Algebra is useful if you're going to be compounding chemical substances for a manufacturing firm or if you're an engineer," Mellow explains. "But understanding statistics, probability, levels of risk — whether for retirement planning or the risk of your kid getting a concussion in football — those are real-life issues people will face."

The basic concept of algebra us "Do unto one side what thou wouldst do unto the other." This is just as important in life and in mathematics. If this simple idea would be taught at an early age then I don't think people would find algebra much harder than any other topic. Of course, there is the abstraction of the unknonw, x, but the human brain is perfectly capable of abstraction so that can also be taught early.

"Algebra is useful if you're going to be compounding chemical substances for a manufacturing firm or if you're an engineer," Mellow explains. "But understanding statistics, probability, levels of risk — whether for retirement planning or the risk of your kid getting a concussion in football — those are real-life issues people will face."

I agree that not everyone is capable of performing formal operations. But I think that a university level education should assume a certain minimum level of ability and formal thinking should be part of that.

Not everyone should have to go to university. So many jobs these days require a degree when they don't need one. So many degrees are granted in subjects which should not have a degree. Let those who don't need one go into the workforce early and have earned for four years by the age of twenty-two instead of going into debt for four years. They will also know more about the job at that age. Some jobs need a degree, of course, and those jobs need formal operations. Most jobs don't need a degree and many of those don't need formal operations.

Trying to teach probability theory / statistics without algebra is like trying to teach someone how to sacrifice your stones effectively without teaching them how capturing works.

I agree with much of what you say. However, if we are to have a future of shared prosperity instead of something resembling Dickensian society or a banana republic, one path is to delay entry into the workforce for as many people as possible. Saddling them with debt is not part of that path, but, given the expectation that people will take at least two years of college, public financing is not difficult to provide. (Moi, I would prefer a 24 hour work week, but that is a harder sell than sending people to school.)

Nothing wrong with ( some ) political discussions on L19!

With the current economic turmoil the world is in there just isn't enough money going around to pay for it all.

Oh, and we already live in a Dickensian banana republic. It will be hard to get out of it.

That is not much of a technical problem.

Sure it is. There just isn't that much money around in the world. That is why they have to create all these Federal Reserve Notes, which are worthless and not money.

All that is required is Congressional authorization.

You need a course in basic economics, I fear.

id say this is the pot calling the kettle Black, but that's unfair to Bill.

You need a course in basic economics, I fear. And not the Keynesian type which the government has fallen for.

The United States can pay any debt it has because we can always print money to do that. So there is zero probability of default.

I wish a buck was still silver.