My 13 year old brother is getting an “F” in algebra so our mother decided I should talk to him and he asked me how algebra would help him in his adult life and I just looked at him and tried to change the subject because I did not have an answer so I am sure that this will come up again in the very near future, so what do I tell him? Unfortunately I took all the easy math courses so when I go to Community College, algebra will be waiting for me. I am kind of curious my self after school, College included will I or my brother ever encounter algebra in the real world.
I should add we both know simple algebra very well such as what does X+2= if X=10 the answer is 12. I am well aware that simple algebra like that comes up often in real life but a lot of what I see in the textbooks seems to be a waste.
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The reason one should learn algebra is because nowadays you pretty much can’t get a college degree without passing at least one more algebra class.
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The reason one should learn algebra is so one does not look like a dumbass when one’s child comes up to one one day and asks for help with her algebra homework.
Beyond that, I’ve never found a practical use for most of it.
I’ve often used simple algebraic equations in real life, to find an unknown quantity when I know the value of a couple of others. OK, one may not need quadratics in everyday life, but problems that can be solved by simultaneous equations crop up all the time.
If nothing else it will prepare him better for college. It sucks, but a large amount of stuff in college is just learning stuff that you may never need in the real world. I know a fair amount about the “War Poets” (poets who wrote about their experiences in WWII) that has no relevenve to my career as a Java programmer. However, I think it makes me a generally more well-rounded person and made me at least appreciate previous generations and other disciplines. A CS major and an English minor is an interesting experience.
As far as the real world, I can’t say I use algebra much, if at all. If I were a video-game designer, I would probably use it a lot, as well as geometry and such. Anything is statistics would require a lot of it. In your defense, if you don’t like it now and struggle with it, you’re not going to get into those fields. But the bottom line is that you’re expected to learn and know it to get your degree, and there’s not a hell of a lot you can do about it. I think the value of a degree to an employer is not so much what you did learn, but that you have proven that you can learn the wide array of things that you were asked to, no matter how unimportant they seemed to you at the time. This proves to the employer that, if they ask you to assume duties that are out of your realm of knowledge, you can get up to speed and do it. A properly programmed computer can do a rote series of tasks, a degreed person can be counted on to overcome new challenges.
That seems to be the theory, at least. I’ll admit I struggled a lot with calculus and some other things, not to mention classes like history and music appreciation (memorize compusers and music styles, blady freakin blah). Just par for the course.
I have $5.15 in cash. The thing I want to buy costs $8.07. How much extra money do I need to buy the thing I want?
X = extra money I need
$5.15 + X = $8.07
X = $8.07 - $5.15
X = $2.92
That’s a pretty common everyday use of algebra.
But why tell him that? People who don’t know how to manipulate symbols make easy prey for those who do.
Algebra teaches logic, critical thinking and problem solving skills. These are abilities useful to all people regardless of their chosen profession. And it just may be that your brother decides to become a physicist 
Almost all higher maths uses algebra. Ditto physics. Things like calculating distance / speed / time - “How long will it take us to get to the airport to go on holiday?” - whether that ladder you’ve placed against the wall is going to be safe, how low a chain hung between two points will hang (catenary). How about cooking? “You’re cooking a meal for 10 people, the recipe says 3…”
I use algebra in a similar way toLibertarian’s example… namely when I want to figure out how to end up with a certain average (such as a bowling average)
Like this: My average is 104 and I want to know what I’d have to score to bring my average up to 105. So, if I’ve bowled 4 games that night I use the equation (104+X)/5=105 and then solve for X…
Also, understanding basic algebra allows you to understand and calculate statistics which come in handy every once in a while…
I wasn’t great at Algebra in HS, I managed a B average in my courses, but I look at it like the various gadgets I carry on my keychain. I may only need them once in a while, but when I need one I’m glad I have it with me.
You can get by without Algebra like you can get by without most things but people who have studied and have knowledge do better in lifge than those who don’t. Studying Algebra, means you will have that tool available and you will find uses for it. I certainly do. All the time.
If you plan on using money in the future you will find algebra useful. For instance, suppose I buy product or service X (electricity, phone, whatever). The price is $0.10 per unit and the supplier offers several plans. I can sign up for plan A which gives me 100 units for $6.00 and $0.12/unit beyond that. which plan should I use depending on my usage? I can answer easily. Can you? If you can’t you’ll be paying more than you need to. Which is not good for you but it is good for me because you are subsidizing my service.
I am always amazed by how lazy people are about using their brains. They will get a loan or mortgage where they will pay thousands of dollars more than they need to. They will work many hours at their jobs to pay for this rather than work with their brains to get the best mortgage.
