Originally Posted by Eric (Post 1045282)

Didn't get a good start in algebra ... my first teacher was E. J. "Gobbin" Owen. His classes, as some others on here may remember, were a literal riot.;) Now I look at math ... well, let me put it this way: math is one of the strongest arguments for intelligent design in the universe. In my next life, I think I will be a mathematician ... Oh, and rich and irresistible to women:alright:

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1045288)

Just done a quick formula working on the above statement,

If E=Eric
and $=cash with I= irresistibly to woman then when using a short formula which I won't bore you with
Eric does come back in another Lifetime but the answer works out to be a negative in one of his desires.
Yes, to being rich, an absolute yes, to irresistibly to woman, unfortunately the formula proves that he comes back female and a nymphomaniac.

Who says algebra is of no use?
:o

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1045288)

Just done a quick formula working on the above statement,

If E=Eric
and $=cash with I= irresistibly to woman then when using a short formula which I won't bore you with
Eric does come back in another Lifetime but the answer works out to be a negative in one of his desires.
Yes, to being rich, an absolute yes, to irresistibly to woman, unfortunately the formula proves that he comes back female and a nymphomaniac.

Who says algebra is of no use?
:o

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1045252)

According to the morning news today is World Maths Day, we all know that English wasn't my best subject at school, but I wasn't too bad at maths, one thing I could never understand is why in my school days did they pay so much attention to teaching Algebra, not once since leaving school have I ever come across the need to use it once, anybody feel the same. I've used maths a lot in my job and Trigonometry as well, that's all about nangles as we called um in them days. What was your take on maths and your usage of it when leaving school

Originally Posted by accyman (Post 1045296)

are you sure its today

i looked in my diary and it just dosnt add up

Originally Posted by Eric (Post 1045378)

I think it was yesterday ... and the day before yesterday it was tomorrow.;)

Originally Posted by Eric (Post 1045378)

I think it was yesterday ... and the day before yesterday it was tomorrow.;)

Originally Posted by Eric (Post 1045282)

Didn't get a good start in algebra ... my first teacher was E. J. "Gobbin" Owen. His classes, as some others on here may remember, were a literal riot.;) Now I look at math ... well, let me put it this way: math is one of the strongest arguments for intelligent design in the universe. In my next life, I think I will be a mathematician ... Oh, and rich and irresistible to women:alright:

Originally Posted by maxthecollie (Post 1045442)

yeh Gobbin taught me as well

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1045453)

Wasn't Reece Owen was it Frank

Originally Posted by maxthecollie (Post 1045462)

No Reece Owen taught Chemistry

Originally Posted by maxthecollie (Post 1045462)

No Reece Owen taught Chemistry

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1045464)

Mr Owen, chemistry teacher, lived on Catlow Hall St adjacent to St Marys church.

I recall going to his son's birthday party (in late 1940's or early 50s) and Mr Owen entertained us with chemical trickery such as invisible ink.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1045464)

Mr Owen, chemistry teacher, lived on Catlow Hall St adjacent to St Marys church.

I recall going to his son's birthday party (in late 1940's or early 50s) and Mr Owen entertained us with chemical trickery such as invisible ink.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1045467)

I was friends with his Daughter Rehanan (not sure of the spelling)

Originally Posted by maxthecollie (Post 1045525)

Well it is a welsh name

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1045538)

Ya but did I spell it right Frank:rolleyes::D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1045539)

No

Rhiannon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1045551)

Thanks Margaret, it was quite close really, well for me it was:D

Originally Posted by Eric (Post 1045600)

By the by, I notice that women in Saudi Arabia still don't have the vote; so, I guess the celebrating of IWD will not be a big item in the muslim world.:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Eric (Post 1045591)

Yes ... you are getting better ... but you will no doubt create new gems with your magic keyboard;):D Whatever, there were two Owens, E. J "Gobbin" Owen, and R. P. (Rhys Prys??) Owen, who taught chemistry. Great teacher, with a wonderful Welsh accent. Nobody could say "Avogadro's hypothesis" like he could.:D His son, Rhys, was in my year at Accy Grammar. And his daughter, from what I remember, was a real sweetie.

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1047515)

why do we need everybody to be brilliant at Maths?

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1047515)

I was always absolutely rubbish at maths. I got even more rubbish once it was established that I was rubbish, because my Father took to trying to help me with it but he's a very impatient person and it often ended in shouting and yelling at me when I didn't pick something up quickly.

