When Will I Ever Use This?
by Rebecca Rockefeller
February 05, 2010
When Will I Ever Use This?
By Kathryn Mousel
"When will I ever use this?" is a question that I often hear in my math classes. I do understand why students ask this question, but at times it is somewhat hard to answer.
One of the answers that I give is that most--if not all-- Nebraska students will use their math knowledge to pass the state standard assessments. There are, however, some standards that even I do not understand why students need to know the information being tested.
Another answer that I give is that you may never use this knowledge specifically again, but you will always need to know how to solve problems; and studying math teaches you to think logically and gives you strategies to solve problems. I do have a few specific, "real world" ways that students may use some of the math we learn that I share with them.
One of the real world ways to use math is when we are studying the Pythagorean Theorem. This Theorem states that the sum of the squares of the lengths of the legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse. I share with students that if they are building a fence and want to make a square corner, they can measure legs that are three feet and four feet and then the distance between their endpoints needs to be five feet.
Another example is the use of complex numbers. Complex numbers are used in electrical engineering. Therefore, I am constantly looking for specific examples of how math is used in your professions in order to make math relevant to our students' lives.
If you have something, please share it with me. Together we may improve our students' chances of success in their futures.
