“When will I ever use this?” It’s the question every math teacher hears, and every student asks—usually while staring blankly at an algebra problem. But what if the real answer is: all the time? From figuring the tip to leave at a restaurant to decoding data on your favorite app, math shows up in more places than you’d expect. In this post, we’ll unpack why math really does matter—and how the right support, students can turn confusion into confidence.
Why Students Struggle to See Math’s Relevance
Math is a difficult subject. It’s no surprise that we see more students struggle with math than any other subject (especially more complex classes). One thing teachers, tutors, and parents all hear from students is: why does math matter? It’s a good point! Doing endless worksheets feels like a chore, especially when you’re not allowed to use a calculator. Students may fail to see the relevance of doing mathematical repetition and problem solving, but with the right mindset, they can not only see the relevance but understand why it’s important for them to do things this way.
Often times teachers will not explain the relevancy of mathematics and instead ‘teach to the test’. This is especially common in large school settings like public schools. For this reason, students can feel confused and frustrated. So why is math important? How is it relevant? Let’s discuss:
Everyday Scenarios Where Math Matters
1. Budgeting and Personal Finance
Math can be useful for understanding percentages in budgeting and personal finance. Understanding how to budget is necessary for managing one’s cash and savings. In high school it may sound boring to make a budget and worry about personal finance but when becoming an adult these are real skills that matter when it comes to surviving on your own! Having a fundamental understanding of percentages and addition/subtraction is essential for budgeting and personal finance!
2. Cooking and Adjusting Recipes
Cooking is a science, and with all sciences—it requires math! While it’s possible to get by without having any math knowledge, becoming a good chef requires the ability to adjust recipes and measurements. This requires the fundamentals of division (to portion ingredients) as well as addition and subtraction when considering units of measurements. Like math, cooking requires practice to meet perfection, and all students will learn to cook at some point in their life. For this reason, many math classes in elementary and middle school have lessons that focus on units of measurements such as cups, pints, quarts, etc.
3. Telling Time, Measuring, and Estimating
Having a fundamental understanding of time is essential for planning your day and not being late. Math helps with getting a grasp on the 60 arithmetic that time is based off of. What I mean by this, is with math you can tell that 60 seconds is to a minute, there’s 60 minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day. With this understanding you can calculate time intervals such as how long your next class is and more. Additionally, the world utilizes math in helping students understand units and conversions. Using addition and subtraction allows you to convert feet to inches, grams to ounces, etc. In more complex cases, geometry is used to measure space or splitting quantities. The final benefit of this section I want to discuss is estimating. With estimating, you need a good understanding of mental math and scale/proportion. Additionally, students will be using the concept of rounding numbers constantly in their adult lives.
4. Shopping Discounts and Interest Rates
Another good example of using math in the real world is shopping discounts and interest rates. Both require a fundamental understanding of percentages when using them. Shopping discounts generally list the post discount price, but if working in retail you will be rapidly asked to calculate these discounts for racks and displays. Coupons also fall into this category with many of them giving a percentage off for a particular item. Interest rates are another example that students will begin utilizing as they exit high school. Whether they’re applying for student loans, a car, or looking into home ownership—understanding interest rates is necessary for understanding what is a good deal.
5. Travel: Distance, Speed, and Time Calculations
The final example I want to discuss is traveling related. The United States has car driven infrastructure, so understanding measurements such as distance, speed, and time are all necessary for traveling safely. Calculating MPGs will give you a good idea on the health of the car and when to get gas, calculating distance to time will assist with telling you how long it will take to get somewhere!
How TenneyTutors Helps Make Math Matter
So does math matter? Yes! Whether it’s personal finance or cooking, mathematics gives importance to how students navigate the world after school. For this reason, it’s extremely important to have a solid foundation when learning math. If you find you or your student are struggling with math, either inside or outside of the classroom, TenneyTutors can help! TenneyTutors utilizes real private school teachers for our tutors so you can ensure that your student is getting the best possible tutoring. Schedule your first session today and unlock your student’s true potential!