Algebra is stupid

luvmy2cats

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I don't understand why they have to take simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; throw it together in a weird way and make you break it down in to steps to solve it.
What is the point of Algebra?
 

hurdyburdy

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There must be a point to it all.. I'm not sure what it is
 

weldrwomn

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It is really a conspiracy to aggravate you. I could never figure out imaginary numbers. I figured if they are imaginary, then why can't I imagine them to be whatever I want?
 

ping

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I agree. I did decently in math until we got to the pre-algebra * algebra stuff. Then it all went down hill and never came back.
 

butzie

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Algebra is something that we use in everyday life. I liked this link originally posted by Essayons89:

http://www.act.org/compass/sample/prealg.html

Algebra helps you figure out how much to tip in a restaurant. You can figure out the tax on an item. You use it if you want to half a recipe, to figure out the MPG your car gets, what is the average temperature etc.

I think that the link really shows how we use algebra.
 

weldrwomn

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Originally Posted by butzie

Algebra is something that we use in everyday life. I liked this link originally posted by Essayons89:

http://www.act.org/compass/sample/prealg.html

Algebra helps you figure out how much to tip in a restaurant. You can figure out the tax on an item. You use it if you want to half a recipe, to figure out the MPG your car gets, what is the average temperature etc.

I think that the link really shows how we use algebra.
That is all very useful and correct, but tell me, when exactly do you use imaginary numbers? In case you are wondering, I am rather hung up on the whole imaginary number thing...
 

clairebear

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I never liked algebra either. To me it just takes something simple and makes it harder to figure out.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by hurdyburdy

There must be a point to it all.. I'm not sure what it is
it's supposed to teach you to think logically.
that said - if so, then why wasn't i allowed to use a calculator for the computational side? i could set up the problem perfectly, then get the wrong answer because i have computational issues! [i should say HAD computational issues - i've gotten quite a bit better since i became a teacher!]
 

going nova

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Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

That is all very useful and correct, but tell me, when exactly do you use imaginary numbers? In case you are wondering, I am rather hung up on the whole imaginary number thing...
OK, you asked for it!


For anyone who wants to know what an imaginary number is:
Imaginary number "i" or "j" gets written in when you are solving an equation and need to find the square root of a negative number. Negative numbers don't have square roots because a negative number times a negative number is a positive number. A positive number times a positive number is a positive number. So there is nothing you can multiply times itself to get a negative number. Thus, we call the square root of negative one "i" or "j" as an example, the square root of -64 would be 8i. So 8i x 8i = -64.


In real life, electrical engineers use the imaginary number to process signals. (I'm taking a Signals and Systems course, and I'm doing OK in spite of the horrific midterm score I posted about recently. Phew! I'm not an electrical engineer...) Signals often are represented by a combination of terms containing both real and imaginary parts.

Aside from electromagnetic applications, I'm not sure how much good imaginary numbers are in everyday life.
 

lunasmom

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Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

That is all very useful and correct, but tell me, when exactly do you use imaginary numbers? In case you are wondering, I am rather hung up on the whole imaginary number thing...
Only when you're working on parallel universes
I quit math after they introduced imaginary numbers. I kept arguing with the teacher saying that if the numbers are only imaginary then how can we know the result is real???

Other than that I use to love algebra. Math in general strengthens us our cognitive ability. For example the ability to get into a car and navigate ourselves around, find shortcuts etc. For example, without math, you wouldn't have the computer in front of you. Without 1s and 0s and having the ability to know 0,2,4,8,16,32,64, for RAM and such IT people would not exist.

It also has use with our bank accounts. Having algebra allows you to say to yourself: I can afford to put away $200 per month. I need to save $1500 for my Spring Break. How many months will it take to save this much?
So then 200 * x = 1500...so then x = 7.5 months.
 

theimp98

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Algebra is ok, and yea, you do use many times in the real world every day.

trig was ok,

Calculus made my head hurt, and left me wondering what the heck did i just learn I got a B in it, but no idea why

hmm i had math class after the 2 calculus class, however that year is blank, i cant remember the horror of it.
 
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luvmy2cats

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OK so -4(9)+5
_______
8-6(-2) This equation says -4 times 9 plus five divided by 6 minus 8 times -2 which is 45. Why does the equation have to be formulated like that. Why not -4x9+5/8-6x-2? It's the same thing only the first one can be confusing.
 

kluchetta

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Originally Posted by luvmycat1

OK so -4(9)+5
_______
8-6(-2) This equation says -4 times 9 plus five divided by 6 minus 8 times -2 which is 45. Why does the equation have to be formulated like that. Why not -4x9+5/8-6x-2? It's the same thing only the first one can be confusing.
Because the second way is actually more confusing. You never use x to indicate a multiplier. Only a dot, or parenthesis.... the bottom part you showed - to me - mean 8-6x-2, or 6-6x, or 6(1-x) That is totally not the same thing as 8 minus negative 12.
 
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luvmy2cats

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

Because the second way is actually more confusing. You never use x to indicate a multiplier. Only a dot, or parenthesis.... the bottom part you showed - to me - mean 8-6x-2, or 6-6x, or 6(1-x) That is totally not the same thing as 8 minus negative 12.
I remember in basic math though, 8x5 would mean 8 times 5. So why is the mutiplication symbol different in algebra.?
 

kluchetta

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Originally Posted by luvmycat1

I remember in basic math though, 8x5 would mean 8 times 5. So why is the mutiplication symbol different in algebra.?
Because Algebra is about finding the unknown. The unknown is x.
 

katachtig

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Originally Posted by luvmycat1

I remember in basic math though, 8x5 would mean 8 times 5. So why is the mutiplication symbol different in algebra.?
So you don't confuse it with the variable that you are solving for. Algebra are equations like 8 + x(9) = 20y. So using x as a multiplier would confuse things. (8 + xx9=20y)
 

going nova

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Originally Posted by luvmycat1

OK so -4(9)+5
_______
8-6(-2) This equation says -4 times 9 plus five divided by 6 minus 8 times -2 which is 45. Why does the equation have to be formulated like that. Why not -4x9+5/8-6x-2? It's the same thing only the first one can be confusing.
Are you trying to confuse me?


There's the order of operations. In your example, you would first do multiplication and division (It doesn't matter if you divide before you multiply since division is just multiplying by a fraction). Then, you would do the addition and subtraction.

The way you wrote the first equation, means that you take everything that's on top and divide it by everything thats on the bottom. On the top you get -36+5 = -31 and on the bottom 8+12 = 24. So your answer would be -31/24

The way you wrote the second one, means something different. You would have to follow the order of operations. In the second one, you would have to divide 5 by 8 before you could do any addition. So you would get -36 + (5/8) + 12 which is the same as -24 + (5/8). This is not the same as -31/24.

Phew! I hope it made sense!
 
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luvmy2cats

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Originally Posted by kluchetta

Because Algebra is about finding the unknown. The unknown is x.
I'd rather x remain a mystery.
Unfortunately I have to take Basic Algebra for college and I stink so bad I have to take a refresher course in Pre Algebra.
 
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