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[Leezard]

Thanks for the links guys, will check them out.



5√(x^2-3)=(2x-1)√(x^2-3)

I already solved it correctly with the AB=AC -> A=0 v B=C rule.
The book however, doesn't explain if both A's can be at different spots (ex. BA=AC). (all examples have them in the AB=AC positions)
So I got confused :-/

I can't type all the stuff I'm struggling with but as you can see, I get confused quickly once they try to mix things up.

Multiplication is commutative, so AB = BA.
Also, it is distributive, so A(B + C) = AB + AC.
Additionally, (AB)C = A(BC).

 

[Kalnos]

Professor's example: Derivative of x?

Homework problem: Derivative of ln((cos(x/2) + 5x^4 - e^1/3))

 

[Agnostic]

I will echo Khan Academy. I just signed up a few days ago and started using the practice section where they keep track of your progress. I want to see how much knowledge I've retained through the years.

 

[SRG01]

Professor's example: Derivative of x?

Homework problem: Derivative of ln((cos(x/2) + 5x^4 - e^1/3))

That's just chain rule...

 

[Seanspeed]

"Algebra" isn't just one subject.

Sure, but if somebody is struggling with a math class, its usually specified. You're right that he/she could mean something different than we are interpreting, though.

 

[Plinko]

Teacher/Lecturer shows examples.
Homework totally different.

I'm a high school math teacher and I regularly vow to never do that to my students.

If you think Algebra books are bad, wait until you hit pre-calculus and calculus books.

My favorite instances is from the pre-calculus book I'm using. There are several times where they say what basically amounts to, "Well, we'll learn about this new concept in detail next chapter, but let's use it here multiple times!" The students would have no clue what is going on.

 

[Redux]

My Algebra teacher would just say "fuck the book" and turn on a Edward Burger video to teach us.

Which meant instant nap time.

 

[trinest]

Nah. Algebra was about the only bit of maths I could do.

Haahaa pretty much.

 

[Zebra]

I pretty much learn math exclusively from books. My lectures have always been pointless.

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

Teacher/Lecturer shows examples.
Homework totally different.

I fucking hate this style of teaching. My love of math plummeted after a teacher pulled this figure it out yourself bullshit.

The fuck are they paying you for?!

Asshole had a doctorate in math but should've had a doctorate in communication and education...

 

[AlimNassor]

Algebra is just the basics. If you're struggling with it, you're gonna struggle even more later on. Math always came pretty easy to me so I aced pretty much all my early-level math classes up until college. Then word problems took on a new meaning and things became challenging, but in a good way. Math is useless unless its applied somehow.


Yea, I took Algebra in 7th grade. :/ I know thats a little earlier than most, but 9th grade/beginning of high school is usually the latest somebody takes it.

Algebra was easy in HS, but, I have to take it in College and so they make everything tedious and hard. Everything involves large fractions and huge decimals. I rarely encounter anything with fractions in them )= never in HS was i required for this.

 

[Dead Man]

It's because algebra is inherently ambiguous:

 

[Orayn]

Never had serious math problems until multi-variable calculus and linear/differential equations. I only took algebra in high school because I got lazy/careless on a placement test that would have let my middle school classes get me a year ahead.

It's because algebra is inherently ambiguous:

That's just due to differences in how calculators treat division. It's much less ambiguous on paper.

 

[opticalmace]

It's because algebra is inherently ambiguous:

Just a programming mistake.

 

[Wazzim]

Khan Academy is pretty neat.

How old are you OP?

Isn't algebra a junior high thing? Did that change?

18. I'm not from the US so I don't know.

Never had serious math problems until multi-variable calculus and linear/differential equations. I only took algebra in high school because I got lazy/careless on a placement test that would have let my middle school classes get me a year ahead.

I'm not too bad in those subjects, mainly because we got them very early on with Economics. Quadratic equations and the LOG stuff can be really tough for me though.

