Is math really important in life?

basilmarket.com forums : Chat | 16 posts archived

thread starter imogene Aug 25 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I feel like the asians are going to come in here and tell me, "Of course math is important." But usually they are just saying that because their mom 'told them so' and they were 'forced' to focus on the 'maths and sciences' as a lil bro/chic. Feel like maybe most asians 'can't really speak English too well' because they studied too much math and not enough 'language communication skills'. Feel like this problem grows into having 'social deficiencies' later on in life that causes them to have a 'hard time making friends' and 'meeting kyoot chics' that they 'have a crush on'. So they make up for this by playing too much video games [via their mom yelling at them] so they hope to become video game designers when they grow up and hope to fulfill their dreams of an 'alternate world' where they can 'be whoever they want'. Sometimes I think they take these online worlds too seriously. One day in math class I was learning how to solve 'matrices' and wondered 'what is the matrix' and if I would apply this knowledge into doing real world things. One alt bro asked if we actually used this stuff after high school. My teacher said that the math we were learning wasn't really meant to be applied to real life situations, but rather to make us think in 'abstract ways'. Sometimes I think it might be better to study how to think abstractly by studying old philosophy texts to help us form our talent to 'think in logical steps' through problems to solve them. Feel like I'm not really learning anything by constantly 'finding x' or 'balancing equations'. Seems like math is too rigid and makes you think that there is only 'one way to solve a problem' even though real life problems have 'many paths to a solution'. Feel like white ppl take up liberal arts because they are 'free and wild' and are 'too creative' to study something so 'cold' and 'harsh' like math. Feel like there is under-appreciation of liberal arts these days. Do you think math is important to study in high school? Is high school even important? Do you 'h8 math' and think 'math is hard'? [via Barbie]

Neohanyou 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

In case you didn't know most advanced math involves a lot of abstract thinking and their's usually not just one answer. Move onto like calculus and you'll know what I'm talking about. Usually math is only "concrete" in lower level maths like algebra.

0xBanneditx0 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Well, couldn't you say that in some other things too? Why would you EVER need Shakespeare? Why would you EVER need to know about the Neo/Paleo-lithic era? Why would you EVER need to know the the structure of plant stems? Why would you EVER need a language that you'll probably end up forgetting within the next decade? So on and so forth. It depends on your career and interests, etc.

gobipie 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Is this how you write papers? Because if it is, I don't think you should be arguing that Asians have a lack of language skills, especially when it comes to writing. In speech, you should also "maybe consider" that most Asians don't live in a place that NECESSITATES English. Therefore, you arguing that most Asians don't know English well enough would be like me arguing that most whites/Americans don't know Spanish well enough. Both Spanish and English are helpful and even used to limited extent in America and China respectively, but it is not necessary for a native of either to "speak it well". Do you know Chinese well? How about Korean? No. Okay. Also, I understand where this notion of a lack of social graces comes from, but it is not prevalent. Try not to judge a race that covers well over half of the global population by a couple of Americanized Asian adolescents in your school. Saying that most Asians have a lack of social skills would be like saying "a majority of the world's population is antisocial".

Dart 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

On topic gobipie?

6ReDevil6 Aug 26 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Your ignorance is overwelming! Without the "matrice solving" u learned and the knowledge behind it and AHEAD of it you wouldnt have either a computer, or a cell phone, or internet just to name a few... Ah math is so important, but I get your point about many people lifes being affected negatively by videogames.

rtoan44 Aug 26 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

lupefiasco : So you are in a dark alley, and theres three black guys walking behind you laughing, what do you do? lupefiasco : No I view you as a person, in denial. How wonderful, so out of ALL the unique people in the world ... you chose Black people. And it doesn't just stop there! You describe a situation to a fellow Basiler in which you put three black people in a dark alley , which you chose because you were hoping he would respond in a stereotypical way. Regardless of their skin tone or intentions, ANYONE would run as you depicted a hostile environment by using " dark alley ". I'm soooooooooooo sure that someone will decide to turn around, greet them in a friendly manner and invite them over for a game of Checkers. On topic - I despise Math. I see no reason in learning past basic Mathematics. All assured, I am learning Advanced Math but I can not think of one situation where I would need to apply the knowledge learned in that course. One thing I agree which many Basilers have already said, Math helps you think of different ways in solving problems given to you, hence the many different formulas that end with the same solution or "x".

