Comment ...Until you need it! (Score 1) 1153
Does anyone NEED math in their life? I'm sure you could get by without it and survive...but you're guaranteed to live a lot worse! Probability, basic accounting practices, decimal/fractional math, and other basic stuff we learned early on may seem simple and basic enough, but few people understand it well enough to use it to their advantage in life!
Taking out a mortgage? You'll be in bad shape if you don't understand all the types of loans out there, the benefits of each, and be able to determine which is the best deal for your house. Our mortgage crisis wasn't caused by well-educated Americans making careful and thoughtful decisions!
Out shopping? Being able to compare prices and quickly do that basic decimal math in your head (and add or subtract percentages) can save a lot of money in the long run!
Beyond all the simple economic examples, I like being able to read the news, whether it's politics, science, or economics, and have a clue what's really going on. Math isn't just for test scores and educational grants, it's so people can understand the world. Understanding math allows people to solve problems better and to apply analytical skills to the world around them instead of judging based on biases, rumor, or the opinions of others. It's lack of science and math knowledge that's allowing people to hold ignorant beliefs and make poor decisions, whether on a mortgage, or on who to vote for in an upcoming election. Will the average guy need Calculus for anything...nope. Will they need alot of other math skills in order to live their lives the best they can? Most definitely!