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Khan Academy on a Stick

Overview and history of algebra

Did you realize that the word "algebra" comes from Arabic (just like "algorithm" and "al jazeera" and "Aladdin")? And what is so great about algebra anyway? This tutorial doesn't explore algebra so much as it introduces the history and ideas that underpin it.

Variables and expressions

Wait, why are we using letters in math? How can an 'x' represent a number? What number is it? I must figure this out!!! Yes, you must. This tutorial is great if you're just beginning to delve into the world of algebraic variables and expressions.

Manipulating expressions

Using the combined powers of Chuck Norris and polar bears (which are much less powerful than Mr. Norris) to better understand what expressions represent and how we can manipulate them. Great tutorial if you want to understand that expressions are just a way to express things!

Writing and interpreting expressions

All the symbols you write in math are just a language or short-hand to represent real-world ideas. In this tutorial, we'll get experience writing algebraic expressions to elegantly represent real-life ideas.

Algebraic expressions with fractions

Algebraic expressions can be composed of pretty much any operation, including fractions. Here we'll explore how to manipulate fractions algebraically. In some ways this is just a review of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions, but now we are doing it with variables!

The why of algebra

Much of algebra seems obsessed with "doing the same thing to both sides". Why is this? How can we develop an intuition for which algebraic operations are valid and which ones aren't? This tutorial takes a high-level, conceptual walk-through of what an equation represents and why we do the same thing to both sides of it.

Super Yoga plans

This tutorial is a survey of all the core ideas in a traditional first-year algebra course. It is by no means comprehensive (that's what the other 600+ videos are for), but it will hopefully whet your appetite for more algebra!

Getting a feel for equations and inequalities

The core underlying concepts in algebra are variables, expressions, equations and inequalities. You will see them throughout your math life (and even life after school). This tutorial won't give you all the tools that you'll later learn to analyze and interpret these ideas, but it'll get you started thinking about them.

Working with units algebraically

You already know some basic algebra and you've been exposed to units for some time now. In this tutorial, we meld these two ideas to think about units within the context of algebraic expressions.