WolfPak 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

She's dumb; her reasoning is completely off, and she's already stereotyping on everyone that's about to post. Hilarious.

ssshyguy 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

You know what the funny thing is? These asians that your referring to as hopeless anti-social geeks without any game that struggle throughout adolescent years (which you guys ridicule @ the time) Grow up to be very successful! Dont mean to be offensive, but by what you've posted up i can assume that your probably still very young, and are still a tad naive. And are still in that socialite complex that 99% of girls in your generation are all obsessed over. But you'll soon realize that alot of that becomes irrelevant in your maturing years. ALL BOUT MONEY AND CAREER.

luckygirl300 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

i think basic math yeah but not like algebra and calculus isneeded

Kharma 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

hairamoose : if math wasent important we wouldnt be on the internet right now This. We also need math for such obvious things like architecture, pharmacy, sewing, and even cooking. If the TS thinks that we don't need technology, shelter, medicine, clothing, or food, then no, math really isn't important in life. >.> And the TS' rant on Asians' skill in math only proves to show that she is jealous of them.

gobipie 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Dart : On topic gobipie? I'm responding to two points in his argument with two of mine. It's entirely on topic.

DoctorShemp Aug 26 2009 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Short answer, math is involved in over 80% of jobs, so yes, its important. And by the way, your teacher is an idiot. Math isn't to help you think in abstract ways, its to get you familiar with solving problems with a sense of logic, step by step thinking to the solution, and sticking to a linear format of porblem solving. Its basicaly to help you to solve things one step at a time and by using backround knowledge and common sense to discover a solution to a problem. Edit: I understand what you mean by saying that math makes it seem likes theres only one solution to a problem, but thats not the case. Math is to provide a step by step solution to problems where its fit. For example, say a young man is planning his choice for a carrer, and is stuck between choosing to become an accountant, lawyer, or science teacher. He can list his qualifications and pros on an organized chart for each job, and see which one adds up to the most. He can then look at the cons of each job, and balance them out with the qualifications and pros to get a better idea of which job has better pros to balence out the cons, and inluence his carrer choice. Math is used in this situation, and although it produces one answer no matter how many times you add it up, numbers never lie. Sure, there are other ways to solve this problem, but math is one of them, and is a way of thinking that many people work well with.

Limiel 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

DoctorShemp : Short answer, math is involved in over 80% of jobs, so yes, its important. And by the way, your teacher is an idiot. Math isn't to help you think in abstract ways, its to get you familiar with solving problems with a sense of logic, step by step thinking to the solution, and sticking to a linear format of porblem solving. Its basicaly to help you to solve things one step at a time and by using backround knowledge and common sense to discover a solution to a problem. Edit: I understand what you mean by saying that math makes it seem likes theres only one solution to a problem, but thats not the case. Math is to provide a step by step solution to problems where its fit. For example, say a young man is planning his choice for a carrer, and is stuck between choosing to become an accountant, lawyer, or science teacher. He can list his qualifications and pros on an organized chart for each job, and see which one adds up to the most. He can then look at the cons of each job, and balance them out with the qualifications and pros to get a better idea of which job has better pros to balence out the cons, and inluence his carrer choice. Math is used in this situation, and although it produces one answer no matter how many times you add it up, numbers never lie. Sure, there are other ways to solve this problem, but math is one of them, and is a way of thinking that many people work well with. This. Also, IMO: The content in the entire first paragraph looks more like a rant targeting Asians rather than an opinion on the unimportance of math.

Quixotic 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Without math, no other subject could be learned in school.

RatedRSuperstar 08/26/09 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Oh my your wall of text crit me for 99k. And all the run-on sentences. /dies