Hi fellow seniors, could you ever understand Algebra?

In arithmetic, I am a whiz. I was a bookkeeper for many years. But algebra? I passed Algebra I by the skin of my teeth. Once I was past the first couple of weeks, they might as well have been speaking in Greek; I just don't have that kind of analytical mind. I struggled through Geometry as well, but it was far easier than algebra. You needed two math credits in high school to get into college and once I had those two, I never looked back. When my daughter took Calculus and Trig in high school, I admired her to no end!

Learning Algebra was not easy for me; I struggled with it the first year I had that class. I kept at it though, because the things I wanted to learn and liked to do used Algebra (mostly my science classes). My algebra teacher and my chemistry teacher worked with me during the second year I took algebra; the algebra teacher would let the chem teacher know which formulas we were working on, the chemistry teacher would set up my labs so that I had to use those formulas. It was a painful process, but after a few weeks of this a light bulb finally went off in my head.....something clicked and I understood! I have never forgotten what those teachers did for me.

I took algebra for 3 years in high school; many folks take the course in two years, but my school offered an intermediate class for people like me who struggled.

I found that as I got older algebra came easier to me. By the time I was in college, I could understand it far better than when I started. I think my brain finally matured enough for me to cope with the abstract concepts and rules.

I will never be a math whiz; but with a little review I can still understand algebra. I've used the formulas and equations off and on throughout my adult life. I guess I just hate to ever completely give up on certain things......:)

The kids won't ask you for help. Math is so different now than it used to be. No way could we cope with what the kids do now.

School would not let me take algebra because my aptitude tests showed that I didn't have much ability with math. They told me I'd have to get my math credits in general math. So, when I became a senior, I already had the math credits I would need for graduation. Had an extra hour available, so I filled out my schedule card with Freshman algebra. The first day, the teacher said he didn't think he could give a Senior any math credit for a Freshman class. I told him I already had my credits. I just wanted to take the class to see if I could do it. Teacher allowed me to stay. Passed that class with a B+. Maybe it was because I wanted to do it, or maybe because I was a little bit more mature.

I worked once with a chap called Al Gibra, he was from Hungary and spoke very little English, but what he did say made more sense to me than Algebra ever did at school!

The school I attended was more survival training than an educational establishment. There was danger of physical abuse from other pupils or the teachers all the time.

I've tried to get more education recently, managed a 'Word', 'Excel', and E-Communication base level certificates, and am a devotee of Logorrhea, but anything mathematical has always been a stumbling block to me.

I love algebra. Also love trigonometry.

I can no longer solve the complexity of problems I could when young as I've forgotten too many of the rules. I always found maths fun similar to solving puzzle games.

For those that asked why do letters represent numbers? Basically it is because letters can represent any numbers, specifically where the numbers cannot be defined until the problem is solved.

All math is actually algebra because it is searching for an unknown. The only difference in more complex math is that it is using unknowns in searching for an unknown so you must solve for the unknowns within the problem first. My problem in algebra was not getting the answers right. I always new the answers before working the problem. But my high school algebra teacher thought working the problem step by step was all important, and I would leave out steps because to me they weren't steps, they were just things known. The teacher was an idiot.

I would cry over home work regarding math of any kind! Never understood the reason for letters and numbers. I faked my way through the class and never opted for another math course. I do wish however I'd taken geometry,I believe that may have made more sense to me.

I don't know the complex studies but the basic of the unknown helped me a great deal in banking. The formula for finding things can be applied to most questions. I'm thankful greater minds knew how to come up with it. Especially in this day of computers, it's still nice to know how to put a pencil to paper and get an answer.

I don't know how I ever got through the classes, but I must have because I did graduate! I did very well in math subjects that require spacial perception like Geometry and Trig. But Algebra was the bane of my existence.

Although I was excellent at most Mathematic subjects I could never grasp Algebra.

At school I know that none of my friends understood it either.

To illustrate how widespread this is let me quote a passage from a Robert Douglas autobiography with which I am sure many people will relate.

As Mr. Forshaw enters the classroom he say's "Right get out your algebra books".

Fcuk, that's me for the belt unless I'm lucky. There are audible sighs of apprehension all around me.

Mr. Forshaw stands at the blackboard as he speaks, "Right, x squared plus b minus c equals 10.

If x is 3 and c is 4 what does b equal?

He looks around seeking a victim........"Douglas!" Oh jesus he's penetrated my screen of invisibility.

"Ehhh, b is 5 sir"

"Correct, very good"

Fcuk me, that was lucky. I look around at the incredulous faces of my classmates. A wee round of applause wouldn't be out of order. I start to sit down

"NOW, come up to the board and show us how you worked that out"