Math Can Lead To A Great Career

If you enjoy math, you can get a career where you use it all the time, and you can make over US $100,000  a year. Here are some examples from www.learnhowtobecome.org :

• Mathematician 
• Economist
• Actuary
• Statistician
• Computer and Information Research Scientists

What if you don’t love math, but want to go to college or university?  If you want to go into a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), the school you apply to will want to see that you can succeed in higher-level math.  They expect that you have taken algebra, geometry and calculus.  

Here are some examples of STEM careers:

• Software developer
• Physician 
• Dentist
• Cartographer
• Engineer
• Veterinarian

Understanding Financial Math Can Save You Money

If you understand interest rates, you will know that even a half of a percent (0.5 %) difference in an interest rate can save you a lot of money on a loan or mortgage.  Christopher Murray, on the website www.moneyunder30.com , says that 

“a 1 percent difference in mortgage rate on a $200,000 home with a $160,000 mortgage increases your monthly payment by almost $100. Although the difference in monthly payment may not seem that extreme, the 1 percent higher rate means you’ll pay approximately $30,000 more in interest over the 30-year term. Ouch!”

What would YOU do with that extra $30,000?  

Or, perhaps you want to buy a new car and the dealership tells you that you can lease the car for $100 less per month.  Would leasing be better than purchasing? How can you figure this out? At the end of a 5 year lease, you give the car back to the dealership.  If you buy the car, you own (or partly own) the car. Which is better?  

If you travel, you will use math

Let’s plan a two week trip to Nova Scotia, Canada.  Make a list of all of the different types of calculations you would need to do.  How many kilometers will you travel? Will you fly or drive? What is the cost of each?  What other costs do you need to figure out? You will need to know how to use fractions, proportional reasoning, estimation and maybe use a table or diagram.  All of these require the knowledge of math.

Using Math When Shopping

When grocery shopping, you can use math to decide which items are best to buy.  Does a “deal” always mean that you will save money? Sometimes a type of produce will go on “sale” for a certain amount per pound.  At first it seems like a great price. Wait, have another look! What if you saw the price per kilogram? Would it still seem like a great price?  How many kilograms in a pound? This is where your math skills are needed.  

If you had $80 to spend on back to school clothes, how would you calculate the price of a t-shirt that was 20% off?  If you buy two pairs of pants, you can save ⅓ off the price. You would need to know how to calculate percentages and fractions.