I said the same thing, until one teacher finally got it through my head that "x" and "y" weren't important in and of themselves. They were abstractions that we could solve, a different way of looking at a problem until we figure out the solution. Whether you call it "x" and "y" or "a" and "b" or "xa" or "yb" didn't matter, it was the method of figuring out what they represent that was the key.
Thirty years later I probably couldn't solve a quadratic equation to save my life, but the larger lesson of abstract thought has stayed with me.
I said the same thing, until one teacher finally got it through my head that "x" and "y" weren't important in and of themselves. They were abstractions that we could solve, a different way of looking at a problem until we figure out the solution. Whether you call it "x" and "y" or "a" and "b" or "xa" or "yb" didn't matter, it was the method of figuring out what they represent that was the key.
Thirty years later I probably couldn't solve a quadratic equation to save my life, but the larger lesson of abstract thought has stayed with me.
Well your fortunate to have had a good teacher...For me,it was a monstrous waste of time and an enormous inducer of stress and pounding headaches.