So guess who regrets not paying attention to middle/high school algebra classes?


Anyways one of my modules for the year is 'Essential mathematics for economic analysis' - supposedly basic shit but as some one who doesn't understand the language of algebra I find it quit difficult. Half our class are asians who master calculus the other half not so good

Our lecturer goes pretty quickly through the book so its pretty much impossible to keep up when you hardly understand the basics.


Next year it's going to get much, much more difficult so I need to get back on track as soon as possible.




The thing is I'm actually really good with numbers. If I know what I have to add up, I'll do it, really fast. In elementary school our class had a maths fanatic of a teacher who gave us weekly maths test where we had to do 100 problems as fast as we could (multiplication times table 1-10) and I'd finish first (around 2 minute mark) with 100/100 each time (1.2seconds/problem)

even though I barely made it through high school maths when ever the teacher went through problems on the board that required him to bring up his calculator I'd do it in my head before he types it in etc.. but I can't find that fucking X.




Example from our textbook (business school maths):



Solve the following equation for x:

1 1
-- + -- = 2
ax bx

^

No idea what they want me to find out..

Or this shit:

simplify this:

18b² a
----------- - ------- + 2
a² - 9b² a + 3b

This post was edited by MGS4BestGameEverMade on Sep 14 2014 05:43pm

a and b are just constants. they want you to put x on one side of the equation, and everything else on the other side.

step 1: common denominator
step 2: move x to one side

Neat. So that 1 out 100 rules of algebra noted


any suggestions for what I can do at home / my spare time? any online courses for example? Videos? Youtube channels? blogs? Articles?

This post was edited by MGS4BestGameEverMade on Sep 14 2014 06:09pm

we'll start with the first problem. what part of it is causing you a problem? the fractions, fractions with different denominators, the constants with letters (a, b), the x?

suppose we removed the constants {a, b} and used numbers instead. can you solve it now?



or suppose we got rid of the fractions with different denominators. can you solve it now?


bx + ax
------------ = 2
abx^2

or suppose we got rid of fractions altogether, can you solve it now?

bx + ax = 2abx^2

or, combining everything above, can you solve it now?
4x + 3x = 2*3*4*x^2

if you can explain which step is causing your problems, it can help narrow down where you need to practice.