40% of College Students get this question wrong. AND IT MAKES ME ANGRY!

[Klepa]

If anyone doesn't know how to do it, here's the extremely complex method of turning it into a second degree equasion.

(x+3)^2, is of course the same as:
(x+3)*(x+3)

take the first x, multiply it with the second x. Then multiply it with the second 3. Now take the first 3, multiply it with the second x, then multiply it with the second 3.

Add them together.
x^2 + 3x + 3x + 9.

Pat yourself on the back, you are now part of the elite.

Now teach this to a 12-year-old, because I'm sure that he or she will learn to mimic it within 15 minutes. Knowing how to do this doesn't really portray any sort of intelligence. Not knowing how to do this probably means that nobody's ever bothered to spend the 15 minutes needed to teach you this, or you've just forgotten, because it's a phenomenally useless piece of trivial information.

What WOULD show a level of intelligence, is if you've never heard of, or seen this method before, but you would manage to figure it out yourself.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

I'm going to give you the same answer i gave on all of the math questions i have done in the last three and a half years. 12 was i close?
I study Philosophy, History and Politics. I will never ever need something so pointless in any of those fields. Thank the gods because i really suck at math.

If you don't understand math because you don't use it daily then you'll wind up voting for people who promise trillions in new spending and a balanced budget at the same time. If you don't understand the basic principles and facts of science, you'll have no defense against politicians spreading scientific frauds to get votes. If you don't understand supply and demand then you'll believe politicians when they tell you that rising housing costs are a crisis, then again when they turn around and tell you falling housing costs are a crisis the next day.

You only need the most basic grasp of maths and science to understand these concepts and figure out when a politician is spouting bs. And you will never need to expand brackets to figure out if the budget is balanced. I think of it like thins, all maths i will ever need can be done in the most simple form using a calculator

Math isn't just about a few formulas and procedures. It's about an important way of thinking which the civilized world is beginning to lose.

I think i could agree with this quite happily

 

[Chancie]

Oh, ow. Math. My head. It hurts. x_x Make it stop.

Seriously though. I'm definitely in that 40%. Math is by faaaar my worst subject. Give me English and we're totally good to go though!

 

[buggy65]

I'm confused why most people call it maths. In the USA we just say math. Is it different overseas?

 

[ThePoodonkis]

(x+3)[sup]2[/sup]
(x+3)*(x+3)
([x*x]+3x+3x+[3*3])
x[sup]2[/sup]+6x+9

I love doing that. And trigonometry. Sines, cosines, et cetera. I very much enjoy those kinds of maths.

 

[koops]

Foiling is for chumps. Pascal's triangle is where its at.

 

[General Ken8]

FOIL? Seriously? I learned that in seventh grade, and I could also factor the answer into a binomial that same year.
But, despite this, it isn't really something you think about too often either, so I guess its possible

 

[CJ1145]

This is Algebra I stuff. It is taught in High School!

I don't know where you got that idea. I can assure you Algebra 1 didn't get NEARLY that complicated. I mean, Algebra II is just now approaching that in my school.

 

[StuckInThe80s]

Next up...a little light discussions on pythagorean theorem?

 

[bassdrum]

Wow... some college students can't do math that I learned in middle school? That's terrifying. If you've been out in the real world and not using math for a while, I guess it's reasonable, but still in college? Really?

 

[Timothy Ennist]

I graduated a couple of years ago, so we'll see if I get this right (and if I even understand the question):

(x+3)^2 =

Spoiler

x^2 + 6x + 9

Hope this is right.

 

[luther7718]

Spoiler

{x^2 + 6x + 9}

Hooray for Algebra 1!

 

[De Ronneman]

I've been through highschool, am going for a bachelor degree in law, and I suck at math. No, I can't answer your question, because I was never taught how to.
In Holland math is divided in 4 types. The profile you pick pretty much decides what math you'll do, unless you give up one of your 2 optional classes just to pick a different math type

I don't know what Foil, or Expand means...