What is the point in half the Algebra we Study in school?

Jongamer · Post by **Jongamer** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:16 pm

Really, What the heck is the point in half of the Algebra we learn in Highschool, I just Undestand about half of the algebra we study (The more basic) is Understandable when used in the real world, but what they heck, I am doing crap like Bionominal, and Monominals, and trimonials.

Why the crap should I have to know this?!? And who is going to go out of their way to find the Square root of Pi and other stuff that complicated just to do something simple like Grocery shopping?

All I can see this complicated Algebra could be used for is Buisnesses and Programmers (Which I don't wanna be) and Normally you need to go through Collage to do those types of jobs, so why cant we learn Algebra in Collage or make it a selective course in Highschool, I mean back in the 80s and probably really early 90s

(I realy dont know but I definatly know 80s) Algebra wasnt a required course, all they had was prealgebra, which of course is basic algebra and I can see any normal person useing it.

This is really the only required course that I see as almost pointless, I understand History, English, Science.

History (So we don't repeat the mistakes of the past)
Science (To help us understand how the world works, so we dont act like painting flames on the side of something will make it go faster and stuff like that)
English (Its obviouse isn't it, so we can learn to communicate correctly, and stuff like that)
But algebra?!?! Why make this required?

I don't hate algebra so don't jump at me and say some smart ass comment like "Grow up!" or "Live with it!"

Rototiller · Post by **Rototiller** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:20 pm

Well, I'm taking trig, and I'm in middle school.

Jongamer · Post by **Jongamer** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:21 pm

I dont even know what the heck trig is, and Im in High school

Post by **Gamelver** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:25 pm

Want to be an engineer or ANYTHING even remotely close to math/design/physics/many other fields?

Learn algebra so that you can build upon that knowledge....it's the basis for a lot.

Retromaster · Post by **Retromaster** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:26 pm

trig is an extremely advanced type of mathematics. its properly called, trigenometry.
I take it sometimes. I cant tell you if im in highschool 'cause im a fugitive.

I think they use it for mechanical engineering...

Rototiller · Post by **Rototiller** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:26 pm

Gamelver wrote:Want to be an engineer or ANYTHING even remotely close to math/design/physics/many other fields?

Learn algebra so that you can build upon that knowledge....it's the basis for a lot.

And Knowledge is Power!

EnterTheHatrix · Post by **EnterTheHatrix** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:29 pm

Algebra is all about logic.. If you get a PC job, you'll use algebra quite a bit.. Depending on what you use of course...

There are other instances, you could write an equation to work out your taxes, or something, and write a program to automate the whole lot.. In which case you'd need to learn it.

There are 100s of real world scenarios for using this.. I thought I'd never use it, and I have, quite a lot.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:46 pm

Trig is basic, EASY.
Wait till you start building on it. THAT'S engineering math.

Jongamer · Post by **Jongamer** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:47 pm

ohkay....... um then why the heck do I need to know Monomials, Bi nominals, and tinominals? Thats what Is makin' me mad.

and I never really want to et into any Computer Programming, I dont want to get into design, I dont want to Engineer. All I want to really do is either Repair, and build computers, or be an Auto Mechanic, but auto mechanic is kinda iffy for a High school graduate, because if you ever watched future car latlely and the Discovery channel, If Im working in a garage and all of a sudden a New car come out and completly changes how cars work and run, it will force me to go back to school and learn how to repair these cars.

Oh and if you want to know my opinion on the Skateboard (a Design for a Future car.) I think it blows, it will make this world Dull as can be with cars, all ou do with this car is change to body to what ever you want, like a truck, car, SUV, that would be very boring, I mean How many of the same car do you see a day? Not to many, cars right now are Unique, differances in Horsepower, Engine Sizes, Interior, paint Job, and whell sizes, and Gas take sizes, and Entertainment periphials like Stereo and DVD players.

The Skateboard runs on nothing but Hydrogen cells on each of the 4 wheels (Practically no Engine at all) so all cars will have the same Horsepower, if this is how the future becomes, I will not buy this car, I will use a Normal Petroleum fueled car (Unless they ban them or gas is 10 bucks a gallon, which I dought because why we pay 20 bucks for Gasoline is because of the damned arabs inflating the Prices of gas, and over in Arab countries,guess how much they pay a gallon?

$00.50 a gallon, I call that Inflations if we pay over 2-3 bucks a gallon over hear.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:01 pm

___nomials lead into calculus. Calculus is very important for making lots of things.

Jongamer · Post by **Jongamer** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:03 pm

ya but Calculus isnt a required High school course, and if it ever does while Im still in school, I'm gonna kill myseld, just kidding but It will make me feel like it.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:10 pm

Jongamer wrote:The Skateboard runs on nothing but Hydrogen cells on each of the 4 wheels (Practically no Engine at all) so all cars will have the same Horsepower, if this is how the future becomes, I will not buy this car, I will use a Normal Petroleum fueled car (Unless they ban them or gas is 10 bucks a gallon, which I dought because why we pay 20 bucks for Gasoline is because of the damned arabs inflating the Prices of gas, and over in Arab countries,guess how much they pay a gallon?

Actually, it has one fuel cell in the middle, and a motor for each wheel.
I feel the same with algebra (I'm in pre-calculus), I like geometry because I can see the fruits of my labor.

Jongamer · Post by **Jongamer** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:22 pm

ya I can Understand doing Geometry, but there is some things in algebra that dont make any sense why we have to learn it.

Post by **gannon** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:22 pm

Well, while doing a few electronical and mechanical problems since school I've had to use Trig and Calculus.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:49 pm

I see why they teach us a lot of what they do. Being in Computer Programming I see some of the uses for the stuff you learn in those Algebra Classes. It helps a lot, but i could see how I could almost get away with "Basic" Algebra. And dude, Binomials, monomials, and Trinomials arn't really that hard. Just deal with it. I had to learn about those in my Algebra I course this year.