Do we all need algebra? The solution’s fuzzy

I read with fascination the April 4 front-page article “Algebra II movement multiplies,” which suggested that since people who take Algebra II do well in life, we should expand the pool and have more students take the subject.

I believe everyone I know who has taken a course in quantum electrodynamics has done extremely well in life. We have become scientists and educators, and have even helped economists by inventing derivatives.

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I have begun to make a wooden puzzle based on group theory and the eight-fold way for my granddaughter, and although it is a few years away, when she begins to learn to tie her shoes would be a good time, I think, to introduce some concepts of string theory. By the time she reaches fifth grade, we could have a set of comic books like the old Classics Illustrated for Richard Feynman’s work.

Ted Doiron, Gaithersburg

Rather than Algebra II, a much better general high school requirement would be a course in statistics. Statistics teaches logical skills in real-world settings, such as the question of appropriate high school math requirements posed in the article.

The article also noted the difference between causation and correlation, but Algebra II proponents fall into the trap of using causal language to describe study findings (“. . . to get the skills needed students had to reach Algebra II”), confusing association with causation. A course in statistics would enable readers (and journalists!) to recognize that the design of the cited study does not prove causation, unlike say a randomized trial.

Rod Little, Washington

The writer is associate director for research and methodology and chief scientist at the U.S. Census Bureau.

As a high school student in the late 1970s, I struggled with Algebra I and Algebra II, which were required courses at the private school I attended in Northern Virginia. I did, however, excel in a one-semester elective called Personal Finance.

After reading the April 4article and reviewing the sample equations, I could not answer a single problem. But I can say this: I am financially solvent, have a healthy savings account and have no credit debt at a time when so many of my algebraically superior peers are unable to understand the basics of balancing a checkbook or maintaining a household budget. So how do we solve this problem, kids? Imaginary numbers! Banks love that stuff.

Tim Shipp, Fairfax