Posted on 07/21/2017 5:12:11 AM PDT by C19fan
Algebra is one of the biggest hurdles to getting a high school or college degree — particularly for students of color and first-generation undergrads.
It is also the single most failed course in community colleges across the country. So if you're not a STEM major (science, technology, engineering, math), why even study algebra?
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
‘Algebra is one of the few things most people use through out their lives.’
really...? care to elucidate...?
Two different subjects, where I did not understand that being great at arithmetic did not mean I truly understood math, until I was much older.
In Texas, the UIL Number Sense competition (mental arithmetic) used in public schools kept me way above average for all things arithmetic, and does til this day.
In college, taking analytical geometry as a freshman was a breeze - for two months. Then I understood that while I could find the approximate answer, I really did not understand how to derive the answer.
I am of the opinion that we should use a Kumon math styled system and not let anyone progress until they have conquered arithmetic and basic math.
Saxon math kept our children way ahead of the curve using the same principles.
The problem starts at the home before they ever start school and poisons young minds before they ever have a chance to succeed.
You must be one of the nice engineers here. My dad was an engineer and my math tutor. Poor guy!
That was a tough one, I agree. I had a big, burly Russian professor, with a thick accent that taught my linear algebra class, too. I eked out of there with a C+. I thought calculus was significantly easier.
...
As someone who took a lot of math classes, the teacher/professor can make all the difference. I had a German professor who really knew his stuff, and had an easy going personality. He made advanced calculus a breeze. He also taught the first half of differential equations and made that easy, too. The second half was taught by a professor from Edinburgh who never faced the class. That was a struggle.
The real geniuses at math, love it and are mostly self taught. I was good at math, but didn’t love it that much.
Algebra was invented by Hindus.
Benighted Europe learned it via the Islamic world.
“Many can not read a ruler.”
My son told a story of a kid in his college class that had blank dial watch—just the hands with no numbers.
Another kid asked him how could you tell the time without the numbers.
Math related subjects were my easiest in school. Math related subjects didn’t require memorizing names, dates and places. Math related subjects required memorizing ‘how to’ solve problems. My most helpful teacher actually did hardly any lecturing. He would just tell us try to solve the next question in the back of the chapter we were on. It taught me how to research and solve problems on our own. As a result, I had a very successful and enjoyable career in engineering by solving problems that others gave up on. I was even solving problems that the people I worked for didn’t even know existed.
Nobody actually does.
i squared = −1 or i*i = -1
Yup, it looks a bit crazy.
Non STEM majors need high level math all the time, they just don’t know it. Just look at the sheep that believe in the Global Warming religion. Even some STEM majors do, but it’s probably that their religious beliefs in Gaya override their logic. It’s important to give ALL educated citizens the tools to make logical decisions.
Completely agree.
“Today’s cash registers already do this for them. In fact, they don’t even have to read anymore, just push the button with the picture of the food on it.”
And their greatest crisis of the day is making change when you give them change so you get only paper money back.
Your car has half a tank of gas. A full tank is 22 gallons. Your car gets 20 MPG. How far can you drive until you run out?
I would answer that Arab scholars did give us algebra - and if it wasn't for their scholarly tradition subsequently being plowed under by Islam they might have landed on the moon by the 1200's. :)
That's because (A) NPR is leftist and can't be racist.
(B) when you refer to "persons of color" it isn't racist, unlike saying "colored people."
"I've been talking to Prissy and Mammy and I don't like the way you are treating them. You must be firm with inferiors, but you must be gentle with them - especially darkies."
Is the authors of this piece arguing minorities are stupid? Because it certainly seems that way to me.
What I can't stand are these lazy idiots who don't want to learn math and then later can't figure out why they can't make their balloon mortgage payment or they are 60 thousand dollars in credit card debt. (Hint: the minimum payment isn't enough)
Nice way to ruin a beautiful morning.
whatever happened to him?
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