Why study algebra?

"Why study algebra?" If you're a parent, it's a question that you will no doubt hear as your children study the subject. If you're a student, it is a very natural question to ask, "What's the point of learning algebra in the first place?" After all, all of the math leading up to algebra that we learned growing up such as addition, multiplication, decimals, fractions, and the like, seem to have a concrete meaning. These concepts all deal with numbers in some way or another and because of this we can wrap our brains more easily around the concepts. After all, I can pick up six pencils and give two to a friend and by using math I can figure out how many pencils I am left holding in my hand. We can all imagine situations where basic math serves us well - calculating your change in the grocery store for instance.