I just realized I suck at Algebra. Actually, it's more like I've just admitted it. Throughout high school AP Chem, Physics and Calculus courses, I had some troubles. Usually, I understood the concepts being presented with no difficulty.
However, I absolutely dreaded problems sets and exams.. not because I didnt understand them, but because they required doing algebra. I usually thought they were busywork and didn't do them. I did fine on the tests nonetheless. Eventually I made the mistake of buying a TI-89, which made me even lazier with its solve function.
Don't get me wrong..... it's not that I can't follow algebra when its being demonstrated by a teacher or a textbook. It's just that when its on ME to figure out which operation to perform on which term, I suck.
After taking a intro econ class in which most of my errors were algebraic, I think it's finally hit me that algebra isn't going away. Especially because I love the subjects that make use of algebra. I just don't like algebra. I don't want to not take classes because I'm afraid I'll divide out a 'y' before subtracting an 'x'.
I've decided I want to improve, but don't really know how. My college doesn't have any math classes "below" calc, and I'm not sure just reading my old 8th grade textbook is going to do me any good.
I really want to learn. I find solving problems RIGHT and EFFICIENTLY invigorating. My favorite memories of high school were probably my physics teacher working his elegant magic on the whiteboard, manipulating variables and equations just right.
So what should I do?
However, I absolutely dreaded problems sets and exams.. not because I didnt understand them, but because they required doing algebra. I usually thought they were busywork and didn't do them. I did fine on the tests nonetheless. Eventually I made the mistake of buying a TI-89, which made me even lazier with its solve function.
Don't get me wrong..... it's not that I can't follow algebra when its being demonstrated by a teacher or a textbook. It's just that when its on ME to figure out which operation to perform on which term, I suck.
After taking a intro econ class in which most of my errors were algebraic, I think it's finally hit me that algebra isn't going away. Especially because I love the subjects that make use of algebra. I just don't like algebra. I don't want to not take classes because I'm afraid I'll divide out a 'y' before subtracting an 'x'.
I've decided I want to improve, but don't really know how. My college doesn't have any math classes "below" calc, and I'm not sure just reading my old 8th grade textbook is going to do me any good.
I really want to learn. I find solving problems RIGHT and EFFICIENTLY invigorating. My favorite memories of high school were probably my physics teacher working his elegant magic on the whiteboard, manipulating variables and equations just right.
So what should I do?
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