This one should delight outsourcing agencies

[AdHocSolver]

16. There are two skill sets that need to be learned to solve math problems using algebra.

One skill is solving equations.

The other skill is setting up equations that will give the correct solution to the problem to be solved.

I was fortunate to have an excellent algebra teacher who taught us how to solve various types of equations. Then she taught us how to select equations to solve specific types of problems.

In each case, she used numerous examples and walked us through the procedures SHE would use until her procedures made sense to us. In other words, she taught us the logic of algebra.

This was in the days before pocket calculators. The students went through the steps of setting up and working through solutions.

We didn't have calculators or computers to use as crutches. We actually had to learn algebra.

Moreover, our teachers were allowed to teach the subject. They weren't forced to "teach to the test".

(y - 3)2 = 4y - 12; 2y - 6 = 4y - 12; 2y = 6; y = 3;

By the way, Hacker is wrong. How can you understand or solve statistics problems, or any kind of math problem, without knowing algebra?

I had a statistics course, and while I utilized algebra at several jobs, I never once ever used statistics.