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"What good will this do me?" asks the 10th grader picking at an algebra problem.It's a pointed, timeless question that doesn't always have a quick answer. When parents and teachers are hounded by students wanting to know the practical applications of math, answers have to go beyond balancing the checkbook and grocery shopping.Many teachers agree that the biggest problems in math education have to do with motivating two very different groups of kids. Some students need convincing that all the headaches associated with math are for a good reason. And for others, the ones with a natural hunger for those brain tugging problems, it's a matter of challenging them.