True confession: I love algebra

I had a conversation this week not unlike many I have had in the past, and they all start with the same comment made by me: “I love math." Every single time I tell someone this I get the same response. It's as if the person I'm talking to has just taken a swig of expired milk. A look of pure disgust crosses their face. 

I do agree it is a strange love affair, but I do love algebra!

So I decided to take a second and explain the calming affects algebra has on me.

You see, we all start off very young learning math truths. When learning to count to 5 we are taught that 2 follows 1, 3 follows 2, 4 follows 3, 5 follows 4, and now at 33 years old when I'm counting I don’t question it; I just count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 

Then we move on to addition: 2+2=4. As very young students we used fingers, popsicle sticks, or buttons to understand the concept that when you have 2 and add 2 more you get 4. Now when someone asks me, “Mrs. Kerri, what's 2+2?” my answer is, "4". I don't question it I just know to be truth.

And this pattern continues as we progress in our education. Then something amazing happens when we get into Algebra. We are given these weird equations that include letters, we call those variables, and then we are told to solve for those variables. We are then expected to take all those math truths we have been accumulating our whole lives and apply them to this problem to get an answer. And here’s the exciting part. If we use those rules correctly we will – every time – get the right answer! 

Isn’t that what life is like? Aren’t we all learning truths and facts that as adults we have to apply to find solutions to problems in our lives? Every day, the moment our eyes open, we start living a life that is full of problems. 

Some are simple: x + 4 = 12, and we know if we subtract 4 from 12 we are left with 8 so we can say x = 8. 

Some problems take several steps: 2x + 4 = 2(2x – 3) and we have to work through it 1 step at a time

                   Distribute the 2: 2x + 4 = 4x – 6

                   Move the x’s to one side and the numbers to one side: 2x – 4x =  -6 – 4

                   Add like terms: -2x = -10

                   Divide out the -2:  x = 5

Then there are days that God pulls out a problem that takes pages to solve. But the facts are still the same. All I have to do is take what I have learned and apply it to the situation and come up with an answer. There is a calming peace that comes when I think that in the midst of the chaos of life I can get through it taking it one step at a time.

Forest Gump said, “Life is like a box of chocolates.” I would say life is very much like an algebra problem!