Practical Mathmatics

Since earning my degree I’ve thought about all the classes I took. 

In order to get your AA in general education you will take a variety of classes and I was thinking about why they make you take so many different courses. 

They give you a little taste of everything. 

Science, English, Social issues, Psychology, Physical Education so on and so forth. 

Math was a wretched waste of time for me.

I ‘m not going to be 

doing anything out of the ordinary in regards to math. There’s a good reason too. 

I am numerically dyslexic. 

I don't remember numbers in any order.

If I do  it takes a long time. 

Math is almost always absolutely miserable for me.  

You want me to take a math class!

Okay, let’s make it practical.

I want to know how I will use it in my REAL life. 

I don't want a theoretical situation where I need to know what time it is by the shade of the ladder or why someone would buy 73 watermelons to paint their house.

Math and its Practical uses to me, as a semi-functioning human being means;

Keeping a check book and or debit card in order.

You’re “paid” weekly-monthly. Perhaps in a computer simulation system that mimics online bill paying and or debit accounts, Various amounts are taken out weekly, and you have to keep tabs on how it works, and pay fees based on activity.

Lord knows this is a class I could have used. Someone teaching people how to budget would be a good thing~ Maybe teach us about basic economics.

I am seriously bad at that stuff.

I know we briefly touched on how to tell how many Miles per gallon your car gets, but let’s go beyond that. How much will a car cost, give scenarios like jobs, cost of living housing rent vs. buy, how to buy a new car, or a used car, or in some peoples case, a huffy. 

"Anything in a 3 seater, I got a kid"

I think this would have helped me out in life much more than finding the circumference of a large pizza.

I think students should learn about debt, and how it is incurred, including percentage rates. Yes we did this, but in a very tedious manner, oh and I sucked at it.  However there was no bigger impact of the lesson. It was an arbitrary set up for a question. 

It was recitation, not education.

When I asked my teacher what the 'real world' application of these would be, he simply replied, "It's problem solving." 

I have solved a lot of problems in my life, and I don't remember it ever involving finding X. Not unless a letter grade was attached to the process.

This may be why I've been able to handle all those little bumps in life.

Basic home repair, shopping and cooking: Granted some need this more than others.

Too much oil spray.

 

Yes I think these should be taught, because not enough people learn these things. 

It's a long term benefit. 

Changing tires on your car and the oil. 

Along with that comes checking air pressure and how to fit 5 people into the 3 person back seat.

There are practical uses for each of these things.

 

I have not used any of the stuff they taught me past math 96 (aka math for dummies) 

Is it being used?  Of course

Will it be used in the future?  Sure

But by me? NOPE.

“How do I know?” You ask. 

Because, I will not be going into quantum physics or chemistry. 

I will not be using complex equations on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

  

  

Do you know what I need to know, the metric system, and conversion rates. 

These have real world value. 

Do you know how tall you are?

I am 152 centimeters thank you very much and I walk about a kilometer a day. 

Why should this be learned? 

Because the USA is one of 2 countries who don’t use the metric system.

Not exactly the boat I want to be in.  When someone from any other country asks how tall I am, I have to try to remember the conversions. I'm not great at it but at least I know some things. 

I’m thinking a zombie defense class could fit in nicely with all this, but that’s just my humble opinion.