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[diffusionx]

I feel like a more general knowledge of math and what numbers look like relative to context would lead to a big upgrade in this country's discourse and politics. Politicians put a lot of dopey shit past people because they have no concept of how numbers work.

Knowing math is a critical part of being a well-rounded citizen. It's why geometry was a core part of the curriculum since Ancient Greece.

 

[Mineshaft_Gap]

My teachers told me grammer was important.

My teachers said the same thing about spelling.

 

[PsychBat!]

Math is important. I don't use it on an academic level nowadays, but for everyday things? Really important, and hard to avoid if you don't want to use it.

Now cursive? Everyone texts and types. It's almost useless.

 

[cDNA]

And write in cursive and shit? Any time I have to do a math problem I can just flip up the calculator on my Apple iPhone 6 and I dare u to try and write something in cursive

It would've made school way more fun if teachers would have been real about what stuff was good to know. Like hb having a class about filing taxes or shopping for credit cards

Why you want a class about it when most of the people can do it easily with the help of Turbotax. It is waste of time for the rest /s

 

[Sapiens]

Oh Jesus, I use math everyday, thank christ I had the education. WTF op?

 

[Gun Animal]

Due to familial circumstances I was essentially an elementary school drop-out. It was under the pretense of "home-schooling" but the curriculum was handled very poorly for a few years and then basically ignored completely after that.

I did have internet access growing up though, and in my third year of college I don't feel like I missed out on too much... except math. I'm keeping up with my math classes fine, but it's all stuff that I wish I'd learned a lot sooner. For example, I've found that nearly everything I've learned about algebra so far has immediately translated to the Javascript stuff I'm doing in another class. I've been doing scripting and game mods and stuff since I was 12 and I would have probably been able to do a lot more a lot sooner if I'd had a more traditional education.

Then again, since I enjoy doing math, I would have gotten into it one way or another, or maybe I wouldn't have liked it at all if I'd had it forced on me! I dunno.

 

[weemadarthur]

At my last job I needed to remember the pythagorean theorum. That wasn't programmed in my calculator.

And I didn't even look it up on the internet.

Spoiler

Which is probably why I needed a 2nd try to get it right.

 

[diffusionx]

Why you want a class about it when most of the people can do it easily with the help of Turbotax. It is waste of time for the rest /s

I don't think people have a clue about taxes. I see a lot of low information people who claim that a raise would mean they take home less because they are in a higher bracket, because they obviously don't understand the concept of marginal rates. Politicians take advantage of this ignorance to build support for massive tax cuts for the rich.

This is something where a general knowledge of mathematics and understanding of numbers would actually be really useful.

 

[Cocaloch]

Education doesn't need a goal.

I think that's the mantra of all the non STEM degrees.

The point of a liberal arts education, and the S and M of your STEM fall into this, is the creation of better people.

You can agree or disagree with the idea that it actually does this, but it's not like the academy is completely aimless outside of the pre-professional schools.

 

[CosmicQueso]

I agree OP.

Generally, the less educated the rest of the population is, the less competition I have.

So please, ignore your classes. Lean on technology and not the power of your own brain. Forget school. Learn to push a broom. That's a much more important skill set!

 

[Hands of Stone]

Math is important for people who want to go to college, study STEM and have ambitions.

We going in already huh

 

[Gilby]

Why do people act like cursive is such a difficult thing? It's pretty much just writing words without taking the pen off the paper, with a standardization. And math is important even if you're not going into STEM; creative jobs are becoming more and more technical. Working in game design even though I don't need to have a mastery of trig I still need to know about the basic functions just to communicate ideas with programmers or tune them. Animation and modelling even requires some basic understanding of vectors.

 

[Empty Space]

I feel like a more general knowledge of math and what numbers look like relative to context would lead to a big upgrade in this country's discourse and politics. Politicians put a lot of dopey shit past people because they have no concept of how numbers work.

Knowing math is a critical part of being a well-rounded citizen. It's why geometry was a core part of the curriculum since Ancient Greece.

