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conjunction with other, more advanced math skills and they'll be very practical then ."

The fact that I had no stunning financial applications for "Introductory Algebra" was my deficiency. All I can say in my defense is that all of my colleagues were equally ignorant. They still teach at the community college, and they still have no awe-inducing money math. I, in contrast, could now quickly spout off several examples of times I used introductory algebra in the past week. On Monday, I did some very basic algebra (as well as some calculus) to gain an understanding of how to optimize a position in order to minimize risk and buying power usage. While the calculus was helpful, it was not necessary. Just setting up an algebraic relationship gave me a genuine financial insight. That's when I decided to write this article.

I could now give many specific examples of how I use algebra to make a living as a trader. I could say in complete honesty that my math skills and knowledge enable me to lead a life worth living, one where I never have to go to work, never have to deal with bosses and coworkers, and can spend all day with my dog. I could even tell them that while I watch my options trade account during trading hours, I have time to write articles like this one, have discussions with online friends, and basically enjoy life.

I could do all that. But that would mean I'd still be teaching.

In truth, I hated teaching so much that I stopped caring. Part of my complete lapse in teaching interest was due to my growing interest in options trading. I saw the potential for a good life and thus had trouble motivating myself to keep working on my bad one. My work grew worse and worse until I got fired. Still, there are very few mistakes in life that are truly irredeemable, and if I genuinely wanted to teach, I'm sure I could find my way to a second chance.

However, that is not a prospect I would ever consider. Because I am able to apply my math skills to succeed financially, I have no need of a community college instructor's trifling salary. Because I lead a life that is worth living, I have no wish to exchange it for one that is not. Like my husband, I had many wonderful students who showed enthusiasm and appreciation. Also like my husband, I had many who did not, and those students, along with my inherent hatred of grading papers and preparing materials, were enough to drive me away. I cried and cried about wanting to quit, but my husband always talked me out of it. After

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