I need help learning the basics of algebra

Question

anonymous · Answer

post your problem and people iwll help

amistre64 · Answer

add when it says to add; multiply when it says to multiply .... those are the basics

anonymous · Answer

@amistre64 : this is the best advice

anonymous · Answer

amistre64, those are the basics of math
the basic principal of algebra is actions performed to one side of an equation must be performed to the other side as well

amistre64 · Answer

algebra tends to be very mathical to me :)

amistre64 · Answer

basic rules; commuting is fine; associating is fine; *1 and +0 are great; and multiply

anonymous · Answer

I'd say the basics of algebra are:
1) understanding the concept of a variable
2) learning to represent real life situations as equations
3) learning to manipulate equations

anonymous · Answer

those are goals, not principals...

anonymous · Answer

They're skills, really. And algebra is a skill.

anonymous · Answer

skill statements would not include "learning" in them, but i digress, this is a math board, not an english one XD

anonymous · Answer

you need to understand the terminology as well.  the difference between the word simplifying and solving.
solutions, zeros, x-intercepts all mean the same thing.
Also, if you know that in algebra you will have:
a problem
a data table for that problem
a graph for that data table
an equation that leads to creating the data table

all of it ties together in the end, but one of the hardest things to learn is the manipulations of equations.  you will spend a lot of time on that part.

anonymous · Answer

Wow. You're really a stickler for semantics, aren't you? That argument is really stupid. Here, let me rephrase. The basics of algebra, in my view, is to have the ability:
1) to understand what a variable is
2) to represent real life situations as equations
3) to manipulate equations

anonymous · Answer

Bam. Skills. Get over yourself.