I was 'scared' of maths after this, which made it worse because I associated it with being shouted at and feeling bad about not being good at it, I kind of avoided it and as I got older I approached it again and found I wasn't so bad at it after all, now I wasn't feeling like I was bad for not being good at it!
Having said that, It's not affected me much. I second the algebra thing, and most of what I was taught in Maths at school makes no sense now whatsoever and has never been something I've needed to be good at.
I think it's over-rated and over-emphasised in teaching, regarded as a very important subject. Why does society need loads of people to be really good at maths?Just as we don't need a large massive number of astronauts or sociologists or people who are experts in other fields, why do we need everybody to be brilliant at Maths?

Originally Posted by DtheP47 (Post 1045435)

My pal Walter had a saying " The older I get the better I Was" ;)

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1047520)

It just doesn't add up does it?
;)

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1047521)

Comes in handy on pay day though;)

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1047555)

I love that quote :)


Lol as I said, I wouldn't know I'm too rubbish to sum that up :)



Lol I guess so-but then I have a calculator on my 'phone for such purposes (I don't even always need to use it)!

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1047573)

I have one of them between my ears SM:rolleyes:had it for years and it doesn't need charging every night either;)

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1047573)

I have one of them between my ears SM:rolleyes:had it for years and it doesn't need charging every night either;)

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1047640)

Are you showing off over my incompetence Mister :D;)



.

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1047640)

Why algebra, which is the only example I can think of at the moment, as well as the bunch of other things I was taught that I remember but I can't name, that I've never needed to use, why is it emphasised that a good grade in Maths, being good at all these things, is supposedly important for someone's future, that's what I meant :)

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1047764)

Thanks for the homework, Less!

I am now wondering how on earth I've survived all these years without applying this long-forgotten knowledge :)

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1047759)

Just for you, so you can work out all the angles that folk spin at you!

Pythagoras Theorem

:)

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048005)

I think you under estimate just how much you use things like algebra, most of us will use it on a regular basis.
A quick example -
You are in the pub, you have £20 to spend on drinks, drinks cost £4 each, how many drinks can you afford.

Originally Posted by Retlaw (Post 1048008)

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048005)

You are in the pub, you have £20 to spend on drinks, drinks cost £4 each, how many drinks can you afford.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048005)

I think you under estimate just how much you use things like algebra, most of us will use it on a regular basis.
A quick example -
You are in the pub, you have £20 to spend on drinks, drinks cost £4 each, how many drinks can you afford.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048005)

You are in the pub, you have £20 to spend on drinks, drinks cost £4 each, how many drinks can you afford.

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1048014)

I would have said that is basic division-I may be mistaking what algebra actually is?

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth (Post 1048015)

None in that pub! Let's go somewhere else, unless you're paying.
Didn't take algebra to work that out.

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1048014)

I would have said that is basic division-I may be mistaking what algebra actually is?

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048018)

a=b X c
a=the £20 you have
b=£4 cost of drink
c=how many drinks can you have.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048019)

OK, i`ve already explained i may have the price wrong, lets change it to the cost of a round, how many rounds can you afford.

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth (Post 1048025)

But c= a divided by b. So you're both right.

20 divided by 4= 5 is arithmetic.
a divided by b =c, values known and unknown, is algebra.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048029)

a=b X c
a is known, b is known, you want to know c.
So you divide both sides by c.
a/c=b X c / c
The X c/c cancel each other out and you get
a/c=b

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048031)

Sorry, didn`t mean to turn this thread into a maths lesson, just wanted to show most of us use things like algebra more than you think.

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth (Post 1048033)

How can I divide a by c when I don't know what c is?
The known on the left hand side, the unknown on the right hand side.
A/b=c



No problem, it's called thread wandering, you do it for fun. Sometimes it's surprising where you end up.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048035)

:cheers:

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048029)

a=b X c
a is known, b is known, you want to know c.
So you divide both sides by c.
a/c=b X c / c
The X c/c cancel each other out and you get
a/c=b

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048038)

Sorry, should have been divide both sides by b.
a/b=b X c / b
Multiplying by b then dividing by b cancel each other out.
a/b=c

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048041)

:thepint:

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1048044)

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...mer-29681.html

See rule 9 please

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1048044)

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...mer-29681.html

See rule 9 please

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth (Post 1048046)

It says 'please try to avoid using too many posts containing just smilies'.

He's only used two and that's because he's in a hurry to get to the bar and get me that pint!

Don't slow him down.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048049)

Sorry, only had £20, and at £4 a pint, that only gets me... how many pints?

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048049)

Sorry, only had £20, and at £4 a pint, that only gets me... how many pints?

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 1048051)

You ought to change your pub, mate...daylight robbery!

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048053)

I really need to start going pub again, just to find out how much a pint costs.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048053)

I really need to start going pub again, just to find out how much a pint costs.

