I Hate Algebra

[Asturiel]

I enjoy statistics. I can't stand proofs though. How the hell am I expected to know the length of a side of a triangle when I know none of the other measurements of it?

By sniffing the page of course!

It seems like the more advanced math other than adding, subtracted, multiplying, and dividing are completely useless. There just in place to filter out people from getting advanced degrees.

Maths are an essential part of everyday life, advanced and basic. Just because you don't have to figure out how many joules goes through your monitor to make it light up, and exactly how much is given off as "useless" heat doesn't make it useless. Just makes it not your field of thought.

My favorite part about math and algebra is that in the real world, calculators and computers do it for you! My absolute favorite part about college math was my instructor who insisted that my previous statement wasn't true. She's been teaching math in college for 40+ years, so me thinks she's not quite in-touch with reality...

Fun stuff, my teacher doesn't let us use calcatrons(calculators, I like saying the former better) unless its absolutely necessary. Frankly she's smart to do so, I shouldn't rely on a piece of technology to do a job I am quite capable of doing by myself.

OT: You've worded the question wrong(well someone has) but don't worry, Algebra is the easy stuff they use to get your into the harder stuff.

For the love of god if this trips you up don't take physics.

Just don't!

 

[Corvuus]

Calculus is easy. It just takes a while to get used to the concepts being used.

Entry-level algebra is easy.
Higher level Algebra is hard... in some ways much harder than calculus.

There is also something about people's brains being naturally inclined towards different things (Geometry vs Algebra) and that the location that our brain uses for calculus and 'lower' math is the same. So when you learn calculus, you end up 'forgetting'/being worse at simple math.

It might get better when you get older.

-----

If you plan on going into ANY science related field, then you should make an effort with math. Even biologists require math depending on research.

C

 

[Necator15]

Maths are an essential part of everyday life, advanced and basic. Just because you don't have to figure out how many joules goes through your monitor to make it light up, and exactly how much is given off as "useless" heat doesn't make it useless. Just makes it not your field of thought.

It's actually kind of funny. My first Calculus teacher, anytime someone would ask something like "When will this help me in the future?" would respond with something along the lines of "You? Well, since flipping burgers at McDonalds doesn't require an advanced degree, you'll probably never need it."

In his defense, he teaches at a school that specializes in Biochemistry, so there Calculus is damned necessary.

 

[insaneHoshi]

Algebra? Algebra's not so bad.
Calculus, now, calculus is the dark magic of mathematics.
To prepare for your first calculus course, you should gather up all of your old math books and throw them right out the window. Everything you thought you knew about how numbers work is wrong.

Calculus? Calculus's not so bad.

Now take descrite mathematics with a dash of combinatorics...

I never thought counting could be so hard

 

[Asturiel]

It's actually kind of funny. My first Calculus teacher, anytime someone would ask something like "When will this help me in the future?" would respond with something along the lines of "You? Well, since flipping burgers at McDonalds doesn't require an advanced degree, you'll probably never need it."

In his defense, he teaches at a school that specializes in Biochemistry, so there Calculus is damned necessary.

A school that specializes in Biochemistry? Yep thats pretty important.

It's always fun when a teacher can effectively cut down make fun of a student in a not too serious manner. Also the key to asking that question without asking it is providing an example of how this is used in the real world beyond equations, it sounds like you put more thought into it and they make a problem out of it, everybody wins!

Edit: Oh yeah, Ok I am wondering if what my Physics teacher said was true, was Caclulus made by Sir Isaac Neuton when he got pissed with writing books of proofs for his work. So he basically ragequit old math and made his own? Because thats what I got and I hope its the truth.

 

[Iron Lightning]

I like maths. I found it pretty easy throughout life. Had a problem when I completed the GCSE in year 9 (2 years earlier) and started the A level in year 10. Didn't put enough effort into it as it's quite a bit different to GCSE expectations.. had a whole year 11 with free periods though which was pretty cool.

When I did A-level maths in sixth-form I found it to be a case of major short-term revision. Do a bit enough and it sinks in and you know it, do that and the next till it sinks in, continue till the end, then do the test and ace it, then forget it all.

Seems a lot of people on here hate maths.

Most agreed sir, I'm a bit surprised at how many people in this thread really hate math. Of course this is sensible considering the name of this thread.

If I were to make a thread called "I Love Algebra" I'm sure most responders would agree.

 

[Julianking93]

Either you didn't post the whole question, or they didn't give you all of it.

Also

"...to spend on shoes..."

So because she's a chick, she buys shoes every week?

 

[oktalist]

My favorite part about math and algebra is that in the real world, calculators and computers do it for you!

