When you split up glycolysis into its steps, the reactions are much less exothermic overall when compared to the breakdown of a glucose molecule in one step. Not only is this inherently less efficient, it will also increase the temperature of the organism significantly, which can cause loss in other functions like protein denaturing.

Having multiple steps also makes it easier for the cell to manipulate and regulate the direction of the reactions and their rates, much more easily than it would be to do so for a single-step glycolysis.

This indicates that glycolysis first evolved in times or areas with no oxygen and, therefore, also before the development of the endosymbiotic relationship with the mitochondria.

This helps clear up some previous confusions I've had regarding the energy of the chemical bonds of molecules.

In AP Chemistry, I was taught that in order to break bonds, you use energy to break that bond. Like smashing something with a hammer, you use energy to swing the hammer and strike the substrate.

However, in pervious Biology courses, I was told to simply understand that the bonds of molecules like ATP and Glucose store a lot of energy and release it when the bond is broken or changed.

I'm glad that I was able to clear this up with a stronger understanding of Gibb's Free Energy.