As a Math Education major, I have learned in my classes so far (and I expect to see this experience in my Practicum throughout the semester as well) that students will ask one question: "When am I ever going to use this?" I have often pondered this question myself.
People use math everyday. Whether it's seeing how much is left in your bank account after you pay your Netflix bill for the month or seeing how many calories you have taken in today, you are using math. Math is also evident in various careers, such as meteorology, engineering, electrical work (where physics is also involved, but that's not exactly in my content area), and accounting, and even sports analysts who keep up with stats of players on our favorite sports teams.
Math is important, but it can teach us so much more than just how to write an equation in slope-intercept form (y = mx + b). Math can teach us about life too.
Let me explain. Math can teach us about adversity, how to solve problems, and even not to give up when things get tough.
Again, allow me to elaborate. You may be thinking, "How in the world can math teach me about any of these things?" Well, math can show us that we are not always going to face easy math problems. I'll be honest. I face adversity sometimes on my homework for my Advanced Calculus class, but just like any other situation in life, that math problem that is giving you so much trouble and adversity can show you how to respond when adversity comes your way in life. It can show you to better deal with things, and even to not be so prideful and ask for help when you need it.
Math can teach us how to solve problems. Not just those problems we get assigned for homework or even on a test. Math can teach us how to solve problems in real life. Sometimes, we're not going to understand why something is happening the way it is, or why we are in a particular situation or face with a particular problem, but math can teach us various problem solving skills that we can apply to real life situations. While you're not always going to be calculating the amount you're saving on an item at Walmart, you can solve problems by utilizing problem solving methods you use in math.
Most importantly, math can teach us to never give up when things get tough. Let's face it. Many people struggle with math. It's not always easy. However, when we are faced with a tough math problem, and we work it and work it for hours until we finally find the solution, we get excited. We might even celebrate the victory. The same can be true with any problem we face in life. If we see the situation through and not give up until we find a solution, we can celebrate the victory that comes when we overcome that problem!
While math teaches us a lot of formulas and how to solve equations, it can also teach us a great deal about life.