You have to know how to pose the question in a form that the calculator or computer understands. That's the hard part of maths, figuring out the question. The answer part is easy, as you pointed out. This is why you are encouraged to bring a calculator with you to any serious maths exam.

For example, as a games programmer I spend all day working out how to join together sin, cos, tan, square root, vector algebra, matrix transformations and various other bits and pieces in order to implement what might appear to you be the simplest of game features, like skeletal animation IK (animating a character's arm, say, to pick up an item, or turning their head to face an object of interest). Making sure that when the character is aiming their gun, it's pointing in the right direction. Writing procedures to work out the enemies' fields of vision, so you can have stealth. Using dot product to compare angles, to do things like determining when it is possible to go into cover. Figuring out what proportions of different animations to blend together based on the direction and speed of the character, to produce character movement that looks right. And so on and so on. Not to mention all the even more crazy stuff that the graphics and AI guys do, with graph theory and subdividing surfaces and all that jazz.

In the real world, maths is indispensible. And awesome.

My dad's first job was working for a company that made glass bottles. His job was to work out the calculus needed to ensure that the bottles they were designing would carry the right amount of liquid, so they wouldn't have to manufacture prototypes to get to the right volume by trial and error.

And I don't hate subjects that I'm not so good at, like English, biology, art. I just accept that they're not my strong points. I don't claim that they are useless just because I have little use for them. I don't claim that spelling is pointless just because computers can check your spelling for you.

The computer was invented in order to try and prove a mathematical theorem, namely that all true theorems are provable. What actually happened was, they proved the opposite theorem, namely that there are some true theorems that cannot be proven.

Maths underpins science.

E = mc2 <-- algebra

 

[Jiefu]

Most math classes seem difficult because math teachers are generally some of the worst communicators in the world.

 

[Thaius]

Algebra is useless in everyday life. Maybe pre-algebra, possibly even algebra 1, could be useful. But the fact is, once you get into college for sure, math classes are wastes of time unless it is directly involved in the field you are going into. Screw math classes in college.

 

[SFR]

Algebra? Algebra's not so bad.
Calculus, now, calculus is the dark magic of mathematics.
To prepare for your first calculus course, you should gather up all of your old math books and throw them right out the window. Everything you thought you knew about how numbers work is wrong.

What are you talking about? After you do the "calculus part" it's basically harder algebra. Not to mention the stuff used in calculus is discovered through complicated algebra. And limits. Don't forget limits.

I got an A+ in Calc this semester! WOOT! I'm telling everybody!

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Algebra? Algebra's not so bad.
Calculus, now, calculus is the dark magic of mathematics.
To prepare for your first calculus course, you should gather up all of your old math books and throw them right out the window. Everything you thought you knew about how numbers work is wrong.

What are you talking about? After you do the "calculus part" it's basically harder algebra. Not to mention the stuff used in calculus is discovered through complicated algebra. And limits. Don't forget limits.

I got an A+ in Calc this semester! WOOT! I'm telling everybody!

I liked Calculus. It was very enjoyable.

 

[munsterman]

I liked Calculus until I had to take Differential Equations and Thermodynamics. *Sigh* Gotta love engineering.

 

[Unesh52]

Learn algebra anyway, it is very important. Not becuase Sue can't balance her own checkbook, but because one becomes acustomed to think with exact precision, in variables, and one learns to look for the empty spaces that balance out equations. Calculus too is important in intutively understanding rates of change and the relationship between position, motion, and acceleration. That has broader applications than you think.

America, and from what I read Europe too, have economies which are falling to pieces because people don't understand basic math when it comes to money management. It is because we are math-tards that so many people have fallen victim to financial shenanigans; that, and people were too trusting of the system. Both of these are failures of intellect. Anyway, as you can see I have little tolerance for stupid people, because then they go whining to the government for bailouts, and my tax money has to pay for it.

Sue Spender, withdrawals $25.00 from her bank account each week to spend on shoes. After six weeks she has withdrawn $425.00 from her account.

a) How much money did she have six weeks prior to her crazy shoe purchasing? Solve the equation using algebra.

If you want us to help you with your homework you have to write out the problem exactly.

I stopped reading about here because this was the first post I could really sympathize with. I'd never expect everyone to like... keep a text book at their bedside or something, but at the very least people should be able to appreciate mathematics for what it's done for modern society. At one time math was actually considered an art, like literature. It's not just a series of arbitrary calculations set down by old people to keep you busy in school. It's a language, a medium, it IS a work of art. With math comes the possibility of understanding the universe we live in, comes the possibility of finding absolute truth in a realm dominated by capriciousness and fallacy. If you don't want to do it, fine, but everyone needs to at least appreciate it for what it is.

