I've taught 6th grade math for years, and since we have an intro to algebra unit, every year, I get these same questions each year: "What is algebra used for?" and "Why do we need to learn algebra?" I always treat them as serious questions, since I always start the year telling my students that when you ask questions, you learn.

It's interesting that the questions around algebra, and everything we teach, frankly, have become much more pointed and bring up fairly serious questions about what we teach in school and why. I always tell my students never to accept Just Because as an answer, and yet if you asked a lot of educators why they teach certain topics or units, many would say that that's the way we've always done it, which is of course a variant of Just Because.

Kids today want to know, Hey, what are we learning this for? I'd better be prepared with a good answer for them.