OCR Text |
Show Fair Forever 99 "Changing to Algebra Prep," she says simply as she drops into a chair. "It's what I should have done last year, saved myself from the agony." She pulls an apple,from her backpack and polishes it with a napkin. , I hold up my own test, showing Tve already completed four of the twelve problems. "Don't give up yet," I coax. "Keaston said we can work together. You don't have to do this thing alone. " .*,.'- She attempts a smile, but she isn't convinced.. ,. "Look," I order, flipping the test over to.reveal a blank page. "What's the answer to this question?" I write: •'2x3= . Katie answers, "Six." Then she takes a bite other apple. "Exactly!" I write the number six in the equation. "That's multiplication, and we all know how to do multiplication." Lindley cocks an eyebrow like she isn't sure about that statement. "So what's the opposite of multiplication?" I ask. Katie looks confused. Her eyes squint as she considers the question. "Okay, forget that for a second. What's the opposite of addition?" : "Subtraction." ,.'.;•' , , "Right!" I point my finger in the air to emphasize the point. "So, if subtraction is the opposite of addition, then what is the opposite of multiplication?" / •'. "Division^' . •.; .. , 7 ^ '•• ' ' ; :•„.._ 7 _ , ;. ' • ' " ' ' .V - "Right!,, Don't think about it too hard, just accept it. The math people have all tested it out, and it seems to be true . . . at least for algebra." |