You're talking about a good understanding of statistics not traditional math. Those are kind of different disciplines. You are right though people really should be required to take a Statistics, Government, Economics, and Personal Finance course in high school, but most states don't mandate taking at least one of those.

 

[Rocky85]

Doesnt doing math make you a better logical thinker overall?
If you cant do basic alebra I imagine youd be pretty shitty at problem solving anything.

 

[More_Badass]

But they can just teach math in college once u have a major that involves advanced math??

Math is cumulative. You need to master the foundations before being able to tackle calc or trig. Physics and chemistry require math too

 

[Langdon Alger]

My teachers told me grammer was important.

Most of the bosses I've had in my life have had terrible grammar.

 

[Fbh]

Honestly I think a lot of the schooling system is flawed and the vast majority of what you learn in the later years of highschool is useless for most students. Math wasn't even the worst of it,
There should be a system to focus teaching in later years towards what kids are interested in.


I'm also shocked by the lack of real life teachings that a lot of kids are missing. Great you can solve this equation, now how about resonsabily managing a bank account and a credit line.... oh you can't.

 

[Tesseract]

Due to familial circumstances I was essentially an elementary school drop-out. It was under the pretense of "home-schooling" but the curriculum was handled very poorly for a few years and then basically ignored completely after that.

I did have internet access growing up though, and in my third year of college I don't feel like I missed out on too much... except math. I'm keeping up with my math classes fine, but it's all stuff that I wish I'd learned a lot sooner. For example, I've found that nearly everything I've learned about algebra so far has immediately translated to the Javascript stuff I'm doing in another class. I've been doing scripting and game mods and stuff since I was 12 and I would have probably been able to do a lot more a lot sooner if I'd had a more traditional education.

Then again, since I enjoy doing math, I would have gotten into it one way or another, or maybe I wouldn't have liked it at all if I'd had it forced on me! I dunno.

oh totally, all math axioms translate to all applied sciences

it simplifies everything

 

[Manmademan]

Honestly I think a lot of the schooling system is flawed and the vast majority of what you learn in the later years of highschool is useless for most students. There should have a system to focus teaching in later years towards what kids are interested in.


I'm also shocked by the lack of real life teachings that a lot of kids are missing. Great you can solve this equation, now how about resonsabily managing a bank account and a credit line.... oh you can't.

teenagers by and large aren't a great judge of what is actually useful to learn, versus what is just entertaining to them at that point in time.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Ah, the STEM circle-jerk never fails.

Calc I-III, and DiffEQ is baby math.

If you really want to see how good you are in math then take Complex Analysis and Real Analysis with the "baby" Rudin book and then come back and brag.

On a serious note, math is important. Our modern world wouldn't exist without math beyond the College Algebra level.

 

[Bossun]

It's important to at least know addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, fractions and percentage.

That's useful in real life. The rest not so much and could be learned in college IMO.

I guess the pythagorean theorem and basic binomial theorem might be useful to..somehow.

 

[Cloyster]

What the OP SHOULD have said is this.

Having this be required is good:

Having this be required is also good:

Maybe even some of this:

But this bullshit:

can fuck right off.

 

[diffusionx]

You're talking about a good understanding of statistics not traditional math. Those are kind of different disciplines. You are right though people really should be required to take a Statistics, Government, Economics, and Personal Finance course in high school, but most states don't mandate taking at least one of those.

I'm not. Learning general math and getting people comfortable with numbers and variables (solve for X, etc.) helps in everything. I don't want high schools necessarily teaching econ 101 bullshit or government from textbooks approved by the Texas DOE.

Personal finance I think is absolutely necessary. I took a PF course my freshman year and I still use stuff from it. It'd be nice if kids took enough math to get into prob/stat but I think algebra and calc are really useful.

 

[Mortemis]

Cruising I can get, but why you gotta hate on math like that OP. There's no point of a calculator if you don't get the basics of what you're doing.

