I like math but have little natural apptitude in it, so I found taking Algerbra was very taxing but rewarding in the end. Every year it seems like more and more of the engineers graduating American universities are from other countries. We can teach it but we don't want to study it?
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
Yes. Algebra is necessary. Even if we do not use algebra ever again after school, we do still use the thought processes that algebraic exercises develop. I find it curiously fitting that a Political Science prof. is the author of the article. He probably had trouble with algebra...
I had a terrible time with algebra in high school, especially algebra I. I had a terribly written book! In my adult life, I have a science degree and have worked professionally as an applied mathematician. It is true that it's a tough course and not everyone is going to take to it. Teachers who can find a way to relate the material to something familiar to their students are the ones who can be most effective IMO.
As for the rest of the article, what is the point? Is it that we should admit unqualified students into college just to be able to keep enrollment up? If we are trying to avoid high school dropouts and Algebra is the reason given for the dropping out, what will be the reason when Algebra is waived or eliminated and the dropouts continue? Dropping out is not related to one class or another, it is related to a mind set.
Agreed Surveyor
When I was in school...I hated algebra. Now I use it every day in my work.
Algebra teaches you to think outside the box where math is concerned. It teaches you to see math as a real situation.
Even measuring for flooring requires an understanding of algebraic concepts. Who would have thought.
