FAQs

A lot of people usually have questions about this site or about Algebra 1. Here we’re going to attempt to answer all of the most common questions as best as we can. If we missed your question, feel free to check out the contact page for information on how to reach us.

Q: Do you have to be some kind of math genius to get Algebra 1?

A: No, you don’t. The problem that people typically have when they ask this question is that they are intimidated by variables, or about the stigma surrounding the word “algebra.” A lot of people have some very serious anxiety about math in general, which is usually fueled by this idea that they are inherently not good at math. Math doesn’t work like that. You are rewarded in Algebra 1 by how much you work, not how smart you are.

Q: Why are there letters in this math?

A: These letters are called variables, and they let us think about numbers or values that we don’t have yet. Chances are, you use variables dozens of time each day in your everyday life, but you just don’t think about it. It’s really just how math represents thinking backwards. For a quick example, if you’re in line at a store, and you see three people ahead of you, you can start to estimate how long it will take for you to get up to the counter based on a lot of variables that you don’t know, like how fast the cashier works and whether someone in front of you is going to take extra time writing a check. Since you generally don’t know these things, if we were going to talk about the time it’s going to take you to get to the counter by using math, we would have to use variables for some of these unknown values.

Q: Will I ever use this in real life?

A: Algebra 1 is great because it’s extremely practical for use in day to day life. Chances are that you already use many of the concepts from Algebra 1 in your life on a day to day basis, but you just don’t realize it because you’ve never seen the ideas in the form of equations. Of all of the Algebra and Calculus classes, Algebra 1 is by far the class that can give you the most practical knowledge of them all.

If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, then feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!