Arggh math!

I've been thinking about going to college and one of the requirements to get in to the program I want is Algebra 2. Well it's been a really long time since I've been in school and algebra 2 is something I'm not even sure I learned, if I did I sure dont remember it at all. So I've been going over pre algebra (which is coming back to me fairly quickly for the most part) but I'm up to square root stuff and it's got me so confused. But we're talking about math which is supposed to be scientific and the instructions are telling me to guess at numbers, argh! I dont remember how to divide/multiply fractions either, and the silly thing is, once I pass (or dont) a placement test I'd never use this info again because we have calculators!
I just had to vent because I know that it's something I should be able to remember, or at least pick up quickly, and it should be simple!

To multiply fractions, just multiply the numerators, then the denominators, and reduce to simplest terms.

3/4 x 1/2 = 3 x 1 / 4 x 2 = 3/8


3/4 x 2/3 = 3 x 2 / 4 x 3 = 6/12 = 1/2

To divide fractions, invert the second fraction and multiply.

3/4 / 1/2 = 3/4 x 2/1 = 3 x 2 / 4 x 1 = 6/4 = 1 1/2

LOL, don't feel bad. Math is a perishable skill and if you don't use it you will forget it. On the first test I took when I started grad school, they wouldn't let use calculators, and at the end of one of the problems I had to do long division and couldn't for the life of me remember how.

Not long after I started back, I bought one of those 'For Dummies' books to refresh my skills. I found that book (Calculus For Dummies in my case) to be really useful and I was able to go through the whole book in a week or so as opposed to a textbook that would have taken me months to slog through.

I feel your pain. I've taken Algebra 1 and 2 the past two terms and I'm getting my teeth kicked in with what the college calls "Intermediate Algebra" which is required before advancing to statistics or precalculus. I've gotten some good help from folks here when I'm stuck with some math problems. Square roots aren't all that bad. Some may involve a few different operations before actually determining what the square root is, though.

Yup, I know exactly how you feel. I took my required Calculus 1 and 2 my freshman year, and now I have no idea how i'm going to review all that simple stuff for the GRE...I just want to be done with it!!! Math sux, it's completely useless in the real world...

I don't feel math is useless in the real world. Especially when it comes to remodeling the house ie..floor tiling or figuring square feet ect. Sometimes I wish I would have taken some extra math courses but yeckkk I hated math! My 10 fingers normally do just fine otherwise I take my shoes off for anything more complicated

I do have to wonder what some colleges are thinking when they put together course requirements. I'm a history major. I can see having to take Algebra 1 and 2 but why do I also have take Precalculus or Algebra 2 and Trigonometry or Stats 1 and 2? I'm not going into a field where I'll need to use much math. I could see the purpose if I was doing something science or engineering related.

Originally Posted by Essayons89

I do have to wonder what some colleges are thinking when they put together course requirements. I'm a history major. I can see having to take Algebra 1 and 2 but why do I also have take Precalculus or Algebra 2 and Trigonometry or Stats 1 and 2? I'm not going into a field where I'll need to use much math. I could see the purpose if I was doing something science or engineering related.

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For a history major?! Man that sucks! Now, don't get me wrong I like Math and had the same requirements for a Business degree but I'll be honest, if you aren't a numbers person your probably going to struggle with any of those courses. I had a particularly hard time with Stats.

I'm the proud holder of the lowest fail in math in my high school - I got 7% for an entire year... strange thing is I passed Accountancy with a staggering 98%...

Unless you grasp the early lessons taught in Math, I don't think you could ever actually get the concept! I'm rubbish at Math but having a Stepson who's got an aversion to Math and his mother not allowing us to pay for him to go to extra lessons, I have become his math tutor and I'm learning the basic's again!

OMG, I suck suck suck at math. I am an English person so I understand how to read, write and apply what I learned in English classes...but math? No way!

My FH loves math, and he gets a perfect grade point average in university with all his courses. Next year he is going into an MBA-CMA program. Lord knows how he is so damn good at it.

I hate math too!

I'm doing some papers on accounting and I hate the way math creeps into it.