Are you kidding me? All three of those are extremely useful and near ubiquitous in not just most future careers you might consider but also a ton of everyday problems you might encounter in your life. At a minimum, do you have any idea how much easier/better people could make informed decisions if they have even a basic understanding of statistics? Algebra is is a numerical way to express real world problem solving. Geometry is key to understanding physical objects in the space (i.e. the physical world). Like how are you making it through high school without a basic understanding of these to say nothing of adulthood?

Like sorry you find (or did find) basic high school math hard but man/woman up? Shit is useful yo!

I also have no idea why cursive writing and MATH are put under the same umbrella. Relative importance is like night and day.

They should make stats a mandatory class in grade school (it wasn't at my school). There's stupid shit people do all the time that a basic understanding of stats would help.

 

[PdotMichael]

The point of a liberal arts education, and the S and M of your STEM fall into this, is the creation of better people.

You can agree or disagree with the idea that it actually does this, but it's not like the academy is completely aimless outside of the pre-professional schools.

Good that we know that people with T and E degrees can't become better people.

 

[Empty Space]

I'm not. Learning general math and getting people comfortable with numbers and variables (solve for X, etc.) helps in everything. I don't want high schools necessarily teaching econ 101 bullshit or government from textbooks approved by the Texas DOE.

Personal finance I think is absolutely necessary. I took a PF course my freshman year and I still use stuff from it. It'd be nice if kids took enough math to get into prob/stat but I think algebra and calc are really useful.

But that stuff is already mandated at the state level with only like two exceptions, I think.

 

[lord pie]

Basic maths is very important in day to day life and shouldn't require a calculator. I suspect a lot of people who lack the skill are often those who struggle to balance their budgets, get sucked into dodgy loan schemes, can't keep rough track of their calorie intake, credit card debt, cell phone plan cost, etc etc etc.

So while I agree that schools should certainly focus on life skills (like not being exploited) it absolutely should not be at the expense of *basic* abilities just because 'computers can do it'.

A lot of advertising is designed to exploit a lack of basic mathematical ability in the average consumer. e.g. “Buy three for only $5.99!! Save!! (regular price $2)”. Or for example (I see this a lot) “low calorie” food that's just smaller portions than the regular version, often for a higher price.
In these situations you need to be able to recognize the deception immediately through basic ability, and that isn't going to happen if you need to get out a calculator.

 

[Fbh]

teenagers by and large aren't a great judge of what is actually useful to learn, versus what is just entertaining to them at that point in time.

I recently moved to Switzerland.
From what I understand, a lot of kids here start to learn a job at 16 with a dual system (half of the time in school, half of the time working and learning "on the field").

And the country works just fine

Basic maths is very important in day to day life and shouldn't require a calculator. I suspect a lot of people who lack the skill are often those who struggle to balance their budgets, get sucked into dodgy loan schemes, can't keep rough track of their calorie intake, credit card debt, cell phone plan cost, etc etc etc.

I'm doing fine with all of those things. I also studied a career, have a decent job with a decent pay, my own place, etc............. and I honestly don't remeber what a logarithm is.
Basic math is one thing and I agree everyone should learn it, but in highschool you reach a point where a lot of what you learn feels kinda useless.

 

[Ryaaan14]

What the OP SHOULD have said is this.

Having this be required is good:

Having this be required is also good:

Maybe even some of this:

But this bullshit:

can fuck right off.

Yes

 

[CrimsonCrescendo]

Technically I don't need high level math in my degree. I just take the courses because I find Math pretty damn fun. Math and Science are basically the base code of the universe and are extremely important to learning how to problem solve. Saying "what's the point of learning it if it doesn't have a 100% practical every day use" is missing the point entirely. Tons of stuff falls under the same category, doesn't mean you shouldn't learn them.

What the OP SHOULD have said is this.

But this bullshit:

can fuck right off.

That's not even beginning-of-the-course Calculus level stuff. That's basic "can you follow instructions?" level math.

 

[everyday math]

Math is important. You need me OP.

