Why are we still teaching algebra?

[Kev Williams]

I hated algebra in high school, so if I'm using it now, I don't know it But any faith I had in algebra was shattered one day many years ago while watching a local college professor on public TV running thru a series of equations on a whiteboard, and when he was done, he stood back and said "... so the answer is zero..." then paused, looked at the board a sec, then said ".. or minus two"...

I swear, that's what he said. That doesn't work for me...

[Dan Friedrichs]

That said, what's really lacking in many educational programs that's "math related" is practical applications like budgeting, simple accounting such as what's needed to balance a checking account, etc. These are necessary "life skills" and are best taught early, right along side of things like how to cook, clean and maintain a home...

A budgeting example of using algebra, though: What percentage of my salary should be put in a pre-tax retirement account to result in saving $5k/yr if my employer contributes a base $500/yr plus a 50% match up to 6%?

[Tom M King]

The biggest hurdle for education to get over is getting the uneducated to understand real value in education. Algebra is just one step on the way. Even if one is not going to directly use algebra for whatever they end up doing, the more different things that are mastered along the way, the easier the next step is, regardless of what it is.

Personally, I use Geometry almost every day, and that doesn't work without algebra. I can't imagine stopping Math education pre-algebra.

[Mike Cutler]

I hated algebra in high school, so if I'm using it now, I don't know it But any faith I had in algebra was shattered one day many years ago while watching a local college professor on public TV running thru a series of equations on a whiteboard, and when he was done, he stood back and said "... so the answer is zero..." then paused, looked at the board a sec, then said ".. or minus two"...

I swear, that's what he said. That doesn't work for me...

I love it. That's funny!

About 20 years ago I was in a digital electronics course for an automated machine loading sequencer. The instructor started off the course by stating. "Any 1 into a NANd gate is effectively a 1 out". Two weeks later when the machine didn't start, on paper, we had to point out that two 1's into a NANd gate was a 0 out. I rode him about that until he retired.

[Mike Cutler]

The biggest hurdle for education to get over is getting the uneducated to understand real value in education. Algebra is just one step on the way. Even if one is not going to directly use algebra for whatever they end up doing, the more different things that are mastered along the way, the easier the next step is, regardless of what it is.

Personally, I use Geometry almost every day, and that doesn't work without algebra. I can't imagine stopping Math education pre-algebra.

Maybe their trying to figure out to make "Common Core" work with an algebra equation. I'm not seeing it happen.

[John M Wilson]

Algebra teaches one that there are efficient and elegant tools and approaches for solving problems.

This gets to the heart of the matter: is your education about "training" (mastering specific skills that you can employ in your daily life) or "learning" (figuring out basic principles that can be applied in many, often unsuspected or unrelated ways)?

Long story: The college where I earned my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering was 100% co-op. We went to school for half a semester, then went to work alongside engineers for half a semester. This cycle repeated for the entire 5 year program.

When I was a junior, I had a couple of years of working with engineers, and often asked them "When was the last time you used multivariate calculus?" and got the expected responses. This did not help my motivation in class, and my grades were terrible. One day the professor noticed the look of absolute disinterest on my face, and called me out in front of the whole class. He wanted to know why I wasn't doing my homework, wasn't paying attention, and appeared to be doing the bare minimum. Feeling bold, I told him of my investigations into the worthlessness of multivariate calculus to my future job, and its complete lack of practical application. He replied, quite forcefully, "Mr. Wilson... I am not trying to teach you your JOB, I am trying to teach you HOW TO THINK!"

This stuck with me. When I retired after 33 years of doing MY JOB, I got a masters in teaching, and began to teach High School science (mostly Physics). I stressed to my students early and often that most of them would not be expected to regurgitate Newton's Laws ever again, but that applying his principles to everyday life (like the proper way to smack a ketchup bottle to release the ketchup) would be very handy. I told them the ability to apply critical thinking to things as diverse as Multi-Level Marketing claims, Facebook "facts", or political promises was just icing on the cake.

TLDR: it's not about memorizing and later recalling arcane facts, it's about exposing your mind to logical problem solving and learning thinking skills that can be applied in a multitude of ways.

[Rod Sheridan]

Daily...............Regards, Rod.

