Do not understand algebra

Hi Zach,
Well first off welcome to the club algebra is difficult for me I'm finishing up on arithmetic and grade three mathematics. It's funny but I can do some advanced work myself but that's the difference with Khan Academy it allows you the ability to work at your own pace. Personally with my learning in the past when I was younger I wanted to rush things having a disability I was always following behind others from communicating etc. Now I am at a age where I can slow down and take my time.

Here are a few things I do to help me
1. Difficult subjects I watch 1-2 videos a day on Khan Academy and fully focus my attention on that subject or skills this way I don't become to confused or overload my brain circuits 😉 a little Science humour there
2. I combine practice on Khan Academy with free worksheets from other teaching resources to help practice
3. Something big but mindfulness I find when I clear my thoughts and breath I learn more sometimes we have so much information we loose sight of being in the present
4. Break things down into smaller goals instead of saying I want to master algebra I say I want to master certain formulas and functions
5. Remember your brain learns more by what you don't understand so your giving your brain quite a workout there like I am doing with mine make sure your not pressuring your own self to have this task completed timing is everything you will master Algebra someday

Finally what your doing now will help asking questions etc. can help you understand key concepts as there are many students who are going through the same as you.

Remember as well you have nothing to fear but fear itself the greatest fear is not understanding algebra but the truth is on the other side of that fear is you who will master the skills of Algebra.

Thank you for the suggestions, I greatly appreciate the reply.

Do you have any suggestions for "remembering" all the aspects of solving a problem? I know that sounds like a broad question, but it is unfortunately the only way I know how to ask while expressing what I don't get. I fell like my biggest issue is that I see what we're doing, but I feel like I truly don't understand why we're doing it. Almost in the sense that we KNOW why we don't touch a hot stove (because it's hot), but scientifically their is a more in depth explanation into the peripheral nervous system keeping us from actually doing it. I think my brain almost has issues truly understanding and practicing a concept that I feel like I truly don't understand in aspects of both how we do it, but more so WHY we do it. Are their other options? Can I solve it other ways? And if so, how do these different styles express the equation(s) in different ways all while still maintaining balance and the same overall result.

I hope this all makes sense. Thank you again.

Hi Zach, I am in the same boat. The MOST basic of algebra equations I just don’t get? It’s complete Chinese to me! I am wanting to get into a high voltage lineman apprenticeship, but absolutely don’t get and can’t seem to grasp algebra... I haven’t had any testing done to see if I’m dyslexic, I don’t know if that has anything to do with it or not? My tutor asked me about that the other day saying (these are the most basic problems you’re trying to solve, and you’re not getting them.) I do tend to overthink things... I have gone over them time & time again but can’t seem to understand the order in which it all goes??? I did have a buddy say (once you quit trying to figure out why it will all make sense.) I am at a loss? And also feeling desperate! If you have gained any understanding of it w/in the last year please help shed some light on my/our situation!
Thank you.
Marshall-

Hello, Zach. Same here! I was able to run a million dollar year business for ten years while married to the tradesman genius and I did all of the bookkeeping, accounting tasks, and payroll for that by myself.

Prior to outsourcing and the competition to that, which is American ingenuity in the form of computerization and automation of what has not gone to the flood of people (who do not exist) who will do my trade under the table making what is left of the business affordable for employers, I had a great trade fabricating intricate designs with materials and a multi-step process with my hands and making complicated decisions about my each move which all had to be extremely fast in order to make over $45,000 a year at $3 a piece.

Now that I am out of a career: I am too old for hard labor so, I am going to school for accounting. I am a straight A student, except for the classes that have math. I do okay until they take what they taught us is a formula and then give us the answer and leave out something in the equation and then use those dreaded words, "to solve for x". At that point I become so confused I now cannot even remember what I have learned. I can do simple algebra, but when there are multiple steps on one side of the = sign I cannot grasp which one I am to flip and throw to the other side! And that, no matter how hard I try. I suppose if I was not so busy with all of my classes and just quickly stepping stones as it seems in algebra, I might be able to hammer it home as I have everything else that I learned that was not easy. I do not know though. It all goes so fast. College is nothing like having a career or even owning a business, considering all of the multi-tasking involved with that. I would have never earned a dime if it was, I would have never had time to get good at anything.  

I have been told I am in good company though, with my dislike for higher education (due to the math requirements). When my friend said Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill also disliked the requirements, that made me feel better about what feels insurmountable. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201107/what-einstein-twain-forty-eight-others-said-about-school

Keep your chin up!!

Jacky

By the way, I never used algebra in the financial aspects of my business!

Im glad I read this. I feel like no one gets that despite all the hours studying I do not understand what Im doing. Ive tried watching videos to help my broaden my perspective and see if any of it clicks. Ive also been told to stop asking why. Ive been told im making it more complicated than it actually is. I attempted to just learn steps and rules but all in all im not grasping. Ive come to the conclusion I very well may be making it more complicated but that must be how I learn, to truly know what I am doing and why. I just havent found any answers yet. :/ 

I found a book called

OMGOSH THIS IS HOW I FEEL! Im in an algebra class and dont understand any of it! Its like greek to me, cannot read it, nope! Can someone please help me make sense of it?

Right now I am crying I didn’t really think about algebra all year unless I was in the class but I am failing and I don’t get anything and I am so behind on my work I got a tutor but I am only catched up on the beginning stuff and we get new papers everyday and tomorrow we have a test and I don’t know what to do I don’t want to fail but I don’t want to be in a mentally slow class because of this I don’t know what to do if anyone is taking a math class and they start not getting something get a tutor ask a person don’t do nothing about it like I did I wish I could just restart the school year over again 😭😢😭😭😭😭🤦🏻‍♀️

My daughter is also experiencing a disconnect when it comes to college algebra. She just finished the spring semester of her freshman year with straight As in 4 of her 5 classes. She would have failed her math class if she didn’t drop it. She had taken it in the fall and was failing then as well but we thought it was due to not being able to understand the foreign instructor. She is taking it for a 3rd time online in the hopes of having better luck but she just failed her first quiz. 😩 I know she is extremely frustrated and feeling defeated because it is just not sinking in. I have done quite a bit of reading as to what could be the cause and found that it may be dyscalculia. This is defined as “a math learning disability that impairs an individual’s ability to represent and process numerical magnitude in a typical way” according ADDuitudemag.com. To me, this puts a name to what my daughter is experiencing. Not sure how to help her other than to tell her that she will have to keep practicing and work much harder than everyone else but at least understanding what it might be is a place to start.

I've had straight A's my entire life, but then I had to take an algebra class. As you might be able to tell, I have no idea what's going on. My instructor as explained it SOOOO many times, but I still don't get it. The dreaded solve for x still haunts me. I have about three or four late assignments from my instructor, and he's very understanding, but I get like, 25% on all of the assignments. At least it's better than a zero... :\

Understand by assignments, what level skills you do likely maybe fingered it out may be betterment with out harder factors. What math can be understand for you.