But if we can't figure it out in school, we flunk!

I too have never been subjected to the peril of such math. I actually never even took Algebra or any of it's evil relatives. I managed basic math and have never had to worry otherwise. I home school my kids now, and when I run across math that I do not know I make it a point to learn it. When I am no longer able to do this I will hire a tutor.

I started learning algebra back in 1997, but I had to stop because of circumstances involving my homelessness at the time. However, it was actually much easier than I assumed it would be

Glad you're not homeless now! That's a rough thing. I had my stretch of being homeless back in high school. I find that at this stage I am more able to understand math. I am guessing brain maturity has something to do with it. I am hoping it won't be as difficult as I think.

LOL

lol

Grampa, Jethro and Ellie Mae??

LOL!

Save your money. Countless free internet aides that are suitable for all types of learning.

Yep. There are. I use quite a bit of free online resources as it is. However, if it gets into math that is so hairy that I cannot possibly untangle it, or that my kids can't using these free online resources there will need to be something to fall back on.

Fair enough.

I'm an electrical engineer, and the formulas i use on a daily basis I learned in the first year of my schooling. I could have stopped after that and still had the same useful knowledge for my career as I have now...come on schools!

My question is, WHY THE HECK do they even teach it??

Who started it as a basic math curriculum, and why??

Only thing I can figure is that it prepares you for more advanced courses. I had an interesting conversation with I think it was OlympianProduct (I'll have to look now) about schools offering courses like that as electives. Thing is, had I not taken what I did, and I surely would not have if given the choice at the time, I would have never qualified for getting into engineering school and I would not have had the opportunities I've had so far in my career. Real life application though...yeah, very little for most people.

Well, I hope it's worked out for you. Mr Spock can be heard saying, "Live long and PROSPER"

Much of the rest of it though....

Of all of them, geometry has the most practical use for most people, and some algebra.

Same here, except I'm 41.

well, really the first step is "multiplcation" or "times tables", but i agree.