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Math Sucks Big Time
Pardon me, did I say math is fun? What a fool I was. My studies are getting more and more difficult. I spend three or four hours each morning, going over the day's math lesson, taking a half dozen quizzes, checking my answers, redoing those I got wrong. I had been doing really well until a couple of days ago. Now, I'm three quarters through the book, and I guess it's grade eleven and twelve math - I had quit school by then. I find I have to go over many of the questions three or four times before I finally understand what I'm doing, and get the answers correct.
Today, I finally had to stop, even though I hadn't managed to understand a couple of things. My head hurt, I saw black dots floating before my eyes, and I just had enough. I curled up on my bed and cried. I know that's melodramatic, but this is really tough. I almost wish I hadn't started on this. Well I guess that's a lie, but ... I'm just imagining if I fail the big test. All these years I've avoided taking the GED because I was afraid of failure, and here I would be proving myself correct. I should have left well enough alone.
My big difficulty today was rounding off. I understand how this is done, but the thing is, I consistently get one or two answers wrong. And the supposedly correct answers given in the book make no sense. Obviously I understand the process, because I'm getting most answers correct, but there must be something in these one or two questions that is different, and I'm not understanding it.
Here's an example: "Divide the following and, where necessary, round the quotients to the nearest hundredth." 4.7 divided into 0.685. So, I move the decimal to 47., and the other decimal to 6.85, I do my division, eventually get the answer .14 with a remainder of 27 - according to the book, this should then round off to .15, but I don't see how. I don't get it. Even as I type this I feel like ripping off my head. Math is not fun!
Tomorrow's lesson is an introduction to algebra. I've never studied algebra, I don't even know what it is.
If I survive all the horrors of math, I will have to study science and socials. The only two subjects I feel a little bit confidant in are language arts writing, and language arts reading. But I bet I'm in for a few surprises there too.
Today, I finally had to stop, even though I hadn't managed to understand a couple of things. My head hurt, I saw black dots floating before my eyes, and I just had enough. I curled up on my bed and cried. I know that's melodramatic, but this is really tough. I almost wish I hadn't started on this. Well I guess that's a lie, but ... I'm just imagining if I fail the big test. All these years I've avoided taking the GED because I was afraid of failure, and here I would be proving myself correct. I should have left well enough alone.
My big difficulty today was rounding off. I understand how this is done, but the thing is, I consistently get one or two answers wrong. And the supposedly correct answers given in the book make no sense. Obviously I understand the process, because I'm getting most answers correct, but there must be something in these one or two questions that is different, and I'm not understanding it.
Here's an example: "Divide the following and, where necessary, round the quotients to the nearest hundredth." 4.7 divided into 0.685. So, I move the decimal to 47., and the other decimal to 6.85, I do my division, eventually get the answer .14 with a remainder of 27 - according to the book, this should then round off to .15, but I don't see how. I don't get it. Even as I type this I feel like ripping off my head. Math is not fun!
Tomorrow's lesson is an introduction to algebra. I've never studied algebra, I don't even know what it is.
If I survive all the horrors of math, I will have to study science and socials. The only two subjects I feel a little bit confidant in are language arts writing, and language arts reading. But I bet I'm in for a few surprises there too.
posted by Marian (Jolene) | 7:02 p.m.
6 Comments:
4.7 divided into 0.685 gives
.1457446
rounding to the nearest one hundredth, .01 means rounding up to .15
Why?
Because .1457 is closer to .1500 than to .1400
If it had been .1449 and you were meant to round to the nearest one hundredth then you would have rounded to .1400
Does that help?
YOU CAN DO THIS!!
I'm not shouting - just expressing my support for you. :-)
If mathematically challenged I can pass algebra, anyone can. (Okay, it was close...but a pass is a pass.) Hang in and good luck - and don't look at this as a lifetime test - just tell yourself if it doesn't work out, you can just give it another shot. (I've always done that before big tests, and for me it worked wonders.)
Decimals:
.049 is less than half. So the penny is not charged to the customer.
.050 is 1/2 cent. Charge the customer one cent.
.051 is more than 1/2. Charge the customer one cent.
Rule:
Anything under 1/2 is not charged.
Anything 1/2 or over 1/2 is charged.
Lyd
Algebra is easy because it starts out with a formula and everyday you learn a new one and that is all it ever does. All you ever do is work formulas. You can always work out the problem.
Example:
x = Marian
y = boyfriend
z = home
x+y=z
or
Marian + boyfriend = home
However it isn't much good in daily life. Only in some professions. All I ever used it for was to make baby formula and jam. Now I have forgotten how to do even that little bit.
Algebra is a stepping stone to higher math courses.
However there is another basic math course taught in high school called General Math. It is a little bit of everything and is more useful in every day living. Such as a housewife might use. I believe you learn to read the light and water meters and things like that. You may even learn how to balance a check book and all kinds of everyday items that are a little hard to learn without a teacher.
You get the same high school credit for either Algebra or General Math. But you don't have to take both. Just one is required to graduate.
Ask your school.
Lyd
I just did your problem again. It seems you are writing
27
when you should be writing
57
57 is more than half. So you would round up to 15.
50 is half.
And 7 more is over half. So that is why you round *up*
Lyd
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