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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To really believe algebra is a waste of time...

212 replies

Feminine · 13/12/2011 23:33

unless you are intending to go in to a math/science driven career?

Not radical I know Wink but really, its a waste of time isn't it?

I think teens would be better off concentrating on math that actually helps when they leave school...I have a teen myself and teen siblings -I hear this opinion regularly.Many of the brightest students struggle with it, surely they could do something else? something more practical perhaps?

The jobs I have heard it is used in, is quite silly.

If I am ignorant, and we would would all be much better off if we were all better at it , then I (in advance) apologize. :)

OP posts:
Original poster
Feminine · 14/12/2011 14:48

Well maybe that is true notjust but I mainly see it in boys ...I have 2 of my own and 4 brothers.

In my opinion (and granted, that may be based on the schooling here) school is set up for girls.

They do away with practical learning ,that boys lean more toward, and then wonder why they misbehave.

I do take your point though :)

OP posts:
witchwithallthetrimmings · 14/12/2011 14:58

i have resisted saying anything on this thread all morning, but it is so obvious to me that algebra is crucial, it helps in maths but it also helps you think and work things out. It makes me quite cross (not necessarily with the posters themselves but their maths teachers) that anybody could think that it is a waste of time. to me it is very like saying poetry or drama or PE should not be taught in school because some people find it hard and it is not of direct use in daily life.

Sirzy · 14/12/2011 15:00

A lot of schools here now are doing a lot of work on strategies to get boys more interested in the curriculum making use of different teaching methods

Original poster
Feminine · 14/12/2011 15:03

sirzy thats really good to know...it wouldn't happen here...

Here, you either 'get it' 'do it' or fail :(

Its not the same.

Perhaps I should have waited to get to back home before I made this AIBU Grin

OP posts:
MildlyNarkyPuffin · 14/12/2011 15:07

I always thought algebra was part of the useful, basic skills bit of maths.

EllenandBump · 14/12/2011 15:15

Sometimes, i think they should concentrate more on BASIC maths and not on trigonometry, algebra etc (although i was good at it). There are so many kids out there that struggle to add up times tables, etc, because that is basics and they should know all that before secondary school. but surely its the schools duty to re teach them all this so that its not forgotten, i have neer used trigonometry or any of the other technical stuff that i learnt at gcse and a/s level, since leaving school. I did fail my a/s module, BUT I was only 15 when i took it and the teacher was rubbish, all my class failed and we were top set!!!

Sirzy · 14/12/2011 15:18

Algebra is basic maths

Iggly · 14/12/2011 15:19

Agree algebra is basic - yes it gets harder but we did it at primary school...

Original poster
Feminine · 14/12/2011 15:20

One good thing about here is the kids all have very good basic math facts.

They teach in repetition, for years...

My DS8 can add numerals like 67+34 in his head...it works here till about 5th/6th grade.

OP posts:
Original poster
Feminine · 14/12/2011 15:22

The more I read here, it really does seem my algebra problem really only pertains to me/us.

I now know that this basic algebra that is being talked about here has/is being done by DS and he was fine.

OP posts:
poppyknot · 14/12/2011 15:26

Dear current Maths teachers

Doing a Higher Maths (many years ago) was my limit and I probably couldn't have gone further. But I do remember the algebra as one of the more managable and therefore confidence-boosting parts of it. It seemed to be the essence of problem (or puzzle) solving.

I enjoyed it! And I I know it has helped enormously with doing basic database work with SQL query and Crystal reports.

poppy283 · 14/12/2011 15:27

Algebra's quite useful I think, it's trigonometry that's BU.

GrimmaTheNome · 14/12/2011 15:34

Trig has loads of useful applications.

NotADudeExactly · 14/12/2011 15:41

When I went to high school, our physics teacher taught us the maths behind Einstein's general relativity.

Now that I agree was pretty pointless in terms of real life applications. But I'm still glad we learned it; people tend to think you're hellishly smart if you understand this kind of thing. Grin

MrsHoarder · 14/12/2011 15:55

Alegebra is necessary to communicate and explain most mathematical ideas. So for a child who wants to go into mathematics, the sciences, engineering, software development, social sciences, geography... it will be useful if not essential to know how algebra works.

If your DS is struggling with the current algebra is it just because thats the area where they stretch them the most? I'd hope that if algebra is being taught then he's got all the arithmatic basics down already.

Look at it from another angle: because some children have difficulty mastering reading and writing, should the more advanced English Literature studies and things like poety be missed entirely?

CherylWillBounceBack · 14/12/2011 16:40

Yeah, I think you might be talking about simultaneous equations or calculus etc OP, not basic algebra. That stuff is a bit more tricky at first.

KatieScarlett2833 · 14/12/2011 16:45

You need it to do excel spreadsheets.

I'm bloody glad now I paid attention in Maths.

Just don't get me started on triganometry......

Original poster
Feminine · 14/12/2011 17:42

Yes, cheryl that does rings a bell :)

OP posts:
mummytime · 14/12/2011 17:57

Basic stuff is all very well, but it turns kids who are good at Maths off. Eg. I was okay at Maths at primary, but spent a lot of my lessons chatting etc. At seniors I took off as we did more advanced stuff, and I always say I'm fine at Maths until you introduce numbers, thats when my answers get mixed up. Thats why I couldn't do applied Maths (although I am good at Statistics).
DS didn't do brilliantly at primary, arrived at secondary with gaps (eg. not really understanding division) is now doing very well of GCSE and hoping to do 2 Maths for A'level. He is described as "good with number".
DD thinks she is hopeless, but says "I can do this" about algebra, and enjoys it. I'm hoping as she moves away from "basics" she will gain in confidence.

bemybebe · 14/12/2011 18:08

Being taught well at school including algebra, calculus etc (not UK school system) allowed me to go to a medical school, then get an economics degree and now study towards MA degree in art history (hope to get to phd level). I had a career that was very interesting and was well paid, now i am excited to study again and i am not even 40 yet.

AnotherMincepie · 14/12/2011 19:21

How many teenagers a) have a set idea what career they would like and b) never change their mind about it in the future?

slug · 14/12/2011 19:34

Trigonometry I can understand, but algebra? Do you not cook? In a couple of weeks many of you will be cooking a turkey where the cooking time will be written as 20 minutes per pound plus 30 minutes. That's an equation staring you in the face 20x + 30 = t

GrimmaTheNome · 14/12/2011 19:39

slug - this is perhaps why so many people now buy their meat from supermarkets with the cooking time calculated for them?

Original poster
Feminine · 14/12/2011 19:43

slug in that situation I would just multiply surely?

I've not killed anyone yet,and at 40 I have cooked plenty of turkeys Grin

OP posts:
Whatmeworry · 14/12/2011 19:45

@whatmeworry. But how do you teach statistics if your students don't have any kind of knowledge of algebra? How do you present any kind of mathematics that goes beyond basic arithmetic if you can't deal with quantities whose value you don't yet know?

My point was that not all algebra is useful for basic living - the non linear stuff I have used about never in RL outside of work. Stats however......

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