Re: Don't Call It "Algebra"; Call It Something Warm And Fuzzy

In article <486f7172.10114750@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Way Back Jack <Relaxin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:


>COMMENT: Yeah, that's the ticket, call it "Yomomma," or "Slam Dunk."
>That should create interest in the dumbed-down set.
>___________

>Would name change help algebra students?
>Posted by Dave Murray | The Grand Rapids Press July 03, 2008 11:09AM

>As Shakespeare wrote, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

>But would Algebra 2 be as difficult if it were called something else?

>State Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, recently told a gathering of Kent
>County school board members that he believes more students would pass
>the upper-level math course if it were called something less scary.

>His theory is that students have convinced themselves that algebra is
>too difficult and that they throw in the towel before giving it a
>chance.

Students have not convinced themselves of this; teachers
who do not understand algebra, and this includes most
algebra teachers and an even higher pro****tion of elementary
school teachers, think it is difficult.

The following includes essentially all of algebra, except
for technical terms not used at the high school level:

	A variable is a tem****ary name for something,
	which must maintain its meaning in a given context.

	The same operation performed on equal entities
	yields equal results.

Now of course there is practice involved, and illustration
but the above can be taught to those who can just read and
write symbols.  Translating word problems just uses the 
first of these; do not stint on the number of variables 
used.  The great bulk of texts start out insisting on the
use of one variable only; this is a major crime in achieving
any understanding.
-- 
This address is for information only.  I do not claim that these views
are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University.
Herman Rubin, Department of Statistics, Purdue University
hrubin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
         Phone: (765)494-6054   FAX: (765)494-0558