Solving mathematical problems in a notebook . Phone with calculator app on wooden desk.
In America, our math skills are terrible. Our high school graduates score about the same as high school dropouts in other countries.
Maybe you’re on the opposite end of that spectrum, and after going through advanced math classes in high school and university, you may be thinking: is math a necessary life skill? While calculus probably won’t be, everything else probably will.
Read on to find out more about why math is a necessary life skill everyone needs.
You Need to Be Able to Handle Your Finances
While you don’t need math skills to be able to compete at the Math Olympiad level, you do need a basic grasp on math to be able to stay in the green. Without knowing how much things add up, you may overspend and end up overdrawing on your bank account. In turn, this can lead to a financial black hole.
Get the Best Deals on Things
When you go shopping, stores don’t exactly make things easy for you. One thing might cost $2.50 by itself, but a bundle of two might cost $4.00.
So which is the better deal?
Without math skills, you may end up spending more on items than you should.
Strive for Better Things in Life
If you currently rent an apartment, then chances are, a life goal is to own a house. Or maybe you want to buy a car.
Either way, you’ll need some basic math skills to figure out what the best rates are for you. You’ll also need to figure out if you’re able to afford the monthly payments, or else you risk falling into the red.
By having math skills, you’ll be able to crunch those numbers whenever you want so you can figure out if the next milestone in your life is feasible or not.
Manage Your Time Better
Time’s made up of a bunch of smaller increments, and if you don’t understand them, you’re going to have a tough time in life.
For example, if your friends say, “let’s meet up in 2.5 hours,” you need to know exactly when that is, or you risk being late or showing up long after everyone’s gone.
Or if your boss says, “let’s push up the meeting by a quarter of an hour,” if you don’t know what that means (or how to calculate it), then you may make a huge error.
Math Is Definitely a Necessary Life Skill
As you can see, math is a life skill that’s vital to your everyday life. While it’s true you won’t have to solve difficult calculus equations to do your groceries, you do need to have a basic grasp on things like algebra to ensure you handle your finances and everyday tasks alright.
So don’t slack on those math skills. They’ll help you be smarter with your money and life decisions!
For more information about education and careers, please take a look at our other blog articles.