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Political Science Prof Asks: Is Algebra Necessary?

Posted by samzenpus on from the no-math-for-you dept.

Capt.Albatross writes "Andrew Hacker, a professor of Political Science at the City University of New York and author of Higher Education? How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids — and What We Can Do About It, attempts to answer this question in the negative in today's New York Times Sunday Review. His primary claim is that mathematics requirements are prematurely and unreasonably limiting the level of education available to otherwise capable students ."

1 of 1,010 comments (clear)

  1. Re:yes by fean · · Score: 5, Informative

    If I have $50, and I have to buy lunch every work day for two weeks, how much can I spend on average?
    X = $50 / (2 weeks * 5 days)
    X = $50 / 10
    X = $5

    This is a hard question for people who don't know algebra. Those who DO know algebra do most of the math in their head because it's so ingrained.

    The fact that you don't realize you're using algebra every day should be taken as how vital it is to teach it.