With the constant development of many learning tools, including Maths cards, learning Math is easier than ever, especially for young kids. Still, some people find it too abstract, which brings to the age-old question: Why do we even study Math? Is there a real-world application to algebra, geometry, or calculus? While most of us only see the numbers and the difficulty they represent, Math and life are actually tightly linked.
Shopping and Budgeting
- The mere act of comparing prices between two different items is a fundamental concept of Mathematics. This basically means you’re applying Math every time you go shopping.
- At the store, you calculate the quantity against the price, measure the weight of specific items, and verify if the money you have is enough to pay for all your purchases.
- When setting a budget, you divide a specific amount into certain allocations: groceries, electricity, rent, etc.
Personal Finance
- Creating a budget is impossible without basic arithmetic skills. It starts with a total income source divided into different expenses.
- In working out a savings plan, you use Math to identify how much of your income can go into savings. Is it 5%, 10% or 20%?
- Using the concept of percentages, you’ll be able to work out the minimum amount due on your credit card, interest on loan repayments, and the potential returns on your investment.
- If you want to pay off a debt sooner than the agreed-upon schedule, you use Math to calculate how much you need to pay to clear out your loan in just six months instead of a year.
Cooking and Baking
- Cooking and baking are where fractions and ratios become useful. You measure ingredients to ensure the best results.
- When cooking a batch smaller or bigger than the recipe you’re following, you need to adjust the ratio of different components. For example, if the recipe calls for half a kilo, you need to double the volume when you’re baking twice the amount.
- When it’s time to bake, temperature measurement is more important than ever. Undercooking and overcooking are risks without proper measurements.
- If you own a bakery or restaurant, you’re going to need Math to calculate the cost of ingredients against profit, and it’s rarely a simple addition and subtraction.
These are just some of the Math applications in daily life, which make this field of study more useful than you think.
Benefits of Studying Math
For young children (or even adults), studying Math can be challenging but also beneficial in several ways.
- Working out Math problems not only improves arithmetic skills, but also your cognitive skills.
- Your brain gets a workout every time you need to solve something, from working out a change to identifying distance and speed.
- With Math, you’re not only solving problems on paper but also in real life. The ability you gain in decoding word problems will prove useful in dealing with complex life problems.
With all these benefits inside and outside of the classroom, Math should be celebrated instead of feared. To make learning any subject more fun, check out resources from Learning Through Doing.
