The point of Algebra 1 is not to teach you to isolate ‘x’ or to graph the parabola.
Rather, Algebra 1 improves your critical thinking and number sense which makes one overall smarter and helps them figure out complex problems in the real world.
why get rid of algebra, when it would be easier to cut our losses and get rid of the dumb kids?
lol
People still question the need for Algebra? What kind of retard planet do we live on here?
The logic in it is so unbelievably important for pretty much daily human life, let alone careers requiring degrees.
Also, personally I’m surprised that people are taking this stuff in high school and even college when I did it in middle school. It’s always been easy shit for me. It didn’t even start to get hard until AP Calculus, and that’s only because I was a try hard fool and overloaded myself on every subject to prepare a good work ethic for college because everything that isn’t high school with a bunch of college classes doesn’t teach you SHIT about working hard.
The only part of math I’ve learned so far that I’d say I really haven’t used at all was Geometry. It’s really sad when Mu Alpha Theta tutors can’t even tutor Geometry because nobody’s even used it since then.
False. Good engineering doesn’t require heavy knowledge of the theoretical. Maybe at the uber elite level, but at that level those guys are basically physicists. It’s like the difference between an electrician, someone who has a Ph.D in an optics related field. If the wiring in my house is messed up, or I need something done I’m calling the electrician 100 times out of 100. Does he know anything about Maxwell’s equations? Probably not. Can he fix my shit? Yes.
Its possible that people struggle because of crappy highschool teachers though. A lot of people are saying how easy hs algebra was and how it was inadequate. I’m lucky in that, I took algebra in college and I was taught by people who were passionate about the field, it helped me change my attitude from “I can’t do math” to “that b I got in calc 2 could have been an a”
I’d still say a basic understanding of theory is important because it allows you to be able to figure out stuff that you don’t already know a lot faster/easier. I’m not saying they have to go super indepth, but understanding what you’re doing and why it works is important.
I truly hate when people reply with shit like this. Shouldn’t it be obvious that I’m not saying that EVERYONE with a STEM background has a golden ticket, and NO ONE with a Philosophy one will ever be worth shit? There are obviously shades of grey, but I think no proof is required that people with STEM backgrounds are far and away more likely to be able to find something good than someone with background in philosophy.
Since we’re on the subject this has to be some sort of logical fallacy. I’m not a philosophy major so I don’t know the names, and I don’t feel like Googling it, but someone has to know.
Hotobu(and my other math/science guys in here) was combing the comments of the rebuttal article and this came up, your thoughts?
http://genuinesingaporemaths.blogspot.sg/2012/01/mathed000001-proposed-new-framework-for.html
yeah exactly
there are high school dropouts who are billionaires. but most dropouts work at mcdonalds. there are CEOs with english degrees. but a large portion of english majors are working as janitors. whereas in a lot of jobs, finding people really good at math for doing something such as say … data mining … is a rarity so those skills are in very high demand, hence lots of job opportunities.
The pig scene in Lord of the Flies, is a rape scene.
It’s all there.
The choice of words, the way the children are described, it’s definitely a rape scene.
Big ups for exponential functions and growth rates.
Actual quote:
"7% is a good growth rate for our population."
WOAH! Slow down! The doubling time is 10 years at a 7% growth rate.
And then the relationship between growth rates and a finite resource, so they can understand why doubling every ten years is insanity.
How…in…Christ…name do people think algebra isn’t necessary? 
:shake:
It’s tool used for fucking everything in real life!! Every career uses some from of it.
Even a Walmart/H.E.B./whatever retail chain parking lot attendant pushing a trail of shopping carts uses it!!!
I tell you what…
I like to thank original poster for posting this up, this crap has made go back and start refreshing my math skills. I’ve been out of school since I got my Associate’s for Medical Coding & Billing '09, and I’m going back to get a Bachleor’s in Business Administration!!
