Why Is Math Important

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, have all to do with probably the most unpopular word around, math. The question is though, why is math so disliked by people? Do we need a new way to teach math? Why is math so important to learn and be able to apply it to our everyday lives? In the New York Times, they explained is there a world of difference between teaching “pure” math, with no context, and teaching relevant problems that will lead students to appreciate how a mathematical formula models and clarifies real-world situation. So, if teachers were to create a new way to teach math, would that make a difference in them wanting to learn? I think that if students were engaged and knew that this applied to their everyday lives, …show more content…
Making students just study for a grade instead of studying to learn it down the road. If you were to walk around a high school or college, and asked what their favorite subject was, probably very few would say math. Mathematics isn’t the most popular subject in school, but it actually is the most hidden subject used in everyday life. Not many enjoy doing math because frankly it is rigorous and there can only be one answer to every problem. Math isn’t the easiest subject to learn and when things get hard people tend to give up. The “I’m bad at math, is just a myth. The Atlantic Post did a story on “basic ability in math isn’t the product of good genes, but hard work”. If we want it bad enough, we will work for it, but math has to become a priority. Some even think that they will never use this down the road, so they become less interested. For example, some say when are we going to have to solve a quadratic equation or find the TAN of a circle. Students believe that math shouldn’t even be required to take because it doesn’t pertain to their major. All students do is complain about not wanting to learn, but students don’t understand that mathematics actually builds upon itself, it comes up in almost every job imaginable. We might not see it often, but it’s there and being used more than people …show more content…
Tricia Kehn, a former high school math teacher states, “It is about the skills students acquire in order to accomplish daily tasks and to set and reach goals”. Maybe not so much on the different formulas, but at least once a day you use some sort of math to figure something out. Pretty crazy if you think about it and maybe that’s why kids now a day don’t understand the importance of math. They actually don’t even know that they are using it. How about when you look at a clock to tell how long until school is over with? You’re actually using math by adding and subtracting the minutes. Watching a football game and want to know how many touchdowns your team is up, you would use math. If you didn’t know your basic skills, would you of been able to figure those two things out without using a calculator? Probably, but with some difficulty and maybe even much time wasted. It’s crazy how we use math in our everyday lives without even realizing it. College board also emphasized how math is important for your career and how you will need math to succeed. “The ability to identify and analyze patterns, logic and critical thinking skills, ability to see relationships and problem solving skills”. For example, if you were a cashier, you would need to know how much money to return back to the customer, therefore, you would quickly need to use your math skills. Some people see math as a punishment, but its