23/100: The quadratic formula

[melluransa]

I haven't done algebra like this for years, but I had to do some recently and I became reacquainted with this little guy. He doesn't look like much, but he helped me so much in my life.



I learned how to use the quadratic formula in Algebra 2, and I was pretty good at algebra. Me and little QF here became good friends. Later on, I took some general education classes online at the community college I went to. QF saved my butt there, because they wanted me to factor polynomials. Why waste that time factoring polynomials when you can just plug values into QF and get the results so much quicker!? Since the class was online, the teacher had no clue I wasn't factoring out the polynomials, and I was just using good old QF. Teehee!

Recently, I reviewed some algebra and saw my old friend QF. It was nice to see him again.

If I could get math tattooed on my body, it would be the quadratic formula. Thank you, QF! You made my math experience a little bit awesome.

Comments

[th-tinie.livejournal.com]

The times I have been able to get into doing maths, I have been pretty good at it. I am not able to concentrate well enough to just do it easily, but I seem to have some kind of intuitive way of understanding it. I love it when it works... it's kind of sexy with people who are good at math! I love brains <333

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

The intuition is what matters! The past few days, I finally understood some of the wackier concepts of percentages, such as percentage increases and decreases, discounts and wholesale/retail prices, and percentages greater than 100%. I never understood these until a few days ago, and it helped me so much when I actually set out to solve some of these percentage problems.

Brains are sexy, for sure. It's great when you are in problem-solving mode, or you see someone else is. Brain power!

[zeph317toho.livejournal.com]

:O

I feel like I must have once known how to use this properly and studied all these math-type things, but it's been so many eons ago that it's all become gibberish.

:O

Math scares me.

But I'm really glad that you know how to do it! <3

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

Hey, don't misunderstand. I make no claims to actually understand how math works. I just use formulas and all that with the intent of passing the test or whatever. It's gibberish to me too, but I have strategies and procedures to tackle the gibberish... and make it into gibberish that's organized another way. It's really all so silly.

I'm glad too! I have really good feelings about that test, as I told you in my very lengthy email that night. :)

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

o.O

*doesn't understand a thing*

See... If you are dyslectic, you can't read... well, I have the same problem. With numbers and math. *sigh*

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

*shows it to peting73 who is an engineer* Reaction: "OH I know that. That's easy!"

Me: *head-desk*

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

It actually is easy! It's mid-level algebra. I've never even attempted more difficult levels of maths. O_O Calculus. Geometry. *flees*

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Considering I don't even understand what algebra IS...

In Sweden math is split up in various courses. I JUST managed the basic course in math during upper secondary school/high school. I had to beg for my medium grade... Not joking. I just don't understand numbers. At all. They don't make sense in my mind. I manage house-hold math. But that's about it.

peting73 on the other hand, well... He took all the courses in math he could during secondery school/high school... AND during university to! o.O I've seen his formula books... Thick as Return of the King... They haunt my nightmares. Seriously.

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

O_O What thick math books! I]

It's organized the same way here too. Numbers are a difficult concept. For me, the hardest are percentages and probability. Yes, I can solve those problems and get an answer... but do I understand what I just did? No.... Sadly, I don't. *sigh*

Algebra is taking letters like x and y and arranging them a lot of different ways by a lot of different rules. X and y usually have a relationship to each other that you have to identify or prove... x can be equal to y (x=y), or greater to or less than. (x>y, x<y). It gets a lot more complicated than just x and y, and they usually add in practically the whole alphabet to make it harder. XD It makes you think a different way, which is what makes it so hard! You have to learn a whole new system of thinking.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

*stares* *don't understand* *stares* *still don't understand*

Can you take that again in english or swedish? Because I think you just wrote in greek....

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

Kathy wants to be the best and biggest superstar ever. But Mary might be more famous. Kathy wants to know how big and famous Mary is, so that maybe Kathy can be that big and famous too.

Now just replace Kathy with X and Mary with Y. There are literally no numbers involved with a lot of algebra. Does that help a little bit? X-D

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Ehr...

o.O

No. I have no idea what you are talking about! X-D

But that is the normal state of me when talking math. I just... do not get it! And peting73 have tried to simpliefy it for me. PLENTY times! To him it is all logical. To me? It is greek and something I just can not grasp. At all. Math is a mystery to me. I am just happy I manage regular house-hold math, so I can keep track of my own economy, you know? :-)

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

Well, you do the math that matters most! Every other kind of math is honestly unnecessary to living and functioning in every day life. :-)

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

That is very true! :-D At least peting73 helps me when I get stuck adding or subtracting something... X-D (It does happen!) He is my walking breathing calculator! *lol*