Why is Math so important?

Probably it is used in so many other subjects.  There are uses of mathematics in all the "hard" sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics; the "soft" sciences, such as economics, psychology, and sociology; engineering fields, such as civil, mechanical, and industrial engineering; and technological fields such as computers, rockets, and communications.  There are even uses in the arts, such as sculpture, drawing, and music.  In addition, anything which uses a computer uses mathematics, and you probably are aware of how many things that is!

Furthermore, learning mathematics forces one to learn how to think very logically and to solve problems using that skill.  It also teaches one to be precise in thoughts and words.  Math teaches life skills.  It is difficult to find any area of life that isn't touched by mathematics.  We are surrounded by math, and also surrounded by people who do know math.  If you don't know what's going on, you are at their mercy.

In 1970, only nine percent of all jobs in the U.S. were considered technical. As the world’s reliance on technology has grown, so too has the demand for people who can think in the abstract terms of math and science and, today, technical jobs make up nearly one-third of all employment opportunities. Schools have tried to keep pace with the demands of an increasingly competitive technological world by stiffening their mathematics requirements and invoking a system of high-stakes testing, resulting in a widening disparity between those who learn math with relative ease and those who struggle with math disabilities.

While it is true that people can still succeed without achieving advanced competency in math, a deficiency in certain basic math skills dramatically limits a child’s opportunities. The following statistics suggest why and underscore the importance of early recognition:

·         In the 1950s and 1960s, the United States, pushed by the space race with the Soviets, introduced “new math,” a movement away from everyday problem-solving toward a focus on abstract structures, patterns, and relationships.

·         In the early 1980s, schools raised graduation requirements for math and introduced minimum competency testing in response to a government report on the state of education titled “A Nation at Risk.”

·         In the late 1980s, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics revised content and methods standards for the teaching of mathematics. At the same time, standards-based tests with rigorous math sections were included as part of the graduation requirements in many schools.

·         While tougher graduation requirements in mathematics have had a generally positive effect — improving overall math proficiency in the U.S. — many students are failing to graduate or go on to college because of them. This can have a profound effect on a young person’s future. For example, in 1997, the typical college graduate’s income was 73 percent higher, on average, than that of the typical high school graduate.

In today's world, we are bombarded with data that must be absorbed, sorted, organized, and used to make decisions. The underpinnings of everyday life, such as making purchases, choosing insurance or health plans, and planning for retirement, all require mathematical competence. Business and industry need workers who can solve real-world problems, explain their thinking to others, identify and analyze trends in data, and use modern technology.

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reveal that more students must pursue mathematical and technical occupations. Employment projections to 2010 expect these occupations to add the most jobs and grow the fastest among the eight professional and related occupational subgroups. But will enough qualified workers be available to fill the projected 2 million positions? Sixty percent of all new jobs in the early twenty-first century will require skills that are possessed by only 20 percent of the current workforce (National Commission on Mathematics and Science for the Twenty-first Century 2000). Whatever your child chooses to do in life, you can be certain that having a strong understanding of mathematics will open doors to a productive future.

Today's students must master advanced skills in mathematics, science, and technology to stay on track for college and for promising careers. Mathematics teaches ways of thinking that are essential to work and civic life.

• Students who take algebra and geometry go on to college at much higher rates than those who do not (83% vs. 36%).
• Most four-year colleges require three to four years each of high school math and science for admission.
• Almost 90% of all new jobs require math skills beyond the high school level.
• Entry-level automobile workers must use advanced mathematics formulas to wire a car's electrical circuits.
• Strong math skills are needed for understanding graphs, charts, and opinion polls in a newspaper, for calculating house and car payments, and for choosing a long-distance telephone service.