There may be a time when you want to see if the amount of money you believe you have agrees with how much the bank says you have, either can be off. Possibly substantially off. Math can be our friend.
As a kid, I was into electronics so naturally I knew what ohm’s law was and its equation. So, I was doing simple algebraic equations before I learned algebra in school.
How about simple things like compound interest, or credit card charges, how they add up, if you do not pay them off monthly. Try and understand ROI, return on investment, or P/E and D/E when buying equities. It is why at most people can not come up with $1K immediately in an emergency.
“Once upon a time, young Daniel was saved from bullies by Mr. Miyagi, an elderly martial arts master. Wishing to learn from him, he agrees to become Miyagi’s student, only to be faced with numerous repetitive tasks. When Daniel finishes, his teacher thanks him and pays him generously. Having learned the lucrative value of hard work, Daniel goes home resolved to become a master of car and home maintenance.”
This version of the Karate Kid should satisfy anyone who claims that mathematics is only useful for working with numbers. While this belief has some merit, it completely overlooks the fundamental brain circuitry that is built and reinforced by studying math. The numbers and equations that students struggle with day after day in class are also stand-ins for virtually all the non-numerical factors, relations, comparisons, and interactions that they will face for the rest of their lives. Like the muscle memory that Daniel acquired and then applied to master karate, math students practice critical thinking in a purer form than in any other subject.
As a teacher, I promise every one of my pupils that even if they never need the material in their textbooks, practicing math will make them faster thinkers in any situation, more confident in their interactions, harder to fool by those who would take advantage of them, and better able to manipulate others who did not study so diligently. I promise them that when they reach a high enough level their ability to think quickly and clearly will almost feel like a superpower – then slyly throw in my assurance that I will not judge them on whether they use that power for good or evil.
Orcatime over 4 years ago
I wonder if that’s why some people can’t do their taxes.
cubswin2016 over 4 years ago
Are you smarter than a fifth grader? Grab a pencil and a piece of paper.
naplllp over 4 years ago
Until they start mixing letters with numbers.
zzeek over 4 years ago
There may be a time when you want to see if the amount of money you believe you have agrees with how much the bank says you have, either can be off. Possibly substantially off. Math can be our friend.
Igor51 over 4 years ago
Brutus is a lefty.
preacherman over 4 years ago
As a kid, I was into electronics so naturally I knew what ohm’s law was and its equation. So, I was doing simple algebraic equations before I learned algebra in school.
WilliamMedlock over 4 years ago
If you want to get into technology you’d better know a hell of a lot of math.
tiomax over 4 years ago
As a friend once told me “Math is a lot easier once you realize that it’s not about numbers.”
comixbomix over 4 years ago
Sometimes, it’s hard to think of him as a “Loser”…
cuzinron47 over 4 years ago
If only to count the years as you age.
bike2sac over 4 years ago
How about simple things like compound interest, or credit card charges, how they add up, if you do not pay them off monthly. Try and understand ROI, return on investment, or P/E and D/E when buying equities. It is why at most people can not come up with $1K immediately in an emergency.
Seeker149 Premium Member over 4 years ago
“Once upon a time, young Daniel was saved from bullies by Mr. Miyagi, an elderly martial arts master. Wishing to learn from him, he agrees to become Miyagi’s student, only to be faced with numerous repetitive tasks. When Daniel finishes, his teacher thanks him and pays him generously. Having learned the lucrative value of hard work, Daniel goes home resolved to become a master of car and home maintenance.”
This version of the Karate Kid should satisfy anyone who claims that mathematics is only useful for working with numbers. While this belief has some merit, it completely overlooks the fundamental brain circuitry that is built and reinforced by studying math. The numbers and equations that students struggle with day after day in class are also stand-ins for virtually all the non-numerical factors, relations, comparisons, and interactions that they will face for the rest of their lives. Like the muscle memory that Daniel acquired and then applied to master karate, math students practice critical thinking in a purer form than in any other subject.
As a teacher, I promise every one of my pupils that even if they never need the material in their textbooks, practicing math will make them faster thinkers in any situation, more confident in their interactions, harder to fool by those who would take advantage of them, and better able to manipulate others who did not study so diligently. I promise them that when they reach a high enough level their ability to think quickly and clearly will almost feel like a superpower – then slyly throw in my assurance that I will not judge them on whether they use that power for good or evil.