Public school High school math was a joke for me, thanks to spending my 9th & 10th grade years at a private prep. school. The algebra at the private school they taught me at that school was the almost the same level as the class I took during my freshman year in college. Sadly, I got lazy and thought I could cruise through college level algebra and ended up retaking it again the next semester.
Thankfully, that reality check give me snapped common sense back in full gear to buckle down and pass it, which is something American students, from middle schoolers - sophomores in college now a days need to do**!!** Use the resources that are easily available…like Youtube which gaemmk posted up for example.
If kids/teens/young adult/etc can find videos on how to pull off basic BNB loops for Magneto and master them!!
Then they can for damn sure find Math reviews!!
Is Algebra not necessary…my ass!!
lol faulty generalization…
Basically it’s a big phrase to say something that is simply, a conclusion made from evidence that is not representative enough… statistics usually provide representative evidence… versus saying that I know of some people that say the job market sucks for those with degrees in philosophy… and it’s widely believed soooooo…
Fallacies don’t always have to be incorrect per ce… but they are unethical ways to win an argument…
Don’t let it bother you lol… it’s an fgc forum dude…
So I just laugh when people point out fallacies like they are something that are wrong…
Tarnishing the character of someone trying to persuade people is a good way to steal away the show… stacking the evidence in your favor and not mentioning what goes against it, etc…
They are evil, but not wrong…
I realize that, but since we were on the subject of logic and Philosophy I figured I’d ask because I see people do this A LOT.
“Dropping out of HS isn’t the way to go about things. You should at least get your diploma”
“WRONG! Jim Carrey dropped out and he’s worth MILLIONS!”
i learned more critical thinking on the internet than i did in any algebra class. I don’t have a vendetta against math, but i do believe that America’s value in education is whats causing kids to do poorly in it. My parents never valued education so i was a lazy ass through 1st-9th grade until i decided to re-teach myself and learn to value education. If we actually encourage kids to go to school instead of having shitty parents send their kids to school to condemn others for being smarter than them, we are fucked. The fact that kids have trouble with math prove that teachers and parents in America are all garbage.
^Trust me there’s more than enough shitty kids out there who make all of education a living hell for those trying to learn. Just look into the genius “Acting White” phenomenon, which is only a microcosm of a much larger anti-intellectual trend in American culture.
BEWD is correct. Its not only the parents fault, a large part of the problem is kids themselves.
“Fuck Math, I got SWAG, and Math ain’t gonna get me bitches #SWAG”
I had the unfortunate chance of downgrading severely in schools. Was going to a well rounded small population middle school in a smaller city, and then moved to the Los Angeles area. Worst fucking school ever. I went from a full straight A student, to a C tier student. Learning and paying attention wasn’t possible. Half the class yelling random crap, and the other half trying to intimidate you because you are actually doing the work. The anti-intellectual trend is very real, and makes education for those in low tier schools impossibly hard. Why show that you are an A tier student, if the only reward you get is constant bullying, teasing, and threats?
Nerds and geeks are now called tryhards lol
As much as I fucking hate taking in Algebra in High School… I find it necessary. For those that love math it is opening a door to the crazier maths and sciences if they would want to pursue that. For the rest of us average joes, it will help us determine how determine tips, discounts, taxes, interest rates etc. I’m actually kinda weird… when I took Chemistry I actually liked it. But when I was taking Pre-Cal I wanted to kill myself and everyone around me. I think the difficulty that Math has is trying to make it interesting. For most people it is just a bunch of numbers jumbled together and they you get an answer. But when you can relate it to something you like or something that you can apply it too it becomes easier. In all honesty, leave Algebra in High School… but please leave Algebra/Generic Math Requirement out of college. It is basically a fucking refresher course and it is money coming out of my pocket for shit that I already know.
It seems awfully lazy to lay blame on the students themselves. Are we supposed to just wait for the next generation and hope they value education more?
Stop overreacting. And no, it’s not obvious since you were the one who asked what the endgame was for a philosophy major. What prompted you to ask that in the first place? My statement was addressing that.