 

[helloresolven]

It's because algebra is inherently ambiguous:

The one on the left is clearly wrong.

 

[Zebra]

It's because algebra is inherently ambiguous:

That's just arithmetic, not algebra.

And you really have to be careful with doing stuff like this on calculators. Advice: You can never have too many parentheses.

 

[Dead Man]

That's just due to differences in how calculators treat division. It's much less ambiguous on paper.

Just a programming mistake.

It is stupid. Pathetic. And a flaw in the systemn as a whole. AS A WHOLE!

Order of operations should be fundamental.

 

[QuiteWhittle]

Wait, how do you even get one as an answer?

 

[Hieberrr]

Fuck algebra and calculus. I hate math courses with equations for the sake of equations. I can't learn math unless it serves a "purpose". ={ Good thing that was 4 years ago

 

[Htown]

Math was always my favorite. To me it's like the easiest subject. You learn a process, look at a problem, apply the process, and you're done. I like it much more than the wishy washy subjective world of humanities.

 

[Zebra]

It is stupid. Pathetic. And a flaw in the systemn as a whole. AS A WHOLE!

Order of operations should be fundamental.

The calculator is just trying to figure out what the user is trying to solve. It's up to the user to make it clear.

 

[Hieberrr]

Wait, how do you even get one as an answer?

If you multiply the 2 into (1+2). It's wrong, but yeah.. that's how you'd get 1.

 

[arit]

Wait, how do you even get one as an answer?

6/(2*(1+2)). All hail parentheses!

 

[Digishine]

Just signed up for Khad Academy. Gonna learn tomorrow Algebra. Gonna be a WTF or WHAT day tomorrow that's for sure..

 

[Alphahawk]

The worst text book I ever had was an algebra book that didn't feel the need to post operation signs. So you'd see something like this when it showed you examples

80
40
__
40

Obviously you can tell that that's subtraction but that's just an easy example you'd eventually get into five digit problems example problems that you would have to fuckin reverse engineer to even see what they were trying to do.

 

[The Lamp]

Algebra was easy. Calculus was HARD.

Calculus is only difficult if you're bad at trig/algebra, trig requiring a more visual understanding and algebra requiring a more logical process kind of understanding. They both come together in calculus, in my opinion

Anyway, I'm an engineer and about to finish up my differential equations class so I can answer any questions up to that....but cal 3 (multivariable calculus) was definitely my least favorite.

Fuck algebra and calculus. I hate math courses with equations for the sake of equations. I can't learn math unless it serves a "purpose". ={ Good thing that was 4 years ago

Well calculus/differential equations is the math with which the world is written....every physical phenomena is described with it...so it serves a purpose, it's just that you don't really learn it unless you take high level physics/chemistry/engineering courses

 

[Zebra]

Calculus is only difficult if you're bad at trig/algebra, trig requiring a more visual understanding and algebra requiring a more logical process kind of understanding. They both come together in calculus, in my opinion

Anyway, I'm an engineer and about to finish up my differential equations class so I can answer any questions up to that....but cal 3 (multivariable calculus) was definitely my least favorite.

Cal 3 has been an absolute breeze compared to Cal 2. Cal 2 destroyed me.

I'm taking diff eq this summer... how is it?

 

[Jinfash]

The one on the left is clearly wrong.

See I wasn't so sure until I ran it with google.

I was under the impression that parentheses take priority, leaving us with 6/2*3, and that multiplication takes priority over division. But apparently I was right on the first, wrong on the second. (you just calculate from left to right?)

 

[QuiteWhittle]

See I wasn't so sure until I ran it with google.

I was under the impression that parentheses take priority, leaving us with 6/2*3, and that multiplication takes priority over division. But apparently I was right on the first, wrong on the second. (you just calculate from left to right?)