Originally Posted by susie123 (Post 1048055)

Well it's a penny cheaper from today...:thumbsup::ban:

BBC News - Budget 2013: Beer down 1p as planned 3p duty rise axed

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048053)

I really need to start going pub again, just to find out how much a pint costs.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048018)

a=b X c
a=the £20 you have
b=£4 cost of drink/round
c=how many drinks/rounds can you have.

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth (Post 1048057)

I wish you would, it's costing me a fortune buying my own.
Don't worry about the penny, I'll show you where you can get me a pint of good real ale for £2.10. It may even be £2.09 after today!

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048060)

At that price, it can only be the rocket fuel in the greyhound.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048053)

I really need to start going pub again, just to find out how much a pint costs.

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 1048062)

Come up stanley next home game n have a pint bought fer yeh, possibly even 2.:)

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048060)

rocket fuel in the greyhound.

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 1048061)

Is that the regular bitter in there? I regularly have a couple of prematch pints and I can't say I've noticed the effects. Maybe I'm not drinking enough of it?

Originally Posted by susie123 (Post 1048064)

Is that to make it go faster?:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048065)

Maybe it`s changed now, been a while since I was in there, it was under £1.50 a pint and it was lager that i`d never heard of.

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1048058)

I get it. I was confused-I thought algebra was an actual mathematical theory involving numbers and letters-which my brain didn't entertain the logic of!I used to sit there thinking 'Maths is numbers. English is letters-what's the deal with mixing the beggars up?!?' :)

In the above situation I could work that out-I'm not THAT bad :) but never thought of it as algebra.

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth (Post 1048025)

But c= a divided by b. So you're both right.

20 divided by 4= 5 is arithmetic.
a divided by b =c, values known and unknown, is algebra.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048072)

That just shows that the problem was really with the teacher, it`s the teachers job to find a way to make the student understand, I must have had a good teacher cos i found maths easy, and i`ve explained it the way it was explained to me, if you`d had my maths teacher you`d probably have walked through the exams.

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1048073)

It kind of, wasn't explained at all! From what I remember it was kind of ' Here, do this'!

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1048080)

You're right-I think my Dad was definitely the basis of the problem! And I am very much an advocate of it being the way you teach it.

There's things I've taught to friends and family-I'm talking just every day things but it's the same principle-such as my Grandmother who was adamant she wouldn't get a mobile 'phone-we were all worried about her not being contactable, and she wasn't having it-she'd never get it, etc..People had given up on her ever getting one but I think they just didn't understand WHY she didn't understand and I took time to.

I sat down with her for around an hour and ran her through how they worked-how to use hers, what things meant etc and she's never off the thing now :)

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048005)

I think you under estimate just how much you use things like algebra, most of us will use it on a regular basis.
A quick example -
You are in the pub, you have £20 to spend on drinks, drinks cost £4 each, how many drinks can you afford.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1048116)

What the hell has that got to do with algebra:confused:

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1048117)

Didn't realize this thread had taken off when I made the above post. Still can't see where algebra comes in, to me its just straight division 20 divided by 4 equals 5 simples, why complicate it saying its algebra;)

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048120)

Just labelling it as algebra doesn`t make it more complicated, it`s just a simple example of how we use it everyday without knowing it.
Algebra is basically arithmatic where the unknown number is in the wrong place.
2+1=? is just basic arithmatic
2+?=3 is basic algebra.
Just in school, they teach with letters first, then tell you what to swap the letters with to get the answer.
a+b=c
if a=2 and c=3, what is b.

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048029)

a=b X c
a is known, b is known, you want to know c.
So you divide both sides by c.
a/c=b X c / c
The X c/c cancel each other out and you get
a/c=b

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1048131)

It can be done with ordinary divide as sugar mentioned, so we wouldn't need to use algebra for such a simplistic sum.:)

Originally Posted by sugarmouse0707 (Post 1048077)

As I said my being not good at Maths became such a huge deal in my family, if I sound like a 'diva' I apologise but I was actually scared of it-I never dare even ask a teacher if I was stuck because I felt so bad about myself for being bad at it and thought the teacher would shout at me and think I was stupid.

I excelled in English and other subjects so I just concentrated on those and hid away in Maths classes pretending I wasn't there lol.

Originally Posted by JCB (Post 1048143)

I can understand your fear of Maths . It's very much a black and white thing . The answer to a calculation is either right or wrong , and this transfers into all branches of Maths .

In English , however , it is not so black and white . There are shades of grey . If you write a poem there is no right or wrong marking at the end of it as there is in Maths .

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048142)

Just because you don`t want to call it algebra, doesn`t mean that`s not what it is.

Introduction to Algebra

Originally Posted by gpick24 (Post 1048142)

Just because you don`t want to call it algebra, doesn`t mean that`s not what it is.

Introduction to Algebra