Get Algebra Help to Learn How to Successfully Solve Algebra Problems
Here's some real algebra help for parents to understand what your child is achieving in his algebra class!
From the student's perspective, solving algebra problems means doing "math with letters," meaning math that uses variables (represented by letters) as well as numbers.
What it really means, however, is using step-by-step techniques. So this is the course where students study step- by-step techniques for using mathematics to solve algebra problems.
A very simple example might be:
If my car gets 24 MPG on the highway and gas costs $4 per gallon, how much will I spend on gas on a roundtip to New York, 200 miles away?
Overview of Course Content
In the first part of the year, the student will review and practice with the rules or properties for working with numbers and variables.
For example, that when you multiply two negative numbers, you get a positive number.
Often the reason your child will need algebra help later in the year will be due to a lack of mastery in these rules and properties of numbers.
The rest of the curriculum is a combination of techniques, meaning special methods for setting up or working with algebraic expressions and equations and applications.
By applications, we mean the uses of algebraic methods to solve algebra problems. These are the word problems, the true focus of the course, but from the student's perspective, usually the most daunting.
Algebra Help Resources for Outside the Classroom
If the homework gets too hard for your student (and you) to complete in a reasonable amount of time, extra help may be necessary. Its very important for your child "get the hang" of algebraic thought and develop strong concentration techniques now, when those concepts are still relatively simple and concrete.
Here is a handy web-resource for finding the needed formulas when completing homework.
Investing in math skills enrichment, like the courses offered by Kumon (pronounced koo-Mohn), an after-school program or a private tutor may be well worth the time and money you'll spend.
(By the way, many parents are not really certain why their child needs to learn math at all. If you can't confidently answer that question, please read my article Why Your Child Needs a Good High School Math Education.)
Conversely, it's also very important, as the consumer of public math education, to be aware of the pitfalls of American Math Education, the problems may be at least partially to blame if your child is struggling in his math classes.
Key topics in good Algebra course will include
- Course Introduction. Variables, grouping symbols, equations, translating into algebra and problem solving, number lines, opposites and absolute value.
- Working with Real Numbers: properties; four arithmetic operations.
- Solving Equations and Problems: solving equations with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or more than one operation; solving equations with the variable on both sides of the equation; word problems.
- Polynomials: exponents; addition, subtraction and multiplication of polynomials; problem solving with polynomials.
- Factoring Polynomials: monomial factoring; factoring quadratic trinomials; solving equations by factoring; problem solving with factoring.
- Algebraic Fractions: four arithmetic operations; polynomial division.
- Applying Fractions: ratios and proportions; fractional equations; percent problems; further problem solving; negative exponents and scientific notation.
- Introduction to Functions: equations in two variables; ordered pairs, lines and graphs; slope; slope-intercept form; relations and functions; determining the equation of a line; functions; direct and inverse variation.
- Systems of Linear Equations: graphing systems of equations; substitution; linear combinations; using two variables to solve problems.
- Inequalities: solving inequalities and problems involving inequalities; combined inequalities and absolute value; linear inequalities.
- Rational and Irrational Numbers: properties of rational numbers; decimal form; rational square roots; irrational square roots; square roots of variable expressions; all operations with radicals; solving radical equations.
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