Why is math important?

This is one of the most frequent and favorite questions of a young child, especially when he dislikes math or when he finds it too difficult to understand. As a parent, you may even ask the same question especially when helping your child with his math homework is as hard as getting him to wake up for school every morning.

Your uncertainty can influence your child’s attitude about and performance in math. In order to avoid this from happening, here are three easy to explain reasons why learning math is an important part of education.

Logical and Critical Thinking

Math teaches logic and order. You can expect a mathematical equation to have a specific outcome, and precise steps must be done in order to get that result. The discipline that your child develops through math can be used in everyday life. He learns how to think using present and past knowledge, plus he also learns how to manipulate and make use of knowledge in different ways and forms. Math helps your child develop and practice critical-thinking skills. An example of this is when he is required to explain how he arrived at a solution to a complex problem or to describe the ideas behind a formula.

Life Skills

Almost everything you and your child do on a daily basis has a hint of math related to it. You can even say that it is next to impossible to live an independent life without basic math skills. Your child begins to learn about money and simple addition in the early years when he wants to buy a few pieces of candy; and later on, he begins to understand and calculate percentages and fractions when he wants to share food with friends. Your child needs these skills in order to perform other basic daily tasks too – like following a recipe, deciding whether or not an item on sale is a good deal, and managing a budget, among other things.

Future Studies and Career

As he advances through school, your child will tackle more math – be it easy or advanced. Developing the skills needed for math early on allows him to master it at an earlier time and gives him more time to focus on other subjects which he finds more difficult. Also, even the simplest and non-math related jobs make use of math in subtle ways. If your child becomes skilled at math, he can aim for prolific careers such as engineering, medicine, and research. All these involve an advanced level of math and a great deal of achievement and recognition.