“Is learning math really relevant to me when I progress in life?”
“What can I get out of memorising this formula when I start working next time?”
These are the thoughts that often run through my mind when I was studying mathematical formulas such as a2 + b2 = c2, ½ x base x height, etc.
Math is getting more unpopular among students these days due to its increasing difficulty and seeming irrelevance to everyday life.
Despite its decreasing popularity, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has still kept it as a compulsory subject for primary and secondary school students to take.
This has caused many students to rant their frustrations online about their views on learning maths.
So, is the MOE just making Math a compulsory subject aimlessly?
Does learning Math really benefit you in the future?
These are the questions I’m going to tackle in this article!
Why is Math a Compulsory Subject?
There are various reasons as to why MOE made Math a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools.
1. Students are Too Young to Make Decisions
Most pre-tertiary students are aged between 7-18.
People at these ages are not old and mature enough to make their own decisions on their future plans.
Which is why they need exposure and guidance.
Students are exposed to various subjects at a young age so that they can widen their horizons and find things that are of their interest.
Without exposure to different subjects, young students will be limited and confined to what is available to them.
This can significantly reduce their chance of finding out what they’re passionate about or where their strength lies.
If people are not given a chance to find out what their strengths are at a young age, it can make life extremely difficult for them when they enter adulthood as they have to start finding jobs to earn money so that they can support themselves.
2. Math Teaches Basic Life Skills
Being able to count is one of the most fundamental skills you should possess.
Many activities that occur in your daily lives require you to be able to count.
An example would be spending money.
Let’s say you’re craving Ramen, and a bowl of it costs roughly $8.
If you’ve no idea what counting is and how to count, the only way you’re able to identify the amount of money you have in your wallet is by the colour of the notes.
How inefficient is that?
As an extreme example, let’s say you paid a $10 note for the $8 bowl of ramen, and happily walked out despite not receiving any change (assuming you can’t count).
If you patronise the ramen shop everyday to order the same $8 bowl, you’ll be losing out $730 annually just because you can’t count.
With the change you’re supposed to receive, you’ll be able to buy 91 more bowls of ramen in a year!
So, learning Math is very important as it teaches you basic life skills that you need.
If you don’t know how to count, you’re just allowing someone to profit from your lack of skills.
Not worth it!
3. Learning Math Trains Your Brain
At first glance, Math seems like a subject that only teaches you how to count, add, subtract, multiply, and divide numbers.
But math actually teaches us about logic, pattern identification, structure recognition, and problem-solving.
Think about the logical thinking process behind solving Math equations.
Each time you learn to solve new equations, you’re actually training your brain to solve problems in logical aspects.
In life, you tend to face problems daily.
And to rectify the problems you face, you’ll apply logic and reasoning for the best outcome.
Hence, by learning Math, it helps you train your brain to think in a logical manner and come up with rational reasoning.
4. Opens Various Career Paths
Believe it or not, almost every career uses Math.
Careers as mathematicians and scientists involve a lot of Math (obviously).
However, there are other jobs that require you to have basic Math knowledge such as being a cashier.
You’ve to know how to count money so that you know if your customers are paying the correct sum of money.
A job as a chef also requires you to know basic Math.
When it comes to cooking, precision is of paramount importance.
Just a few seconds longer or shorter can determine your food to turn out burnt or too raw.
Hence, having basic Math skills will benefit you even if you’re not looking to be a mathematician or scientist.
5. Starting Your Own Business
It’s a dream for many individuals to start a business in Singapore and be their own boss. From the start of the process, hiring employees to paying for taxes, there are many guides online to teach you how to get started.
Starting one requires you to know basic math.
In business, profit is what you should be seeking.
How do you earn profits?
You buy low and sell high.
Having the basic knowledge of counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division will certainly help you operate a business smoothly.
Of course, there’s more to running a business than counting money.
But hey, at least you know how to work and earn a profit.
6. Saving Money
Saving money is something that we’re all taught from young.
I’m pretty sure your parents have always emphasised on how difficult earning money is, which is why they want you to be frugal.
But realistically, spending money on things you want to buy is very satisfying.
And what better way to save money than to buy when there are sales?
Almost every shop discounts their products in percentage terms (%).
50% of $10 and 50% of $100 is a huge difference.
Knowing how to identify the best discounts when shopping will enable us to save our hard-earned money.
Another benefit of learning Math.
Conclusion
Has reading this article made you more interested in learning Math?
Do you want to take your learning to the next level?
If so, please don’t hesitate to contact SmileTutor for the best Private Math Tuition you can find!
Here are some related articles you might like to read:
Maths Tuition in Singapore – 23 Popular Math Tutor Options
Your Best Options for Maths Tuition in Tampines – SmileTutor
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