It's easy to relate to your witty son, poor guy. Lands, I hated algebra! My complaint was, "How in the world can 'n' and 'x' and 'y' and 'a' and 'b' have *anything* to do with numbers?? Letters are for words and language, numbers are for math and figuring! Right?"
At 68 I admit there have been few (obvious) times I've wished I knew my algebra; but geometry has served me over and over. Because it is "written" with words and THEN math, I got it, somehow!
I hope he enjoys all the math he is exposed to in his school career!
Jan in VA