How Much Math Do We Really Need?

[C1ay]

Twenty-seven years have passed since the publication of the report "A Nation at Risk," which warned of dire consequences if we did not reform our educational system. This report, not unlike the Sputnik scare of the 1950s, offered tremendous opportunities to universities and colleges to create and sell mathematics education programs...

 

The second question is more fundamental: How much math do you really need in everyday life? Ask yourself that -- and also the next 10 people you meet, say, your plumber, your lawyer, your grocer, your mechanic, your physician or even a math teacher.

 

Unlike literature, history, politics and music, math has little relevance to everyday life. That courses such as "Quantitative Reasoning" improve critical thinking is an unsubstantiated myth. All the mathematics one needs in real life can be learned in early years without much fuss. Most adults have no contact with math at work, nor do they curl up with an algebra book for relaxation....

 

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[C1ay]

I don't agree with this reasoning. I would theorize that the higher a percentage of a society is that is exposed to higher maths the better off that society as a whole is in the long run.

 

I got the impression from the article that someone like a plumber really doesn't need higher maths for everyday life but in reality everyday life for him/her is plumbing. The better plumbers are going to be so because of their better understanding of plumbing because of the related math. Understanding angles, line sizes and flow capacity, system volume and pressure, etc. are a part of everyday life for them.

 

The same is true for mechanics, electricians, machinists, carpenters, etc., the many average people working blue collar careers. Their everyday life is what they do for a living and the better they are at the applicable maths they better they are at their trade. How many of them knew what their career path would turn out to be in their early years of school? How many could have followed their eventual career path as successfully without an early maths foundation to build on?

 

I can't really seem to think of many careers where an understanding of higher maths would not be a benefit. That said, it would seem the more mathematically educated our workforce is as a whole the better off our society is for all of us. What do you think?

[JAX]

I think there is no such thing as too much education in any subject. I was quite deficient in math skills as a young man. As a cabinetmaker I found it,.... although not necessary, beneficial to learn some advanced math to make my job just plain easier. Those new skills led to alot better positions and more money. I also never thought I'd need to know spanish, but now I find that speaking fluent spanish opens new doors in a very tight job market. All educational systems should teach advanced math, you may not need it, but can it hurt to know it?