Most students have this preconceived notion that mathematics is extremely difficult to comprehend and attempt. This is not true. It could be considered true if it is taught incompletely. For many students, math is boring, abstract, lacking in creativity, complicated and very difficult to understand, hence the typical excuse of “I am bad at math” or “math is not my cup of tea” are observed. However, interestingly, mathematics is a whole toolbox of operations that is applied in various situations. Once a student has a fair idea about the operations and laws used in mathematics, and their applications, nothing will seem difficult or boring.
Math helps us to have analytical thinking. We could define it as the thought directed to break down the arguments in its premises or expressions that compose it, to see the relations that exist between them and their conclusion, in order to judge the rationality or reliability of the same. This is what we do when we do a mathematical problem: gather the data, break down its premises, observe the relations that keep or systematically solve their parts in a meaningful way. If we are able to understand mathematics and arrive at logical solutions with appropriate reasoning, we will be able to prepare our minds when we have real problems. Analytical thinking develops the ability to investigate and know the reality about the world around us.
Math makes you smarter. Mathematics for learning is the same as the strength and durability for performing any sport: basis that allows you to surpass others and yourself. You cannot become a big sports star if you’re not strong and have health issues. You cannot become an authority in your work or prominent in your profession someday, if you don’t think smart and critically – and math, to a large extent, can help you with that.
A strong foundation in mathematics develops the skills of posing hypotheses, doing experiments and controls, analysing data given, identifying and correlating patterns, seeking evidence and proofs, drawing conclusions, and solving problems while being aware of new information.
Math will gain more importance in the future. Whether you like that or not, math is becoming an increasingly vital factor in a varied range of industries. Future journalists and politicians will speak less and analyse more. Teachers, doctors and hospital staff will also rely on numbers and technology. The constantly evolving healthcare sector will make use of all the available technologies. Future mechanics and carpenters will use optimization electronics and analysis as much as they will use a hammer and a wrench. The most frequent word one hears today in all education and business circles is STEM. We need to educate all students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in order to be competitive in the 21st century.
Math makes up a large part of our everyday life:
Suppose you have a fixed job, and you want to take out a mortgage and purchase a house. Percentages are used to analyse your level of debt, calculate a depreciation schedule and show repayments due over the lifetime of the loan.
Managing a budget is one of the inescapable responsibilities of any teenager or adult. By means of simple operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, you can understand your income and outgoings, and how much you have available for expenditure.
Imagine that you plan to build and design your own house. You would first calculate and estimate volumes and dimensions, and gradually bring your designs to life as 2D plans; which is where geometry comes into picture.
Human life in its earliest developmental stage can be observed by ultrasound which works on the basis of laws of sound and its calculations. Mathematics then comes into play in a child’s health record, showing their estimated growth curve in relation to weight and height. If you wish you calculate you BMI to see if it lies in the normal range, all you have to do is perform the following simple calculation: BMI = Weight(kg) / Height(m)^2.
Studying mathematics not only will develop more engineers and scientists, but also produce more citizens who can learn and think creatively and critically, no matter which career fields they opt for. The workforce of tomorrow, in all fields, will demand it.
Therefore, it is of absolute importance for you to embrace mathematics and accept it as the most essential unit of education. For that, you need the right tutors and mentors who can make you fall in love with this subject. SpedLabs offers excellent personalized training by IIT graduates. Our classes focus on skillset development while providing the best quality education and a unique learning experience.
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Also published on Medium.