Three Skills to Build Algebra Success

What is Algebra?

Algebra is where we learn how to solve problems with an unknown quantity, what is known as a variable.  A variable is a symbol (commonly a letter) that is used to represent the value we are trying to find. Therefore, when your teachers ask you to “solve for x,” what they are really asking you to do is to find the unknown quantity in a problem.

Taking an Algebra course may seem like a challenge, but your success in an Algebra course can be facilitated by having a strong foundation of three key mathematical skills: Multiplication Facts, Fractions, and Integers.

Multiplication Facts

A strong base in your multiplication tables will help ease the frustration that some problems may cause you.  It will help make your work more efficient. It may seem easy to simply plug in numbers into a calculator and get an answer, but we need to be careful in becoming too calculator-dependent.  Calculators will not reason and tell you if your answer makes sense in the context of the problem. At the core of Algebra is problem-solving, which you need to develop by strengthening your critical thinking skills, something for which a calculator will not do for you.

Fractions

Many students shy away from fractions and over time develop a fear of them.  This is mostly because they do not fully understand the concept of a fraction.  We need to teach them that fractions are not something to be afraid of, but rather something that is existent in our daily lives -- a quarter past the hour, half of a tank of gas, 5/8" wrench, 3/4 cup of sugar.  We do not want students to skip over problems because they contain a fraction. The ultimate goal is for students to break down the wall they have built between fractions and themselves. The confidence they will gain by doing so will last with them through Algebra and beyond.

Integers

Integers, positive and negative whole numbers, are present everywhere in Algebra.  When operating with integers, students tend to ask, “Do I need to add or subtract?” and “Is the answer positive or negative?”  They get stuck on trying to remember the rules for operating with integers. Instead of pure memorization, students will benefit from a deeper understanding of what positive and negative numbers mean in terms of a number line.  They can determine whether a number is getting bigger (towards the positive side of a number line) or smaller (towards the negative side of a number line). By understanding the meaning of what a negative number is, students will be able to check their own answers for reasonableness.

By strengthening these three areas of mathematics, students will be better prepared for their Algebra class and beyond.