The Use of Mathematics in Everyday Life

You might not use an abacus daily, but you do use math.

For many people, the mere mention of math is enough to cause a headache. It is a commonly held belief that people are either good at math or they are not. What most people fail to realize is that everyone has math skills that he uses on a daily basis.

In the Kitchen

If you know how to use measuring cups and spoons, know how many ounces are in a gallon and you have followed a recipe or the cooking directions on the back of a box, you are using a type of math known as measurements. And if you have ever had to double or cut a recipe in half, you have used multiplication and division.

Decorating the House

When you changed the paint in the living room from eggshell to taupe, you undoubtedly figured out how many cans of paint it would require. When you laid new tile in the bathroom, once you knew there were 20 tiles in a box, you measured the floor and bought the appropriate number of boxes. When you replaced the horizontal blinds in your bedroom, you measured the window, then went out and bought an appropriate-sized blind. All of these tasks required math--algebra to be exact. For each of these instances, you "solved for x."

Cell Phones

If you make a phone call, you have to enter numbers into the phone in a certain sequence for the call to be completed. If you have a smartphone and your appointment book is stored on it, knowing how to schedule appointments so you have time to get from one to the next requires math skills.

Vegas

If you have been to Las Vegas and played Blackjack, you have used two types of math: probability and statistics. If you have 13 and the house has a King showing, the probability of losing if you do not take another card is greater than standing and hoping the dealer has less than 13 or busts. Statistically speaking, the dealer has a better chance of having a 3 or better than a 2.

Banking

Each time you enter a transaction into your check register, you are doing basic math. Making a deposit is addition, and writing a check to pay a bill or using your debit card to purchase groceries is subtraction.

References

• Math Worksheet Center: 10 Ways We Use Math Everyday
• Learner.org: Math in Everyday Life