Overview
Physics cannot be fully understood or appreciated without a solid grasp of the mathematics behind it. It might be best to think of mathematics as Galileo phrases it: As a language in which we can express physical truths and predictions. It is more accurate and more precise than any natural human language but necessarily incomplete: Mathematics does not allow allegory or metaphor; you could never write sonnets in it. But for precise statement of the interaction of things, no greater tool has been found.
To succeed in Physics, one must possess not just an acquaintance with mathematics but a fluency in it. Just as a teacher of Spanish literature would demand that you speak Spanish fluently before undertaking a course on Don Quixote, I must demand that you fully grasp the math you have been taught and that you have a solid command of it.
Review
An excellent source on the Web for reviewing algebra is Purple Math (http://www.purplemath.com/modules/index.htm). It's a collection of short (1-2 page) refreshers on different Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 topics. You would do well to walk through all of them and make sure you have mastered them. However, since that's quite an investment of time, you should at the least make sure to review the following:
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