I Need A Nerd

[Not A Mallard]

[quote name='InPersonaChriste' timestamp='1333949964' post='2414677']
I use a lot of Khan Academy
[/quote]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvrI3wy_TGk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvrI3wy_TGk[/url]

















Couldn't resist :D

[AnneLine]

Yes! Make it so!!!!

[Deus te Amat]

Question: How are you expecting people on here to help you if you won't read their written responses? I can't exactly "show" you from states away, and AnneLine did a fabulous job explaining in the simplest terms.

Again, I'm willing to help, but I'm not sure you can get the help you need/expect from a text based internet forum...

Edited April 9, 2012 by Deus_te_Amat

[Deus te Amat]

Basically, Algebra is all about solving for the unknown quantity. You have a certain amount of information -- everything you actually need to solve the problem -- and you follow the most logical sequence of events to find the answer. Instead of solving the problem directly, you start with the solution and solve backwards.

Does that make sense?

[Deus te Amat]

Okay. Tell me how you would approach this problem.

Solve for x.
6x+4=16.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='brianthephysicist' timestamp='1333999272' post='2415030']
AnneLine, you're amazing. I wish I wasn't out of props. Futurepriest, she gave some amazing advice, listen to her.


FP I agree with the hands on approach 100%. I can't learn or explain anything without the hands on element. If your mom isn't able to help you, it might be worth it to go to private tutoring, something like sylvan or paying a high schooler/undergraduate.

If that isn't an option, my friend spent some time doing online tutoring. It's pretty much like skype-ing with a tutor, but it's got a built in math feature that allows for both typed in math as well as a simple doodle feature to scribble out (either with your mouse or with one of those specialized stylus pads) exactly what you mean.






Just remember with all of this, everyone's got their own strengths and weaknesses. As my name suggests, I'm pretty good at math, but what usually bites me in the butt is that I'm a terrible writer (...says the man dating a journalist???? ). It's honestly a problem for me to express myself in written word. I have a thought and I can't get it to paper, or if I can it takes me significantly longer than it ever should.

Even posting on this forum is difficult for me. Anything more than a silly picture or simple retort and I'll spend 30+ minutes trying to type a response before I just get fed up and don't bother saying anything. It's suffocating. I've been at this post for over an hour and I'm past fed up but I haven't walked away because I NEED to tell you to keep at it. I'm pretty sure I've lost my coherence but I don't care anymore. The basic idea is that nobody's superman. We've all got things we're terrible at. And that's OKAY. We all work through this life at our own pace
[/quote]

Thanks for the advice. Either of my parents have to be able to help me with this, because unfortunately we cannot afford any tutoring at the moment. Thanks to our town spending an unheard amount of money taxes are so high (Sounds like they need the math classes more than I do!). I would feel bad if I asked my dad to spend more money just because I can't comprehend what should be simple.

Again, thank you for the advice. I will most certainly work on this and not panic. Panic only makes things worse. I always keep my razzle dazzle under stressful situations. I never panic. However, when it comes to my vocation it gets pretty touchy.

[4588686]

[quote name='FuturePriest387' timestamp='1334011297' post='2415141']
Thanks for the advice. Either of my parents have to be able to help me with this, because unfortunately we cannot afford any tutoring at the moment. Thanks to our town spending an unheard amount of money taxes are so high (Sounds like they need the math classes more than I do!). I would feel bad if I asked my dad to spend more money just because I can't comprehend what should be simple.

Again, thank you for the advice. I will most certainly work on this and not panic. Panic only makes things worse. I always keep my razzle dazzle under stressful situations. I never panic. However, when it comes to my vocation it gets pretty touchy.
[/quote]

You could talk to the local public school to see if maybe you could sit in on classes or come by when many classes do extra help sessions after school.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='Deus_te_Amat' timestamp='1334006655' post='2415094']
Question: How are you expecting people on here to help you if you won't read their written responses? I can't exactly "show" you from states away, and AnneLine did a fabulous job explaining in the simplest terms.

Again, I'm willing to help, but I'm not sure you can get the help you need/expect from a text based internet forum...
[/quote]

I actually wasn't. As I stated in the first post, I do not read algebra very well, I need someone to show me what they mean. I simply wanted to vent to somebody for a moment. However, I do appreciate the help and moral support.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='Hasan' timestamp='1334011577' post='2415144']
You could talk to the local public school to see if maybe you could sit in on classes or come by when many classes do extra help sessions after school.
[/quote]

I heard our students have the lowest testing scores in the entire state. I trust these teachers and their teaching abilities about as far as I can throw them, and I'm a lower-body strength kind of guy, so that isn't very far.

