to carryover my writing skill-set to math.

    When writing a perfect sentence (SNV) subject, noun, verb. You can run afoul, or totally change the meaning/interpretation of a sentence, if you don't follow correct grammatical rules (forgetting comma placement, run-on sentences etc.)

    When executing a script when coding, if you forget a mathematical symbol (a comma, hyphen, or >) you'll get an error message. Which means the computer doesn't recognize your command, because you didn't use the proper "mathematical language."
  • count  remy
    count remy Members Posts: 392 ✭✭✭✭
    all (or most of us) think this is ridiculous because we've never had to experience the cluster ? that is common core. Common core will have you second guessing if you have your own shoes on the right feet. Math is now mostly word problems with confusing terms and when you get to the ending question,you forgot well the hell was going on in the first place. Peep what they did to simple subtraction:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSVTzQlqbp0

    So of course algebra is going to seem next to impossible when you get to it if the math you had to do when you were 6 or 7 took 5 times longer than it was suppose to.
  • mryounggun
    mryounggun Members Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I hated math in school. ? was my only difficult subject in school. I breezed through everything else. ? was my arch nemesis for mad years. Algebra serves absolutely NO purpose in the everyday lives of the majority of people on Earth.

    But...

    There is something to be said for exposing kids to hard ? and forcing them to focus, discipline themselves and power through that ? . That's what I had to do. And to be honest, that lesson has served me VERY well in life.
  • vagrant-718
    vagrant-718 Members Posts: 4,569 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2016
    Math my fave subject so passed Algebra with flying colors

    I work in technology now so when I look at codes it's like math all over again.

    They didn't give me any hand out when I was in school so why should we give these kids a pass cause they don't want to take the time to hunker down and learn the ? ?

    Plus aren't they forever saying that US kids rank low when it comes to math and other critical thinking course which is why they came out with this common core ? in the first place
  • BedStuy
    BedStuy Members Posts: 3,001 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Algebra easy as ? to me, even college algebra. I just hate calculus.
  • 700
    700 Members Posts: 14,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Algebra was easy

    But geometry kicked my ass

    I hated that ? with a passion

    ? them shapes
  • not_osirus_jenkins
    not_osirus_jenkins Members, Banned Users Posts: 3,670 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ? that. Algebra is like Chinese algebra to me. I suck at it. Math period. If it ain't about coinage then I don't know it.
  • Ajackson17
    Ajackson17 Members Posts: 22,501 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ? that. Algebra is like Chinese algebra to me. I suck at it. Math period. If it ain't about coinage then I don't know it.

    Osirius would be disappointed in you brotha.
  • 5 Grand
    5 Grand Members Posts: 12,869 ✭✭✭✭✭
    mryounggun wrote: »
    I hated math in school. ? was my only difficult subject in school. I breezed through everything else. ? was my arch nemesis for mad years. Algebra serves absolutely NO purpose in the everyday lives of the majority of people on Earth.

    But...

    There is something to be said for exposing kids to hard ? and forcing them to focus, discipline themselves and power through that ? . That's what I had to do. And to be honest, that lesson has served me VERY well in life.

    Cosign
  • Like Water
    Like Water Members Posts: 5,265 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cybertr0n wrote: »
    Algebra easy as ? to me, even college algebra. I just hate calculus.

    Maaaaannn... ? calculus. I hate that ? . I ended up with B's in it, but I had to study it for an inordinate amount of time before it clicked. Still ? me off to no end just thinking about it.

    It was rewarding once I got it though. That's why I don't agree with this ? here. Just because something is kinda difficult doesn't mean you take it away. Life isn't easy and you can't just cherry pick what you wanna do.

