Insert scream here --->

Growing up, we didn't start learning algebra until 9th grade. Nowadays kids are learning algebra in the 6th grade. I know they are learning everything faster than we did, things are much more technical and advanced but some things may need to wait some time still. Here is a conversation that happened between Maya and me over algebra.

Maya: "I need help with my math."

Me: "Alright, lets see what you have here."

Maya: "I have to solve for x in this problem. 3=4x"

Me: "Ok, what do you need to do first?"

Maya: "Get x by itself but I don't know how."

Me: "Ok, you need to divide 4x by 4. What you do to one side, you do to the other. Also divide 3 by 4. What does that give you?"

Maya: "3/4=x"

Me: "Right, that's it."

Maya: "How come that's it? Why don't I now divide 4 into 3 and get .75?"

Me: "Because you don't have to go that far. Just stop at the fraction."

Maya: "Why?"

Me: "Because you are done. You have solved for x."

Maya: "But why?"

Me: "Do you see the problem and how you solved it? You divided by 4 on both sides and got x by itself?"

Maya: "Yes, but why am I done? Why don't I go more steps?"

Me: "Because you don't. You are done with the problem."

Maya: "Why?"

Me: "Because there aren't any more steps. The problem is over. You have the answer here."

Maya: "Why?"

Me: "You are making this too hard. It's not that hard. Just stop after this step. There are no more steps."

Maya: "Why?"

SCREAM