I remember vividly being in 7th grade algebra, the rough insistent hand of the teacher waking me up from a pleasant early afternoon nap. As I sat there yawning, wishing to god that math was last period, and not first after lunch, I swore to never pay attention again, or at least, just enough attention to pass. After all, it’s not like I’m ever going to use this stuff.
A few years on down the road I was getting ready to start work on a space ship. Not a real one mind you, a 3d model of one. I had just found an excellent, FREE, 3D modeling program and I was ready to get to work. I went to look on the message boards for help, and there I found Atomic Rockets. It’s only the best website in the whole world.
Suddenly my mission changed. I was just going to build a model of this thing, I was going to build it from the inside out.
I started with my mission requirements. Then decided on my engine type. Crew, deck design, mass ratios, balancing the fridge on one side of the craft with storage on the other to prevent a tumbling rocket. It was all fun and games, but took a lot of calculus. Oddly enough, with my algebra performance, I never quite made it around to calculus.
Course, I wasn’t going to use it then. I saw no practical application of algebra to my day to day life, especially not from a 7th grade point of view. But when it comes time to build a digital version of fake spaceship, I am ready to learn.