Yes, division and multiplication only depend on what comes first.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

Math was always my favorite. To me it's like the easiest subject. You learn a process, look at a problem, apply the process, and you're done. I like it much more than the wishy washy subjective world of humanities.

the humanities only seem wishy-washy and subjective until you learn the algorithms necessary to get 90 - 100 in those classes as well.

 

[The Lamp]

Cal 3 has been an absolute breeze compared to Cal 2. Cal 2 destroyed me.

I'm taking diff eq this summer... how is it?

See I'm weird because I curb-stomped Cal 2, I just found it amazingly fun, but Cal 3 was just infuriating for me. Trying to figure out the right way to parametrize intersecting surfaces for surface integrals and Stokes' Theorem and blah blah blah. I hated it. Then again, my prof hadn't taught Cal 3 before and he was notorious for being difficult.

I've always heard if you like Cal 2 but hate Cal 3, you'll love differential equations, and if the opposite is true for you, you will hate differential equations. Because series come back, and partial fraction decomposition comes back, and improper integrals, etc. But it's probably best not to go into a class like that with preconceived notions.

Differential equations is all about solving problems involving a function, like y, and its order of derivatives, like y', y'', y''', etc. It's when math gets incredibly useful and applicable to science and engineering. I find it really interesting and refreshing, as it's very much "you have THIS kind of problem and THIS is how you can solve it. Always." Very step-by-step process. I'm loving it. It's really straightforward in my mind, unlike Cal 3 where it was kind of "choose your poison, and be careful" to me.

 

[QuiteWhittle]

Math was always my favorite. To me it's like the easiest subject. You learn a process, look at a problem, apply the process, and you're done.

The further you go in mathematics, the less objective it seems to become.

 

[leroidys]

The algebra books I used always seemed to be intuitive and helpful. Calculus textbooks on the other hand are fucking garbaaaage

 

[krameriffic]

I'm taking diff eq this summer... how is it?

Diffeq is piss easy. You'll get very bored of writing exponentials by the end of it. You'll do separation of variables, integrating factors, a whole lot of "guess the exponential" problems and then maybe some watered down Laplace Transform problems and some infinite series solutions.

Linear algebra tends to be the more abstract math course of the two required after calc 3 at most universities. It will probably have a heavier focus on proof writing and abstract thinking than diffeq.

 

[Poyunch]

Algebra is easy unlike calculus, which I can't comprehend. Thank god I'm in the art department; the highest level of required math was just Algebra and that was because the lower level class called "College Math" was full.

 

[The Lamp]

The algebra books I used always seemed to be intuitive and helpful. Calculus textbooks on the other hand are fucking garbaaaage

Everyone I know really likes my school's calculus textbook (covers all three semesters) and even I like it. And I usually hate math textbooks. I think it's well-organized and explained and has great homework questions. In case anyone's interested

 

[Count Dookkake]

18. I'm not from the US so I don't know.

Huh.

I was under the impression we had the worst education system in the developed world.

 

[thespot84]

See I'm weird because I curb-stomped Cal 2, I just found it amazingly fun, but Cal 3 was just infuriating for me. Trying to figure out the right way to parametrize intersecting surfaces for surface integrals and Stokes' Theorem and blah blah blah. I hated it. Then again, my prof hadn't taught Cal 3 before and he was notorious for being difficult.

I've always heard if you like Cal 2 but hate Cal 3, you'll love differential equations, and if the opposite is true for you, you will hate differential equations. Because series come back, and partial fraction decomposition comes back, and improper integrals, etc. But it's probably best not to go into a class like that with preconceived notions.

Differential equations is all about solving problems involving a function, like y, and its order of derivatives, like y', y'', y''', etc. It's when math gets incredibly useful and applicable to science and engineering. I find it really interesting and refreshing, as it's very much "you have THIS kind of problem and THIS is how you can solve it. Always." Very step-by-step process. I'm loving it. It's really straightforward in my mind, unlike Cal 3 where it was kind of "choose your poison, and be careful" to me.

