Peter Blomert disagreed:

As i don’t no any average person, it is difficult to explain dis-/agreement here.

I think, with math it is like with many important issues in the modern world: Actually math makes the world go round, but in normal life you often choose to ignore that – an you get away with that, normally. No computer-graphic is working without algebra, projective geometry and stuff, no highway-exit can be build without using tons of calculus, no complex business will get away without lots of algebra of matrices, cost calculation etc.

So, you normally don’t have to be able to understand the technology beneath the surface of your car – but in case of a breakdown in the northern territories you better do!

On a deeper level we can start to differ between math (the stuff you missed to learn at school) and mathematics, which is quite another story: While math being a bunch of tools to deal with the outer world, mathematics, abstract mathematics is THE structured way of thinking – the ultimate way of brain-jogging. You want to learn to think? Train your brain with mathematics! You want to find the flaws in your opposites thoughts? Train your brain with logic and analytic thinking as the old mathematicians did! As mentioned above – you can live a rich live without ever hearing about math – but why, when doing math can be the ultimate fun and a wonderful straightforward approach to understand the world and its innermost connections?

But maybe this only a German approach: “So that no more with bitter sweat I need to talk of what I don’t know yet, So that I may perceive whatever holds The world together in its inmost folds, See all its seeds, its working power, And cease word-threshing from this hour.” (Goethe, Faust)

mcaers disagreed:

lechuck, I have two words for you….home renovation. While I was doing my home renovation I used all my highschool math skills. Geometry, fractions, budgeting, forecasting, multiplying and dividing…etc etc. Home renovation is about a lot more measuring and refining and measuring and refining than it is about paint. And even the paint you have to measure to mix, measure to determine how many cans you need to buy, depending on the colour it will change the square footage of coverage, you may need two coats or in the case of red paint 7 coats of paint! This leads to going over budget so you have to economize on other things. (I did learn an important lesson get tinted primer!)

Andrew Brown disagreed:

The Egyptians

lechuck disagreed:

I get that algebra is used for many many great things. The world wouldn’t be the same without it. I get it. What I am getting at as a person who knew he wouldn’t be using math for any greater reason then budgeting my grocery bill, planning my financial future, or basic home renos (as Michelle stated), what good is forcing me, or many other students to fail miserably at Algebra and other over complicated math subjects that I’ll never get. Nor really care to.

Andrew Brown disagreed with:

I didn’t see it as a waste of time. I think its important to validate what you can and can’t do.

But the practical use is most likely not going to apply to all. I can’t think of the last time I whipped out a Matrices to open a can of soup.

Now with schooling anyway you don’t have to take the hard math if you don’t want to.

oLahav disagreed:

First of all, I think a lot of the math you learn in high-school is important and useful. I disagree with some of the teaching methods that promote intelligence rather than hard work, but that’s off-topic.

Algebra is actually one of the more useful parts of math. And sure, your computer, calculator, or smart friend can probably figure out things faster for you, but what if you didn’t have those? How would you figure out the value of your car if it’s depreciating at 20% a year after 5 years? How would you know whether you should invest in a 5% $200 bond or 2 6% $100 ones with more risk? How would you figure out how much money will be left in your back account after your make x purchases on credit with r% interest and have to pay it back within y days?

Algebra isn’t calculus, it won’t help you build bridges or become a rocket scientist without more mathematical concepts. Algebra is the bread and butter of everything- how to create equations and solve them using variables. And this stuff is useful, maybe not every day, but if you look hard enough you’ll find example of it everywhere.

One more thing- How is ANYTHING you learn in high-school relevant to your every day life afterwards? I don’t use any world history, or essay-writing, or my knowledge of cellular processes on a daily basis, do you?

High-school stuff is important for one reason- it opens doors to a huge amount of other topics you can study in higher education and work with during your adult life. If you decide to close some of those doors because you don’t like them, it’s your choice.

Coach Pate disagreed:

It isn’t what you learn, it’s that you learn how to think. Your right, your boss doesn’t hand you an algebra problem, but he does give you a problem to solve and you have to be able to solve it. I believe math is by far the best subject to teach kids HOW to think. The logical, problem solving skills that are required to solve a math problem are closer to the problems you’ll solve at your job on a daily basis.