Algebra can seem vast and overwhelming. You can, at times, feel like you are drowning or being swept away. From time to time you may feel like I must be a direct descendant of Captains Bligh* or Ahab*; But the Ocean, that is MATH, is teeming with exciting ideas and useful skills. I can teach you to swim, sail, surf or even scuba dive. There are so many wonders to discover in this abstract world of mathematics. Algebra is a very powerful piece of exploratory equipment. It will open up so many curious new possibilities.
Algebra lets you see things in new ways. It provides you with the language to describe what you are seeing and to understand how the different parts interact. First year algebra (Algebra 1) is the wet suit, the surfboard, the snorkel and mask, and even the sail boat for your adventure. It will help you begin to explore the surface of this vast and exciting ocean of thought. It can teach you how to get your feet wet, to look just under the surface, to understand the waves. Second year algebra (Algebra 2) is the scuba gear. Ah, the mysteries that await farther below the surface. Sunken ships and wondrous reefs await your discovery. To explore even deeper you will need trigonometry and calculus. They are the deep subs that go really deep. And if you find that you have a talent for this math stuff, colleges have even better equipment to offer, You may even decide to explore oceans on other worlds!
But for now, as you move away from the safety of land, you will spend time developing these new exploratory skills and you will find that it is hard work! You will have to puzzle over things until you understand. I cannot do this part of the work for you. Learning to swim requires that you get wet. If you spend your time sitting on the cliff asleep, tuned out, text messaging, or listening to your iPod ...you may not even notice the really sweet wave the rest of us just caught.
*If you are not familiar with these two characters, one real and the other fictional, Goggle them!