[Mike Kreinhop]

I hated algebra in high school, so if I'm using it now, I don't know it But any faith I had in algebra was shattered one day many years ago while watching a local college professor on public TV running thru a series of equations on a whiteboard, and when he was done, he stood back and said "... so the answer is zero..." then paused, looked at the board a sec, then said ".. or minus two"...

I swear, that's what he said. That doesn't work for me...

Depending on the lesson being taught and the equations on the board, those answers are perfectly fine if the resulting equations reduced down to the quadratic equation x^2 +2x = 0. The two solutions for x in this case are zero and -2.

[Julie Moriarty]

If you take away algebra and calculus, my GPA won't look so hot.

[Chris Padilla]

Simple answer: It is fundamental like reading and writing.

[John Stankus]

When was the last time you used algebra? I got C's and D's in algebra but aced geometry which I use all the time while wood working. The grandson has a five year degree from Purdue in food science and had to take endless algebra, trig, and calculus classes. He holds several patents. I asked him when was the last time he used algebra. He just gave me a blank look. Told me he had several thousand dollars wrapped up in books and classes in those subjects.

So, we mostly did away with shop class and home economics and now a lot of people can't change a light bulb or car tire, but we still retain algebra classes in high school. Maybe it just one of those hoops you have to jump through to qualify for the next higher level.

I have debated how to respond, but I use algebra and calculus all the time, but I am a chemistry professor now. Actually, I apply more calculus than my friends up in the math department use.
In my prior life in the technology industries (semiconductor and telecom) I used algebra and calculus as part of my job very frequently. (I have 11 patent by the way).

Honestly, if you want students to get algebra, geometry and calculus better, schools should bring back shop classes (and music). Studies have shown a connection in learning these abstract concepts with the hands on application.

John

[Jim Koepke]

many can't even use ratios to solve everyday problems

If people were asked which is larger, 3/4 or 75% we might be amazed at the number of people who didn't know or couldn't figure it out.

jtk

[Roy Petersen]

...giving up on this place...

[Edwin Santos]

This gets to the heart of the matter: is your education about "training" (mastering specific skills that you can employ in your daily life) or "learning" (figuring out basic principles that can be applied in many, often unsuspected or unrelated ways)?

Long story: The college where I earned my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering was 100% co-op. We went to school for half a semester, then went to work alongside engineers for half a semester. This cycle repeated for the entire 5 year program.

When I was a junior, I had a couple of years of working with engineers, and often asked them "When was the last time you used multivariate calculus?" and got the expected responses. This did not help my motivation in class, and my grades were terrible. One day the professor noticed the look of absolute disinterest on my face, and called me out in front of the whole class. He wanted to know why I wasn't doing my homework, wasn't paying attention, and appeared to be doing the bare minimum. Feeling bold, I told him of my investigations into the worthlessness of multivariate calculus to my future job, and its complete lack of practical application. He replied, quite forcefully, "Mr. Wilson... I am not trying to teach you your JOB, I am trying to teach you HOW TO THINK!"

This stuck with me. When I retired after 33 years of doing MY JOB, I got a masters in teaching, and began to teach High School science (mostly Physics). I stressed to my students early and often that most of them would not be expected to regurgitate Newton's Laws ever again, but that applying his principles to everyday life (like the proper way to smack a ketchup bottle to release the ketchup) would be very handy. I told them the ability to apply critical thinking to things as diverse as Multi-Level Marketing claims, Facebook "facts", or political promises was just icing on the cake.

TLDR: it's not about memorizing and later recalling arcane facts, it's about exposing your mind to logical problem solving and learning thinking skills that can be applied in a multitude of ways.

John,
Good story, thanks for sharing it and for drawing the distinction between literal equations and daily application of the underlying concepts. I'm sure the original question was rhetorical.
Could you imagine if the post was titled "Why are we still teaching problem solving"?
Edwin

[Edwin Santos]

I hated algebra in high school, so if I'm using it now, I don't know it But any faith I had in algebra was shattered one day many years ago while watching a local college professor on public TV running thru a series of equations on a whiteboard, and when he was done, he stood back and said "... so the answer is zero..." then paused, looked at the board a sec, then said ".. or minus two"...

I swear, that's what he said. That doesn't work for me...

I love it. That's funny!

Depending on the lesson being taught and the equations on the board, those answers are perfectly fine if the resulting equations reduced down to the quadratic equation x^2 +2x = 0. The two solutions for x in this case are zero and -2.

Thanks to Mike K. the story just became way funnier. Edwin