Hm, i'm in the 'hated calc 2, loved calc 3' camp, but what you described about diffeq and the little we did in calc 2 made sense and I like it. At it's core is it basically solving for the arbitrary constant(s) produced by integrating up to your y(x) from y',y'' etc etc?

 

[leroidys]

Everyone I know really likes my school's calculus textbook (covers all three semesters) and even I like it. And I usually hate math textbooks. I think it's well-organized and explained and has great homework questions. In case anyone's interested

79 used from $4.49

Thanks, I think I will pick this up actually.

Professor's example: Derivative of x?

Homework problem: Derivative of ln((cos(x/2) + 5x^4 - e^1/3))

They do this on purpose though. This is supposed to show that any derivative is 'easy' to find, and that the mess of an equation ln((cos(x/2) + 5x^4 - e^1/3)) is simply the input that yields the output.

 

[Fou-Lu]

Algebra is amazing, it's so easy and non head exploding. Brain, why you no calculus!?!

Also, my favorite site for algebra refreshing is http://www.purplemath.com/

 

[Orayn]

It is stupid. Pathetic. And a flaw in the systemn as a whole. AS A WHOLE!

Order of operations should be fundamental.

It's actually a very simple ambiguity, though, and doesn't have that much to do with the order of operations. One calculator is seeing the division symbol as the separating a numerator and denominator, the other is reading it inline.

 

[Jarmel]

Dude I'm getting my ass stomped by Microeconomic Theory. Shit is ridiculous.

 

[backbreaker65]

That or I suck in mathematics. I bet it's the latter.

Anyone else who had a hard time with algebra/math on school?

Try the KhanAcademy on youtube its world famous and very very helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/user/khanacademy/featured

 

[Vaco6121]

Algebra no, but this is me learning discrete math.

"question 1 on induction...hmm not bad at all"

question 2 to 50 "WHAT THE FUUUUUCKKKKK JUST HAPPPENEDDDD".

How bad is discrete math? I am planning on taking it with pre-cal in the fall.

 

[Dead Man]

The calculator is just trying to figure out what the user is trying to solve. It's up to the user to make it clear.

It's actually a very simple ambiguity, though, and doesn't have that much to do with the order of operations. One calculator is seeing the division symbol as the separating a numerator and denominator, the other is reading it inline.

Get out of here with your reasonableness, both of you, I'm trying to rant!

/rantfailurerant

 

[Staccat0]

I don't know if it's a real thing, but I feel like I have dyslexia with numbers. I cannot keep numbers striaght at all and have to re-read a number several times to sometimes to "get" it. I can do math over and over and get a different answer every time because of this.

So basically, I'm terrible at all math. I'm not too bad at memorizing formulas though and did okay in geometry.

 

[Kyaw]

Been doing Differentiation and Integration. I don't really find it that hard at all. I actually like it. I hate binomial expansion though. It's just tedious as fuck.
It's just practice... being Asian helps, I guess. :l

Maybe it'll get a lot harder when there are other stuff in the differential and integral equations than just letters and numbers. (Finished C2 in UK Sixth Form)

 

[Tacitus_]

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=x*132=4+18+solve+for+x

Use wolfram alpha and then hit show steps. It isn't until calculus that you learn how to do algebra. It isn't until diffy eqn that you learn your calculus. blah blah blah.

x*132=4+18 solve for x

x*132 = 4+18 --> x*132 = 22 --> x = 22/132 --> x ~= 0.1666...

ez

 

[xk0sm0sx]

To be honest, I don't really see much difficulty in Algebra as there are pretty much nothing much to memorize, compared to Calculus which was extremely hard for me as I didn't take Calculus back in grade school

Until I encountered the beast called Linear Algebra, and the lessons were blowing everyone's minds as we see how maths is utilized in real life (the lecturer is very good in that sense)... I think for the first time I enjoyed learning maths

So sad that now studying Calculus and this new lecturer doesn't even link her homework to the standard of questions she throws out in exams...