Why are we still teaching algebra?

[Ronald Blue]

One thing I learned later in life is the teacher can be the difference between having a firm grasp of algebra or whatever math segment you choose and struggling with it. That of course applies to virtually every subject. Only after I took some math classes at the local community college did I learn how pathetic my high school math teacher was. Just because they've held the position for years doesn't mean they are good at teaching it. As for whether it should still be taught my answer is a definite yes.

[Bill McNiel]

This question unfortunately provides one of the answers to the riddle of how did education in the USA sink to such an international low. We have fostered the concept of "it is hard to understand so I will declare it worthless", instead of attacking a challenge we chose to demean it.

My response is not directed at the OP or any other poster, I am just dismayed at the national disregard for a well rounded education and the future it holds

BTW - the answer to the OP's question is, IMHO, because algebra is an essential problem solving tool.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Use algebra everyday. But can't remember the last time anyone asked me about Shakespear. I think it was my senior year in high school (1966.)

[julian abram]

Remember sitting in algebra classes thinking this is a waste of time, will never use it. Years later I used the old Pythagorean Theorem a2+b2=c2 many times to layout square house foundations. This was before laser transits.

[Bill Dufour]

What bothers me is that my district has no math below algebra. They have no classes that teach how to run a budget or fill out a check. They do interest rate stuff but that is it. Students who do not pass algebra are doomed to repeat it until they do or age out.
My uncle, the rocket scientist, said he never used more then algebra other then one time. They had to run a round fuel pipe through a round fuel tank at an angle. What shape to cut the hole. There is math for that. I am sure now a CAD program will solve it for you.
He explained you wanted the hole as close to needed size as possible so there was as little extra weight of weld bead as possible. Both for weight saving and overall balance.
Bill D

[andrew whicker]

Math should probably be taught along side the thing you are interested in. It will be more interesting that way. In engineering school we took math classes and engineering classes. Math classes tended to be very boring. You took them because they were a pre-requisite for other engineering classes. When you took the engineering class you would have an ah ha moment (especially with regard to diff eq and calculus). But by that time, you couldn't go backwards and re pay attention to the math class. It's a shame.

Math is a tool and you need it to do anything cool. Building furniture uses math. Figuring out how things work requires math. Machining requires math. Everything cool in the design / engineering / building world requires math.

Music uses math, painting can use math, architecture uses math.

[Rick McQuay]

I worked in retail management for 12 years and used algebra a lot more than you would think. Comes in pretty handy.

[Rick Potter]

I had to laugh when reading the title of this thread.

Sitting right in front of me is my soda in a can cozy that states: "Yet another day has passed without me using algebra once".

It is a replacement for one I had that disappeared, which said: "If a man says he will do something, he will. No need to remind him every 6 months". I think my wife made it go away.

[John K Jordan]

Math should probably be taught along side the thing you are interested in. It will be more interesting that way. ...

I agree. However, there is something to be said for teaching a broad and perhaps somewhat simplified math spectrum when younger. (Same with physics, etc.) Even if not completely understood, this way the basic concepts are not new when buckling down in college. For example, calculus was the only math course I took in high school which didn't "click" with me entirely, although I learned the why and how. But when I got to college, calculus it was so easy - everything made sense. Without the background in high school, who knows, I might have struggled.

JKJ

[roger wiegand]

How can you get through a day without using algebra? ie, i have a board 8 ft long and I need a one 49" and one 18", can I get them out of my 8 ft board? Answering that question by calculation is algebra, whether you like it or recognize it or not. Yes you could use a story stick and get a geometric solution, but I'll bet most of you take the calculated (algebraic) approach when staring at your wood pile. I use algebra 100 times a day, whether it is calculating angles, figuring how long a piece needs to be, or deciding if I will have enough money left in my pocket for a hot dog if I buy a beer.

Just think of the endless discussions on this site of how big a pipe or wire one needs to serve multiple air tools or power tools. The answer is almost always simple algebra. Algebra is basically the study of equations, so whenever you say x=y you are asserting a hypothesis that is subject to proof, so 2+2 =x represents a very simple, yet useful, algebraic equation, 2+x=4 a slightly more interesting one. Ability to use a symbol for a number (x in this case) opens up a whole world of possibilities for doing calculation as well as describing general solutions to frequently encountered problems, like area=pi*radius squared for a circle. Isn't it nice to have algebra so that you can either know the radius and find the area or know the area you want and calculate the radius?

[Matt Day]

I highly doubt your grandson is taking algebra in college. I took calc 3 & 4 and differential equations in engineering school, and given that Purdue is an engineering school, that’s probably more along the lines of what he’s taking.

I bet he has thousands of dollars wrapped up in books, but math, physics, fluid dynamics, etc.

[Prashun Patel]

Algebra is the basis for computer science. If you want to write a computer program, you need algebra.

If you ever had to figure out the length of a table apron given leg thickness and overhang, you used algebra.

[Robert Hazelwood]

I conceive of algebra as the underlying language of mathematics, without which math would be fairly useless except for party tricks like being able to recite your multiplication tables. To actually get any work done with math, you need to define relationships between things until you can solve for an unknown- algebra is simply the formal method for doing this. But a lot of people seem to view algebra as some arcane pursuit, of interest only to eggheads, without realizing that they almost certainly use algebraic concepts on a regular basis.

I think this is because algebra is taught mostly from a purely theoretical, jargon-heavy standpoint, as if all students will go on to be mathematicians. While this abstract, analytical approach is ultimately necessary to do math at the high levels required for much STEM work, it is also alienating to most people, who are not comfortable with that level of abstraction. I think it can be understood much more intuitively than the modern textbook approaches it- I have often tutored friends and family and I can usually get them to understand concepts, create equations and solve problems, if I use real world examples. Then they look back at the textbook and get totally confused again.

I actually think you could teach algebra in the context of a shop class and have much more success. Make the students design their own objects, and plan out dimensions. Make them define the relationship between the parts- if part A is supposed to be twice as long as part B, then A=2B. If A is 12 inches long, how long is part B? Etc. Gradually increase the complexity of the design, adding angles and so forth. Of course, then they actually make the parts and assemble their design. So the intuitive people (your future tradesmen, machinists, mechanics, etc.) get introduced to algebra in a way they can relate to, and thereby gain the ability to solve more complex problems than they would have been able to previously. The analytical types (future engineers, physicists, computer programmers etc.) would gain a real world understanding, and some much needed mechanical knowledge to boot (like how to turn a wrench, .etc)

[Stan Calow]

Its one of those things that if you don't learn it yourself, you'll be paying people to know it for you, whether you realize it or not.

[Jim Becker]

Honestly, I don't think that Algebra is "the problem" in school math programs. Where current things fall down, in my humble opinion having had both daughters go through elementary school math in a relatively recent time frame, is the whackadoodle math methodologies that are being taught that eschew the simple and straight forward way that most of us learned addition/subtraction/multiplication/division for all kinds of creative methods that might offer interesting thought processes, but don't really get to the answer any better or faster for most normal humans. And those programs are nearly impossible for parents to understand, too, meaning the students don't have quite the support system they would have if math was taught in the more traditional way. The program used in our local district is called "Everyday Math" and it's an abomination...again, IMHO. Jumping to Algebra from there is a bigger leap than it was from "normal" math because suddenly, folks have to "do normal math" to do the Algebra. But what do I know...