Math Matters

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Why Math Is So Important

Many students fail to see the importance of math after high school. This article discusses how math can change your future, even if you never really have to apply the Pythagorean Theorem.

Why Math is Important

Many students wonder if they’ll ever really need to know how to use the quadratic equation or find the volume of a cone. Not realizing how useful math can be, some choose to only fulfill the minimum requirements that their high schools requires. This can be a mistake, and here are several reasons why:

College

According to the professionals at College Board (www.collegeboard.com), students who take geometry in high school have about an 80 percent chance of attending college regardless of race, religion and family income. Taking math is important if you’re considering attending a college, university or technical school. Many of these institutions require students to take at least two to three years of math; however, four years of math is strongly recommended.

You not only need to take math so you can have it on your transcript, you also need math skills for standardized tests such as the SATs and ACT. You need to take these tests to qualify for admission as well. Your math skills will also be useful once you begin attending a college or university. Many schools have general education (GE) requirements that require students to take at least one quarter or a semester of math.

Career

Those at College Board also emphasize how math can help you prepare for a career. The skills that you learn in math courses may be applicable down the line, even if you are not studying to become an engineer or an accountant. Many entry-level jobs require employees to have some math knowledge. Even understanding the basic math functions can be advantageous.

From the professionals at College Board, here is a list of important skills obtained from math courses:

-The ability to identify and analyze patterns

-Logic and critical thinking skills

-Ability to see relationships

-Problem solving skills.

Go to diploma guide to read the full article. (opens in a new window)

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Watch this ATETV.org video (opens in a new window) and experience how math prepares you for your future  career in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).