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

OMG, I suck suck suck at math. I am an English person so I understand how to read, write and apply what I learned in English classes...but math? No way!

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LOL, I'm the same way. There is a reason I majored in English! To me, numbers and letter do not mix and that just confused the heck out of me with algebra. Then, once I kinda got that down, they threw in all these little symbols for sine, cosine, etc in Pre-Cal. My mom (who could balance her check book in her head) took at look at my Pre-Cal book from senior year of HS and went !

I do believe that basic math needs to be taught well though. I can't stand going to the store and the cashier doesn't know how much change to give me because he/she doesn't know how to do basic subtraction.

Originally Posted by Essayons89

I do have to wonder what some colleges are thinking when they put together course requirements. I'm a history major. I can see having to take Algebra 1 and 2 but why do I also have take Precalculus or Algebra 2 and Trigonometry or Stats 1 and 2? I'm not going into a field where I'll need to use much math. I could see the purpose if I was doing something science or engineering related.

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Statistics really sux, but for a history major it might be easier because it's more based on reading and reasoning, etc rather than logic..Trigonometry might be a better choice though just because it's so simple, you just need to memorize a lot of formulas and such..I dunno, to me all those math classes seem very easy (except for stats)...I've never had to take any of them. I came to college and my very first math class was calc 1, I took it the fall of my freshman yea. I'm also a history major btw but I just switched from biology I'm so happy I have all of my science and math requirements done and over with!! For history majors here it's required to take survey of calculus 1 and 2 which is like calculus except for much less in depth. So to me it looks like your college math requirements are easy

Math= a 4 letter word

I have to take a developmental math class this semester. Math 4- intermediate algebra. Oh my. I'm taking it online, and it is the LAST math class I ever take online.

We just had our midterm. I got a whopping 48 on it. The highest grade was a 70. Passing is 75, so if you go by that NOBODY passed the midterm. It's only worth a fraction of our grade, so the bad grade didn't impact my overall grade- I'm still passing, but I need my husband to go help me with the stuff I didn't get b/c the final's cumulative. Oh boy.

And- out of 23 people- there are only 6 people with a passing grade right now.

After this class, I have to take college algebra. The hospital based RN program wants it. If I don't pass either of these classes, my start date gets bumped back a semester. And I DO NOT want that. So I'm doing everything in my power to pass this class.

College algebra is going to be taken in a classroom. Which is going to make scheduling stuff over the summer kind of a pain. I love the convienince of online classes, but if I'm having issues with this class, I know I'm going to have issues with the other algebra class.

So can someone explain to me just HOW solving a rational expression is going to help me in nursing school I know- it's probably the critical thinking skills they're looking for.

Cheryl

Originally Posted by ut0pia

Statistics really sux, but for a history major it might be easier because it's more based on reading and reasoning, etc rather than logic..Trigonometry might be a better choice though just because it's so simple, you just need to memorize a lot of formulas and such..I dunno, to me all those math classes seem very easy (except for stats)...I've never had to take any of them. I came to college and my very first math class was calc 1, I took it the fall of my freshman yea. I'm also a history major btw but I just switched from biology

I'm so happy I have all of my science and math requirements done and over with!! For history majors here it's required to take survey of calculus 1 and 2 which is like calculus except for much less in depth. So to me it looks like your college math requirements are easy

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LOL...Easy is a matter of perspective, I guess. I do fine on my homework for this class but for some reason it doesn't translate that way on tests. I did bad on our first test and retook it and got an "A". I think I bombed our second test yesterday. If I did I'll withdrawal and take it over next term. Once I eventually get past this class, I only have four more credit hours required for math. Pre-calculus is a one option and then I would be finished. If I take Statistics 1 then I'm required to take Stats 2.

lol, well Im glad Im not the only one that has a bit of trouble with it. The idea of the math for dummies book was great, that never crossed my mind and it would be way quicker than a text book!! I cant even imagine trying to take calculus. Although I did grasp square roots we'll see how long I can retain the info...probably not through the weekend Just my luck that I want a science degree