A lot of computer programming is based on algebraic logic.
Also, if you ever expect to work in an office and make budgets, using a spreadsheet is very helpful. And you need to know algebra to use spreadsheets/
FV=PV(1+i)^N
Time Vaue of Money may come in handy.
Future Value - FV
Present Value - PV
i - Interest Rate Per Period
N - Number of Compounding Periods
If your brother has any interest in engineering disciplines, algebra is useful straight out of the box. Almost all engineering knowledge is expressed in equations, thing F=ma or E=mcc for physics, V=IR for electronics, chemical equation balancing, CAD drawing and drafting for mechanical engineering, and anything even remotely graphical in computer programming. You’ll need algebra just to get your foot in the door.
The financial disciplines, as a couple of folks pointed out, use algebra directly, usually for time-value and other change-over-time sorts of calculations. Heck, a few years ago I was a part-year resident of two states, so when it came time to just fill out my tax forms I had a whole bunch of algebra just to figure out who got what. They didn’t ever use the word “algebra” in the instructions, but then, they took eight pages to explain what was basically a simple equation in order to avoid it.
Otherwise, I think qts hit it pretty much on the head: I’ve never had to complete the square (or factor a polynomial in general) for anything other than a textbook algebra problem, but algebra is, again, a building block to calculus, and calculus is the only easy way to solve many, many problems that arise in daily life.
However, you might consider taking a risk and trying a different approach altogether: the “get your act together” route of attacking self-worth:
Compared to practically any intellectual exercise that college, business, engineering, or life in general will present over the next few years, algebra is easy. Almost everyone who has completed even a community-college level degree has successfully learned it, at least well enough to pass a class. If your brother can’t learn to learn something for it’s own sake, and needs to have topical examples spoon-fed to him, he’s going to fail at roughly everything; this is just the first case of many. He doesn’t think algebra is useful? Fine. But learn it anyway, because unless he has a learning disability that probably wouldn’t have remained hidden to age 13, he can do it. He’s either choosing not to, (and choosing not to learn is a very, very dangerous precedent to be setting at that age), or there’s something wrong with the pedegogical technique being used (in which case he needs to take responsibility for his own learning and get a book – it’s not the last time it will happen).
(I have the same problem with people who claim they can do math as long as it’s not “word problems.” Effectively, that’s a claim that they’ll learn something only so long as all abstraction from the real world is done for them – it’s lazy. Word problems are the only way the universe presents its questions; getting them to equations is what makes us able to answer them, and is the critical skill.)
You know him, though, and you’ll have to evaluate for yourself whether the rather accusatory method above will challenge him or make him dig in his heels. Lucky for you, it’s only his entire life if you make a mistake :eek:
That would be called “subtraction”. 
I use it from time to time for ratio and proportion, i.e., 10 lbs are to $2.50 as x lbs are to $12.00. This can be applied to almost any line of work.
Go here http://www.1728.com/puzzle.htm
and look at the puzzles. Some of these use trigonometry or geometry but I would say puzzle #5 and #6 are real world algebra problems.
And I’d definitely agree with Boyo that using electronic spreadsheets (which are VERY prevalent in today’s workpalce) requires abstract thinking of the type that algebra provides.
Also, to make a vaguely valid analogy, you must have seen football players in practice running through old tires laid on the ground. What is the “real world application” for this? Technically - nothing. There are no tires on a football field through which a player must run. Still, it is done to improve agility, strength, etc. So, as you can see, just as you may never have any real life need to solve for 3 unknowns, or any necessity to run in and out of tires, the training enhances skills which are needed in real life.
My website (all free - no login) might be of some help.
www.1728.com
It has algebra, geometry, trig etc calculators. It would be worthwhile to visit. (IMHO)
I honestly don’t think the actual algorithms taught in most (high school) algebra classes are of any major use in the real world outside the sciences. And this from a mathematician who’s supposed to push the party line.
What it teaches, more importantly, is logical reasoning and problem solving skills.
It’ll teach him the most valuable lesson you learn in school: There’s a lot of stupid, useless crap you have to suffer through to get what you want.
I use it every day at work in a medical lab. Dilutions, concentrations, etc, etc, etc. I have a calculator on me all the time to whip out some quick calculations. On a nearly daily basis, I have to figure out the concentration of a DNA sample I’m testing, then figure out what volume of it I need to use for my reaction, then calculate the volume of the probes and primers and buffers and whatnot I need to add, all at different concentrations. I couldn’t get through a day without algebra.
Can you imagine the hue and cry that would rise if, instead of algebra, they made the kids take several semesters of formal logic!