You may not need to know advanced mathematics. Those designed for certain job fields. But try findings a decent livable job without knowing the basics. It's not gonna end well. Hell they make you do a math test for getting a job at Target.

 

[Karsticles]

But they can just teach math in college once u have a major that involves advanced math??

You want people to wait until they're 18 to learn Algebra?

Look, the point of a modern education is to make you a well-rounded individual. You may never write a book or a letter, but school will teach you how to write an essay regardless. You may never do more than balance a checkbook, but school will teach you to take derivatives. The point is that whatever you want to be, the modern education system is designed to ensure you have some understanding of what's going on.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Math is incredibly important in all facets of life. Smh OP.

 

[biggersmaller]

Considering you typed this on a computer to post on an internet message board, I would hope you could come to appreciate that math is really fucking important. It's also idiotic to lump what governs the universe with cursive handwriting.

 

[Shredderi]

I never had the motivation to study math so I sucked/suck at it and deemed it not important but there were a few occasions in high school where due to circumstances I absolutely had to study math for some tests and I saw that I could actually do it if I just tried but it never took off. I regret that. I respect math now. Sometimes I actually contemplate on taking it on slowly as a kind of hobby and slowly get better and better because I like understanding things. But then you have something like Fallout 4 coming out and you just can't find the time for something as luxurious as math.

Also I fucking love cursive handwriting and still write like that.

 

[Jazzy Network]

Wait I have to be reading incorrectly if you are implying that writing in cursive > math?

 

[Laevateinn]

What the OP SHOULD have said is this.

Having this be required is good:

Having this be required is also good:

Maybe even some of this:

But this bullshit:

can fuck right off.

You'll never understand how the world works if you can't do algebra. Math is the language of the gods.

 

[Gun Animal]

I think the general consensus in this thread is that math and the rest of STEM are amazing and cool and everyone should be into it. I agree for the most part.

What does GAF think about History? How important is it that a working adult know all the president's birthdays?

 

[Mysterious]

Is this a prank

 

[faridmon]

But Maths is important.

Everything you do in your life can be done by the help of Maths.

 

[Mysterious]

What the OP SHOULD have said is this.

Having this be required is good:

Having this be required is also good:

Maybe even some of this:

But this bullshit:

can fuck right off.

Quadratic formula literally has you plugging in numbers into a formula. Matrices aren't taught in high school in Ontario at least.

 

[tokkun]

The real waste was spending all that time memorizing the state capitols.

Should have spent that time in Geography class learning the relative locations of all the countries in the Middle East.

 

[Sub_Level]

I don't even understand what a signature is supposed to be, really. I get the function, but was never taught how to write one. So I write the same scribbles in the signature line each time. Its completely illegible.

 

[Phyranion]

Do your math homework, kids.

 

[Aeana]

Learning cursive helped me become able to read the Babar books, which was personally fulfilling when I was a child. It was legitimately my driving factor. I used to think they were in a foreign language before that.

As for math, I didn't appreciate the beauty of mathematics until I took linear algebra and calculus. It's actually pretty crazy how often stuff comes up in every day life where I can apply at least a little bit of it to help me understand something just a little bit better.

 

[PK Gaming]

Math helps develop problem solving, so it's definitely important

Cursive is like the shitty filler arc in some anime. You just have to sit through it

 

[bobbytkc]

But they can just teach math in college once u have a major that involves advanced math??

You won't be ready for the stuff they each you in college unless they teach you the stuff they do at high school.

 

[Dirac1992]

I study Physics in college and I'm just in love with math, feel bad for you op...

 

[Ryaaan14]

I study Physics in college and I'm just in love with math, feel bad for you op...

Don't worry I don't like Playstation either and somehow I'm still a happy dude

 

[Mr.Squirrel]

Math is important for people who want to go to college, study STEM and have ambitions.

I went to college, am in a STEM field, and I never use math outside of basic arithmetic. Everything else I learned (algebra, physics, geometry, discrete math, statistics, etc) have been absolutely worthless in my career.