First... If a sentence ends with "but they were stopped by mathematics"... then we're talking about someone who maybe should not reach their goal?

Second... it's algebra. No one is requiring people learn multi-variable calculus. At its root, algebra is one of the foundations of logic itself. An inability to understand algebra seriously brings into question whether that individual can understand the most basic tenets of logical structure.

You do realize that this basic logic will be lost on the author and a good portion of those who agree with her, right?

Just in case anyone who failed algebra was wondering... did it in my head.

Math makes the world go round.... kids really should learn algebra.

The article says 20 percent of kids fail to graduate... pretty sure if that number is true, it doesn't have anything to do with algebra.

It doesn't just "come in handy".

Basic algebra uses many of the same concepts as many of the classical logic statements.

If a student is having trouble understanding these equations when in an algebra class, there is no reason to think they understand the fundamental logic statements when presented in a non-mathematical environment.

We're not just talking "dumb". We're talking about people who you literally are unable to reason with.

FIFY cuz I'm good wif words, not so good wif numbers

A lack of algebra creates democrats. Figures.

Or trump supporters?

Or Cruz supporters?

Pick your personal favorite political group pinata.... without actual data showing whatever group you hate the most has a higher incidence of failing algebra, you're no different than the group you're claiming superiority over.

ax^2 + bx + c = 0

Should be easy enough, I'm sure we've all passed algebra :)

let Drafter figure it out for himself

Care to elaborate on "classical logic statements"?

While I agree with you that algebra is important, I disagree that everyone needs to learn it at the level at which it is taught. I remember spending hours solving crazy equations that simply have no use. I think using real world examples would simplify the equations and promote interest and understanding. Like, our national debt is 19 trillion, at an interest rate of 3%, how many years until we are fu*ked. Or here is the equation for the trend in global temperatures, how long until Florida is fu*ked.

I do not understand how one can learn statistics without algebra. A normal distribution is an algebraic equation. What are you gonna learn in statistics without a normal distribution?

Well, no we all haven't. Never had a class of it when I was in school, so I don't know how to calculate those equations. It was not a requirement to graduate.

Does that make me dumb?

play the old "don't ask, don't tell" card.

It's cool.

HA!

Answer is the quadratic formula: which I can't fully type out due to the limitations of my tablet not having a plus/minus key nor a square root representation.

Napalm, if you're curious about the answer, it's easy to find on the net;)

If you're curious about the technique you need to use, search for "Completing the Square".

Frank's right, you must be old 'n stuff (I might have misinterpreted that).