    Deal with the difficulty and figure out a way to make it work for you.
  • CapitalB
    CapitalB Members Posts: 24,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    700 wrote: »
    Algebra was easy

    But geometry kicked my ass

    I hated that ? with a passion

    ? them shapes

    geometry was easier then Algebra to me?? *shrug*
  • mryounggun
    mryounggun Members Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭✭✭
    700 wrote: »
    Algebra was easy

    But geometry kicked my ass

    I hated that ? with a passion

    ? them shapes

    geometry was easier then Algebra to me?? *shrug*

    WAY easier. That's why geometry comes first in most school districts.
  • CapitalB
    CapitalB Members Posts: 24,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    mryounggun wrote: »
    700 wrote: »
    Algebra was easy

    But geometry kicked my ass

    I hated that ? with a passion

    ? them shapes

    geometry was easier then Algebra to me?? *shrug*

    WAY easier. That's why geometry comes first in most school districts.

    they put it between Algebra and Algebra II..
    i barely passed Algebra II.. but by that time i was barely goin to school so go figure. lol
  • Breezy_Kilroy
    Breezy_Kilroy Members Posts: 10,500 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No physics is hard if we wanna be real. Algebra is light as hell. People need to treat math like they do anything else and practice.

    When I went to HS I moved from the hood on some Jeffersons ? . Mom got a new job we moved with the white folks. Two years later moved back to the hood and everything I was taught with the white folks in my first 2 years they were passing it off as 11th and 12th grade material. I was taking Algebra 2 and I was flying through that ? so they placed me and my sister in all AP courses. English, calculus, chemistry and physics.


    Now we might not need most of the ? that's being taught but that's another story. To say it's hard is BS. If we got kids aspiring to be doctors, engineers etc they don't neeed any shortcuts.
  • dc's teflondon
    dc's teflondon Members Posts: 5,895 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Took pre-algebra in 7th grade; algebra 1 in 8th grade; geometry in 9th grade; statistics in 10th grade and algebra 2 in the fall semester in 11th grade..last year and a half of high school didn't have a math class
  • AggieLean.
    AggieLean. Guests, Members, Writer, Content Producer Posts: 2,325 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Algebra was easy, but in high school geometry used to give me fits. Took me some time to get it, but it finally clicked. It was smooth sailing from there until I had to take a differential equations course in college. Never studied so hard and for so long in my life. Breezed through all three calculus courses and the numerous statistic courses I had to take, but that damn diff equations...lawd
  • nex gin
    nex gin Members Posts: 10,698 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Algebra wasn't even hard though.
  • reapin505
    reapin505 Members Posts: 4,009 ✭✭✭✭✭
    ? math in general, algebra was the reason I dropped out because I couldn't ? understand it. I don't see its uses in the work force and I don't believe it is key to having problem solving skills and critical thinking in life. The formulas in science(chemistry and physics) even had my ? stumped granted I eventually got those because I enjoy science to an extent.

    However, to get rid of it entirely is ? . I have always preferred writing, reading, and history in school, I've always hated math but I have seen people who excel at it move on to greater things than I feel I could right now. I believe that if I worked hard enough I could have graduated high school with a 4.0 and be in college with a scholarship right now studying for whatever I have to take for Archeology/history major and figure out HTML/code and such for a computer related side job instead of busing tables and dish washing at Village Inn. I don't think algebra should be required to graduate, but I think that students should take it at least in order to give themselves a chance at advancing towards whatever goal they may have. People need challenges in order to thrive in life. An easy life breeds weak men.
  • Ajackson17
    Ajackson17 Members Posts: 22,501 ✭✭✭✭✭
    reapin505 wrote: »
    ? math in general, algebra was the reason I dropped out because I couldn't ? understand it. I don't see its uses in the work force and I don't believe it is key to having problem solving skills and critical thinking in life. The formulas in science(chemistry and physics) even had my ? stumped granted I eventually got those because I enjoy science to an extent.

    However, to get rid of it entirely is ? . I have always preferred writing, reading, and history in school, I've always hated math but I have seen people who excel at it move on to greater things than I feel I could right now. I believe that if I worked hard enough I could have graduated high school with a 4.0 and be in college with a scholarship right now studying for whatever I have to take for Archeology/history major and figure out HTML/code and such for a computer related side job instead of busing tables and dish washing at Village Inn. I don't think algebra should be required to graduate, but I think that students should take it at least in order to give themselves a chance at advancing towards whatever goal they may have. People need challenges in order to thrive in life. An easy life breeds weak men.

    You had a poor teacher. Algebra is the first step to understanding the universe and life itself. Because everything comes to a mathematical formula.