[4588686]

[quote name='FuturePriest387' timestamp='1334011728' post='2415146']
I heard our students have the lowest testing scores in the entire state. I trust these teachers and their teaching abilities about as far as I can throw them, and I'm a lower-body strength kind of guy, so that isn't very far.
[/quote]

Ok. Look. I'm not trying to be mean I just am trying to encourage you to view this was a different perspective. You should have learned this math several years ago. When you were like 12-13. Right now you are 15. Most kids [i]finish[/i] their algebra (minus what you learn in pre-calc. I'm just talking about what you will need to know according to the GED) around 15-16. So that means you're learning 2-3 grades worth of math in less than a year. That is doable. But it's a lot to teach yourself, particularly when you're already behind. Rather than deciding before hand who is and isn't good enough to teach you (a lot goes into school ranking that is beyond the control of the teachers) you should really be perusing this from a multitude of angles. My point is that you're really not in a good position to be imperious. Maybe the public schools can't help you. But you're really not out anything by trying and it seems like you really need some outside help (as everyone does). If you live near a college then you should look into student groups that focus on tutoring. If you live near a community college you should look at what you can find there as well. A lot of schools have 'math labs' where students come by and get help from grad students. I'd just look into all of these things. Khan is great and there are many people here who really want to help you but teaching yourself high school Algebra when you don't even have a grasp of middle school algebra is a tall order and I'd really encourage you to peruse all possible aids.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='Hasan' timestamp='1334012802' post='2415154']
Ok. Look. I'm not trying to be mean I just am trying to encourage you to view this was a different perspective. You should have learned this math several years ago. When you were like 12-13. Right now you are 15. Most kids [i]finish[/i] their algebra (minus what you learn in pre-calc. I'm just talking about what you will need to know according to the GED) around 15-16. So that means you're learning 2-3 grades worth of math in less than a year. That is doable. But it's a lot to teach yourself, particularly when you're already behind. Rather than deciding before hand who is and isn't good enough to teach you (a lot goes into school ranking that is beyond the control of the teachers) you should really be perusing this from a multitude of angles. My point is that you're really not in a good position to be imperious. Maybe the public schools can't help you. But you're really not out anything by trying and it seems like you really need some outside help (as everyone does). If you live near a college then you should look into student groups that focus on tutoring. If you live near a community college you should look at what you can find there as well. A lot of schools have 'math labs' where students come by and get help from grad students. I'd just look into all of these things. Khan is great and there are many people here who really want to help you but teaching yourself high school Algebra when you don't even have a grasp of middle school algebra is a tall order and I'd really encourage you to peruse all possible aids.
[/quote]

I want to look into all possible aids, but I'm honestly not sure if any of these things are even an option for me. How would I go about speaking to graduate students about algebra? There has to be a simpler way. I'm getting ready to ask my dad for help, and hopefully he can make sense of all this.

You mention me trying to teach myself high school algebra. Is there even such a thing as middle-school algebra? I never saw any on the site. I just figured the algebra I was learning was the starting point.

[4588686]

[quote name='FuturePriest387' timestamp='1334013154' post='2415157']
I want to look into all possible aids, but I'm honestly not sure if any of these things are even an option for me. How would I go about speaking to graduate students about algebra? There has to be a simpler way. I'm getting ready to ask my dad for help, and hopefully he can make sense of all this.

You mention me trying to teach myself high school algebra. Is there even such a thing as middle-school algebra? I never saw any on the site. I just figured the algebra I was learning was the starting point.
[/quote]

Well first of all, I felt like that was somewhat too blunt. I was going to edit it to mention more that your feat is certainly possible but my laptop froze up. Most middle-schoolers learn very basic algebra. At least my middle school did. Basic things like solving simple equations. I would begin by looking up HS teachers on the website of your local HS and emailing them to explain your situation and ask if they can aid you or point you to where you might be able to get some aid. If that doesn;t work or the teachers really are of very poor quality then I'd look to higher education.

[Winchester]

Dear Priest of the Future,

Just become a longshoreman, which is a manly job that doesn't require stupid stuff like algebra. Or a lumberjack. That's okay.


You're welcome,

Winchester

[4588686]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1334014327' post='2415164']
Dear Priest of the Future,

Just become a longshoreman, which is a manly job that doesn't require stupid stuff like algebra. Or a lumberjack. That's okay.


You're welcome,

Winchester
[/quote]

Why can't you ever build people up rather than tearing them down????

[Maggyie]

If you can't afford private tutoring and your parents can't help then pleeeease consider going to the public school and asking for help. That is what public school is for - it is supposed to be a free and effective alternative. It doesn't mean you have to graduate from the local high school. It means you might need to enroll temporarily to get the training you need.

Math is the kinda thing where you can't learn it just from somebody else who happens to be really good at math. You have to learn it from someone who is good at it and is good at *teaching* it too. Whole different barrel of monkeys.