I Hate Pre-algebra!!!!!

[P-Funk]

You're going to love physics, trig, and calculus. It's that stuff we hate in school that actually works. A squared plus B squared equals C squared. Get into social work if that's too much

 

[OldGuy43]

Not sure what pre-algebra is, but it wasn't until I got to algebra and beyond that I started really enjoying math. My problem was that once I learned the basic concept of one number plus another number equals a third I was done. I didn't need to add all those pages of long strings of numbers to learn. Same with subtraction. Once I had the concept the rest was a waste of time. Memorize the multiplication tables! Why? Multiplication is nothing but an extension of addition. Show your work. Why? The real world doesn't care how you got there as long as you get the right answer. I even had one math teacher tell me that HE(!) couldn't do that in HIS(!) head so I obviously couldn't. He failed me. Retook that class in summer school with a different teacher and got straight A's.

I know I'm going to hear it from some of the teachers out there, but here goes; Don't teach by rote and repetition. Teach concepts. Sure it's harder than telling students to do the problems on page #XX, but at least they'll actually learn something. Get rid of the electronic calculators and replace them with slide rules (Yes, they still make those.). To use a slide rule requires an understanding of numbers.

One more fact. I always preferred "story problems". Mostly because there weren't as many on a page.

 

[DraigAthar]

Quote:
Indeed! I'm a clinical laboratory scientist by day (crazy chicken lady by night!) and I love my job because it's a bit like getting to be a mad scientist. But I use math every day, and all of the science classes that were required for me to get this degree in the first place were pretty math heavy. I never liked math way back when I was in high school, either. I never saw the point. But I think at some point I decided I just had to embrace the math, like it or not. So I started telling myself it was fun. A puzzle to be solved, perhaps. Or a story where I have to figure out the ending. I just had to pretend it was anything other than 'boring math' and then it was easier. I felt less like I was slogging through it and more like I was getting somewhere! So perhaps attitude is a big part of it?

Amy

 

[Chickenrandomness]

you think pre-algebra is bad, just wait til you get to proofs in geometry

PROOFS DON'T PROVE A STINKIN THING!!!!

 

[FarmCoe]

How can you hate algebra?!

 

[kimisfishing]

I hated it too and it is very easy for my son. He is 31 and we still argue about it

no way ever has A + B equal a number....they are letters

 

[ChickLover98]

Ahhhhh. I have algebra one and Im in 7th grade. I hate it sooooo much. Sometimes its challenging and sometimes I feel like smacking the teacher just for something interesting to happen.

 

[HollyBird24]

Quote:
I wish I could do 7th grade algebra! Wanna switch to grade 12 calculus?

 

[ChickLover98]

Quote:
I wish I could do 7th grade algebra! Wanna switch to grade 12 calculus?

I seriously would. My science teacher thinks that I should just drop out of school, go to college and become an avian vet, if it wasn't for the math I'd need first.

 

[P-Funk]

Umm. Engineer here. Have you ever seen the movie Pi? It's out there, but explains how everything in life can be broken down to numbers.