Hmm, there's algebra here

I picked this basic math quiz up via Pharyngula, Professor P.Z. Myers' blog. I was a bit more inspired to take it after I read Professor Myers' post pointing to an article by Richard Cohen that basically advises that knowing algebra is not really a big deal. Professor Myers' critique of Cohen's argument is worth a look, and he also links to Cohen's article. If you ask me, I would say that I am not one who uses algebra on a daily basis. Does it mean that I can do without it? No. Now and then I get some question, or I am faced by some small problem, and then algebra comes to the rescue. I missed two, and unfortunately, like many of the quizzes on the site, one cannot really get to see what was missed, though I have an idea. However, that I was able to pass is a bit of an accomplishment since I have not taken a solid math course since my days as an undergraduate, and I had to struggle a little to get through it. The problems were actually pretty easy, I thought, so my guess is I may have missed a definition or two. If nothing else, learning algebra, and math in general, is something that is part of being a well-rounded individual. I sure as heck would encourage my daughter to study and do well in math, not tell her it is useless like Cohen tells his advisee. And as I said, one never knows when it may come handy. Anyhow, here are my results.

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 8/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?