/rant

...sorry for the nerd prostration. Just venting pent up rage from countless seniors breathing my air in AP calc this year who CAN NOT get it into their heads that these tedious procedures we learn have purpose.

 

[Zyxx]

Calculus? Calculus's not so bad.

Now take descrite mathematics with a dash of combinatorics...

I never thought counting could be so hard

Not having dabbled in that particular branch of the dark arts, I can't comment.
I think I forsook all maths the day my teacher told me that 0^infinity = 1.

I am glad I took a statistics course, though. Really opened my eyes to how badly statistics are misused.
"There are three kinds of untruth - lies, damn lies and statistics."

 

[Shock and Awe]

I have always been pretty good at math, but that equation lacks information, I cannot tell how much money she has left without knowing how much she had before.

 

[Bat Vader]

I understand some algebra but when you start adding letters to it and trying to make me find the answer for the letters that is when I get frustrated. The thing I hate most about algebra is that they don't want an answer to the problem they want me to find the problem first.

It would be like in an English class where the teacher gives you a piece of paper with a question on it but some letters are removed from the question.

Math has always been my worst subject and reading has always been my best subject.

My dad is great at algebra yet when he tried to teach it to me I can't seem to grasp it.

 

[mokes310]

My favorite part about math and algebra is that in the real world, calculators and computers do it for you!

You have to know how to pose the question in a form that the calculator or computer understands. That's the hard part of maths, figuring out the question. The answer part is easy, as you pointed out. This is why you are encouraged to bring a calculator with you to any serious maths exam.

For example, as a games programmer I spend all day working out how to join together sin, cos, tan, square root, vector algebra, matrix transformations and various other bits and pieces in order to implement what might appear to you be the simplest of game features, like skeletal animation IK (animating a character's arm, say, to pick up an item, or turning their head to face an object of interest). Making sure that when the character is aiming their gun, it's pointing in the right direction. Writing procedures to work out the enemies' fields of vision, so you can have stealth. Using dot product to compare angles, to do things like determining when it is possible to go into cover. Figuring out what proportions of different animations to blend together based on the direction and speed of the character, to produce character movement that looks right. And so on and so on. Not to mention all the even more crazy stuff that the graphics and AI guys do, with graph theory and subdividing surfaces and all that jazz.

In the real world, maths is indispensible. And awesome.

My dad's first job was working for a company that made glass bottles. His job was to work out the calculus needed to ensure that the bottles they were designing would carry the right amount of liquid, so they wouldn't have to manufacture prototypes to get to the right volume by trial and error.

And I don't hate subjects that I'm not so good at, like English, biology, art. I just accept that they're not my strong points. I don't claim that they are useless just because I have little use for them. I don't claim that spelling is pointless just because computers can check your spelling for you.

The computer was invented in order to try and prove a mathematical theorem, namely that all true theorems are provable. What actually happened was, they proved the opposite theorem, namely that there are some true theorems that cannot be proven.

Maths underpins science.

E = mc2 <-- algebra

Thank you for illustrating my point. I used to program SQL reports for one of the USA's largest cable TV operators, and I learned long-ago that there are others that are better than I at that. So kudos to you good sir! Enjoy being bossed around by those who are/were more competent with language & interpersonal-relationship skills than you were

 

[Shaun Hastings]

For example, as a games programmer I spend all day working out how to join together sin, cos, tan, square root, vector algebra, matrix transformations and various other bits and pieces in order to implement what might appear to you be the simplest of game features, like skeletal animation IK (animating a character's arm, say, to pick up an item, or turning their head to face an object of interest). Making sure that when the character is aiming their gun, it's pointing in the right direction. Writing procedures to work out the enemies' fields of vision, so you can have stealth. Using dot product to compare angles, to do things like determining when it is possible to go into cover. Figuring out what proportions of different animations to blend together based on the direction and speed of the character, to produce character movement that looks right. And so on and so on. Not to mention all the even more crazy stuff that the graphics and AI guys do, with graph theory and subdividing surfaces and all that jazz.

Wow, I never really thought of using math that way. I mean, I remember him saying how it's used in computers, but I never really gave it much thought until I read the paragraph. I thought to myself just a few days ago as well, hey, what would it be like to be a video game designer? I still have a large path in front of me and from reading that post... well, it looks like I'd bettter start shaping up my math. I'm slowly starting to understand all these things people are saying - I guess though, I could understand a bit easier if I didn't get so frustrated with the stuff. I still have a long ways to go, but thank you.