Math is more than just adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. Geometry, trigonometry, algebra and game theory are all parts of mathematics and, although it might sound surprising to you, we use them in our everyday experience. The following examples will show you that math is more practical than you think and you do not have to look far to find useful applications of basic and advanced math.
Books and newspapers are full of statistics
Every time you read something like: “10 percent of students age 10 to 15 do not know how to use math in practice”, you are in fact reading about statistics. Without math procedures, which are used to calculate the percentage and identify correlations between facts, we would not be able to analyze certain phenomena and draw conclusions.
The rules of statistics are also used to evaluate your progress in math and in other disciplines. Thanks to math and statistics, we also know with greater probability what causes our health problems and which medicines will be most effective. Our everyday life is full of statistics and we use them to make decisions regarding some of the most important fields of our lives.
Sports enthusiasts are also fans of math
Has it ever occurred to you that sport is full of math? Players, their trainers and managers use basic and complex math calculations in order to determine the best strategy for the next game. Sports experts use statistics, game theory and advanced math to come up with the best strategies and to analyze player’s performance.
If you like to bet and predict the results of sport games, you will be more successful if you use math to calculate your profits and to determine the probability of a win. The world of sports math is really fascinating and learning more about it can help you develop your math skills.
Designers and architects have to know geometry
Every designer, seamstress, architect and plumber know that a good knowledge of geometry is an absolute must in their professions. They use geometry to calculate the area and volume of certain objects and to determine how much material they will need for their projects. If you are a fan of DIY crafts, you probably know how important are the rules of geometry.
Without the knowledge of shapes it would be impossible to create any object, big or small. Not to mention the fact that by practicing geometry you can also develop skills such as imaging and spatial orientation, which are useful in many different occupations and in everyday practice.
Are you now convinced that math is all around us and we use it every day? Good understanding of math is necessary to function in the modern world, but not all math curricula put enough accent on the concrete and practical usage of math.
If you look for a good method of practicing your math skills in everyday situations, try Singapore math problem solving, a technique, which will show you that math is as practical as any other discipline.
Marta Gromadzka is a writer and editor with a wide variety of experience, including writing for websites internationally and editing books on many different subjects and in a variety of formats.