Is Math Important

We always hear students asking "why is math important". It is a complex subject but math comes with benefits such as problem-solving skills and opens up good career opportunities. With such advantages, why do students find it difficult to invest the time and effort into excelling in this subject?

What makes Math a complex subject?

Learning is easier when students can relate their subjects to real-life situations. However, math has advanced and challenging concepts, which makes it difficult for students to relate it to real-life examples. That is why their interest may waver as they do not exactly know how math can be important and interesting for them.

Answers can only be right or wrong

Math is a black-and-white subject where the answers provided are right or wrong. There is no in-between or a way to argue that it can be correct. This makes it quite challenging for students. When they are incorrect, they do not know exactly where they went wrong with their work. As a result, many students get frustrated with math. Often when the concept gets misunderstood, students may not be able to apply them in the right way to solve the problem. Getting these questions wrong may be discouraging for them and hinder their progress in the subject.

Needs a lot of practice to master the concept

"Practice makes a man perfect," and it is applicable in all areas of life, including math. All subjects need practice. But students who do not enjoy doing math problems or have misunderstood the concepts, find practicing math questions a difficult task. Unfortunately without practice, correcting misunderstood concepts and developing clarity would not be possible.

How important is Math?

As we've seen, math is seen as important in society, however, students find it difficult to practice and may be discouraged if they get answers wrong without timely explanations. The real-life examples for math may not be obvious at first but it is essential to our world. The knowledge is transferable to many situations. Engineering, Science, and Technology contribute to great inventions in the world. All involve the use of mathematics. Apart from the importance of it in these fields, it helps develop skills such as analyzing data, seeking evidence, recognizing everyday patterns. It provides an insight for people to have a way of understanding or interpreting information.

Thus, learning to use numbers in the right way will help students think critically and creatively every day. No matter industry or field, the importance of math applies to all career fields. That's why it's crucial to learn numbers and how to do calculations at school because sooner or later it would be an integral part of their life.

Math instills soft skills that prepare students for the real world. They may encounter difficult situations and often they need to solve it on their own. A student with math knowledge is better prepared for tough situations in life. They are able to exercise their critical thinking skills to provide an appropriate solution for certain problems. Math knowledge contains great problem-solving and logical thinking skills. Students will begin to appreciate the importance of math when starting to make financial decisions, making travel itineraries to factor in time, or even simple tasks like measuring the ingredients when cooking or baking. Math may be a tough subject but mastering it opens up career opportunities in the STEM industry as well as simplifying everyday tasks.

How Math Benefits Everyday Life

Promotes analytical thinking

Analytical thinking breaks down a problem into smaller expressions using deduction or considering each piece of information separately to judge its reliability. This helps to solve the problem without missing any crucial factor. When faced with complex situations someday, math knowledge can help solve practical cases with ease.

Analytical thinking skill provides students with an effective power to analyze, describe, and change things.

Math improves ability to think

Studying numbers trains the brain to think faster. When faced with challenges, in reality, your brain should comprehend information faster to provide an efficient solution. Math helps students to handle the stress of daily routine without buckling under pressure.

Math improves logic skills

A study done by Dr Tanya Evans at Stanford University proved that the students who solve math problems in their daily life have higher logical skills than those students who don't solve the problems. It supports the development of critical and logical thinking. Students are better able to investigate a situation and think through the scenarios logically to derive a rational solution.

Great career options

Employers want to hire employees who are better at solving complex problems. Your math knowledge puts you at top positions when applying for a job. The opportunities are endless. Being a fashion designer, understanding proportions and calculating fabric cost is important. Math also helps architects to calculate structural problems for a building.

Understand the world better

Math is everywhere. We live in a world where the beauty of math is beyond the university classroom. Every single part of nature is based on math. Honey Bees, master of geometry, use hexagons to make the honeycombs. A great sequence of numbers, The Fibonacci Sequence, is found everywhere in nature: in seashells, pinecones, trees, leaves, and flowers.

Your math knowledge should help appreciate the versatility of this science in nature. Nature has many mathematical patterns such as hexagonal bee combs, spider webs, and the symmetry of a snowflake. All these exhibit the incredible use of math in nature.

Time management

Just like how math helps in making sound decisions, using math helps appreciate the value of time. Understanding that time is a finite resource, students learn how to manage their time properly. What they do in their day, who they spend time with, math helps to rationalize what is important and how to plan their day.

Adapt to change easily

Technology changes the way we live and work. Strong foundation in math helps to understand new technologies better to improve efficiency. It is possible to see how things work. Technology is an increasingly demanding factor, so companies are eager to take people who are able to leverage technology to make better analyses and to be efficient in their tasks. The world is now reliant on technology and numbers.

So is Math Important?

We've explored how math can be seen as a tough subject but its benefits extend beyond the school years. The importance of math in daily life is getting crucial with every passing year. Economic crises, environmental crises, these add on to the uncertainty of life. But with math, it helps to understand the problems we face now and in the future. Plus create solutions to help mitigate the risks. So to answer the question, is math important? We think it is. Don't let a few tough questions deter you from appreciating the subject. Practice helps and when in doubt ask for guidance from peers or from teachers.

How TCA Can Help Your Child Excel in Mathematics

Whether your child needs an extra boost or to help them with their math daily practice, explore what a math tuition center can do for your child. Talk to our experienced teachers and see how they can help your child improve not only their grades, but their interest in math.

Get your child exam-ready. Whether it is at PSLE, E-Mathematics, or A-Mathematics, it requires constant practice. It's never too early to start your child with math tuition to help clear their doubts and get them up to speed with the syllabus.&

At Terry Chew Academy, we are proud to be one of Singapore's best tuition providers, offering programs from Primary 4 through Secondary 4. Our mathematics tutors are knowledgeable about the latest mathematics concepts and will be able to help your child and boost your child's confidence in mathematics. Looking for math enrichment courses? Come meet the team at Terry Chew Academy to find out how we can help.