Math for Grownups is taking the day off, so I thought it would be nice to post a few of my favorite Math at Work Monday interviews, in case you missed any of them.
Marie Grace the Knitwear Designer: Those cute little booties that Aunt Lottie knitted for your baby daughter? They were likely designed by someone like Marie Grace, who uses math to figure out how many rows are knitted and how many are purled.
Ron the Web Designer: Just last week, Ron told me that he actually used a math proof to help him figure out some design elements. He’s the only person I know who admits to regularly using the Golden Mean.
Graham the Fish Hatchery Technician: So far, this is the most popular Math at Work Monday edition ever. Maybe that’s because most folks ask, “What the heck is a fish hatchery technician?” Maybe it’s because there’s a photo of Graham holding an enormous snapping turtle by its tail.
Shana the Jewelry Designer: I’m fascinated by Shana’s process and studio. Her work is so organic and yet requires a tremendous amount of math and science.
Melissa the Speech Therapist: My first Math at Work Monday Q & A, Melissa revealed how math helps her test her adult patients’ cognitive abilities. Until she answered my questions, she didn’t really know how much she uses math in her job — like many of the folks I’ve interviewed.
On Friday, I was guest poster at The Cheerful Caregiver, a great blog for folks who are serving as caregivers for ill family members and friends.
Every caregiving situation is unique, filled with distinctive obstacles and one-of-a-kind blessings. But one thing is for sure: No matter how simple your situation, caregiving is stressful, emotional and sometimes overwhelming.
Trouble is it’s often in the middle of those difficult emotions that you have to make the toughest decisions. And that’s also when the strain of caregiving starts to affect the rest of your life—making it doubly difficult to take care of yourself.
Believe it or not, math can be your best friend here. Yes, I said math.
Because, while math is not always black-and-white, it can help you tap into the practical, logical side of your brain that you need to make solid decision—and lower your stress.
Trust me: you only need the simple stuff, and you only need to do what works for you. Here are some examples.
Read the rest of the post at The Cheerful Caregiver. (She’s giving away a copy of my book, too!)
Even if you weren’t in the predicted path of Hurricane Irene, you likely heard about pretty much nothing but last weekend. We Americans love our big storms. There’s been lots of grumbling lately about over-hyped media coverage, especially since the hurricane was downgraded to a Category 1. But this was a bad storm — big, slow moving and full of rain.
Remarkably, the storm followed the path that meteorologists predicted: hitting landfall in North Carolina and moving up the east coast, hugging the shore. How did they know?
This video from The Weather Channel gives a really good explanation.
By the way, I apologize for being absent online for much of this week. I didn’t have power until Monday, and then it took another three days for my internet connection to be restored. Hope everyone else fared well!
I know what you’re thinking. “It’s so obvious how a 6th grade teacher would use math! She’s teaching fractions and division and percents!”
There’s always a lot more to teaching than the rest of us may think. And that’s why I asked Tiffany Choice to answer today’s Math at Work Monday questions. Ms. Choice was my daughter’s 4th grade teacher, and she’s the best elementary math teacher I’ve ever met. She truly made the math fun, and she really got into her lessons. I know this for sure, because I had the pleasure of subbing for Ms. Choice while she was on maternity leave. Let me tell you, those kids loved her — and so do I!
Last year, Ms. Choice moved to Fairfax County, Virginia. She’s getting ready to start teaching 6th grade there. In honor of what was supposed to be our first day of school — until Hurricane Irene changed our plans! — here’s how she uses math in her classroom.
Can you explain what you do for a living? I teach state-mandated curriculum to students. My job also includes communicating to parents progress and/or concerns, appropriately assessing my students, and analyzing data to drive my instruction and lessons.
When do you use basic math in your job? I use math all the time — mostly basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. When I plan lessons, I need to appropriately plan for activities that will last a certain length of time. Then, when I am teaching the lessons, I am watching the clock and using timers to keep my lessons moving or calculating elapsed time.
I also use math to grade assignments and calculate grades. I break a student’s grade into 4 categories; participation, homework, classwork, test/projects. Each category has a different weight. Participation and homework are each 10 percent, while classwork and test/projects are each 40 percent. Then for each grading period, I average grades and take the appropriate percentage to get the overall grade.
I also use math to analyze data and drive my instruction. After quarter assessments or chapter tests are given, I look for trends. Which questions did the majority of students get incorrect? If I notice out of 60 students only 30% of them got a certain question correct this says to me that most of them (42 to be exact) got the question wrong. I need to figure out why and go back.
I will also use math to group my students for games and activities. When I originally plan for them I always assume all students will be present. However, with absences and such I have to use last-minute division to regroup them. I move desks around into different groups periodically during the year, and that requires division as well.[pullquote]It’s completely normal to feel anxious or nervous about math. But a great teacher at any level (primary to college) will help you “get it.” Just don’t give up.[/pullquote]
When I plan for field trips, I have to calculate the total cost for each student depending on the fees involved. Then, I have to count large amounts money that has been collected to account for the correct amounts.
Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math? At my first teaching job, I had a computer program that calculated grades for me, but when I left and went to a new district I didn’t have that software, so I did grades all by hand using a calculator.
How do you think math helps you do your job better? The whole point of my job is to get students to learn and become great thinkers. I wouldn’t be able to find or focus on areas of weakness if I wasn’t able to properly analyze data and comprehend what it really means to me.
What kind of math did you take in high school? Did you like it or feel like you were good at it? I only took algebra and geometry in high school. I was terrible at math in high school and didn’t enjoy it or “get it” until college. I started in a community college and I had to take two developmental math classes before I could take what was required. It was during those developmental courses I finally “got it” and began to actually enjoy it. Everything finally made sense.
It’s completely normal to feel anxious or nervous about math. But a great teacher at any level (primary to college) will help you “get it.” Just don’t give up.
Did you have to learn new skills in order to do this math? The math I use to do my job is math that is taught up to the middle school level. I didn’t have to learn anything special.
Thanks so much, Ms. Choice! (I don’t think I can ever call her Tiffany!) If you have questions for Ms. Choice, just ask them in the comments section. She has agreed to come back to Math for Grownups to talk a bit about how parents can work with their kids’ math teachers, so stay tuned for more advice from her.
It’s the perennial question from students of all ages: “When will I use this stuff?” So when tutor, Ryan faced this query (probably for the upteenth time), he took to the streets to find the answer. What he found is in the video below:
And of course I have some thoughts — for teachers and students.
It is absolutely true that series (that’s what the funny looking E — an uppercase sigma — means in this problem) are not the stuff of ordinary folks in non-science fields. But they’re not as difficult as they seem. It’s the notation that’s confusing.
Skip this part, if you don’t really want to do any algebra today.
A series is just the sum of a sequence (or list) of numbers. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. So when you have
sum{n=1}{7}{3n-1}
you’re simply saying, “Find the sum of the first 7 values of 3n-1, where the first value of n is 1.” In other words: 2 + 5 + 8 + 11 + 14 + 17 + 20 = 77.
Now back to my opinions.
Okay, so I don’t need to know what a series is in order to visit the grocery store or get a good deal on a car or even figure out how much I earned this year over last year. But here’s what I wish some of those folks who were interviewed for this video had been able to say:
“That funny-looking E is a Greek letter, right?”
“Doesn’t this have to do with adding things together?”
“Hey, I dated a girl from {Sigma}{Sigma}{Sigma} once!”
And second, this tutor did pick a humdinger of a problem to focus on. Series (and their brothers, sequences) are not the main focus of any mathematics course. But honestly, they wouldn’t be taught if they weren’t useful somewhere. And boy-howdy are they useful!
1. Architecture: “An auditorium has 20 seats on the first row, 24 seats on the second row, 28 seats on the third row, and so on and has 30 rows of seats. How many seats are in the theatre?”
2. Business: “A company is offering a job with a salary of $30,000 for the first year and a 5% raise each year after that. If that 5% raise continues every year, find the amount of money you would earn in a 40-year career.”
3. Investment Analysis: “A person invests $800 at the beginning of each year in a superannuation fund. Compound interest is paid at 10% per annum on the investment. The first $800 was invested at the beginning of 1988 and the last is to be invested at the beginning 2017. Calculate the total amount at the beginning of 2018.”
4. Physics: “The nucleii of a radioactive isotope decay randomly. What is the total number of nucleii after a given period of time?”
And this brings me to some additional news of the week. Sol Garfunkel (Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications) and David Mumford (emeritus professor of mathematics at Brown) made a bit of a splash on Wednesday, with an editorial in the New York Times: How to Fix Our Math Education.
Their proposal is that we teach tons of math that applies to everyday life — and focus on those applications. (Yay!) And we ditch “highly conceptual” math for folks who won’t need it for their jobs. (Boo!)
Hopefully, you’ve already identified the problem: How do we know if a kid won’t decide to go into physics or engineering or high school math education? Hell, how do we even attempt to lure them into these fields, if they don’t see the math at all? (And by the way, physics, engineering and applied mathematics were recently identified as the top-paying degrees in the U.S.)
Look, I empathize with the student who isn’t interested in what any of the Greek letters mean in math class. And I think it’s true that most folks won’t use these skills at all after high school. (It is worth mentioning that everyone depends on series in their daily lives–they just don’t see the math.) But my response to the kid who asks, “What’s this good for?” is to tell him where it can be applied.
And if he says he won’t be going into any of those fields, I would say, “Suck it up, cupcake, because you’re too darned young to know for sure.”
Please share your thoughts in the comments section. Do you agree that these concepts should be taught in high school, even though most kids won’t use them in their everyday lives? How do you think we should encourage more students to go into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields?
That’s what I indelicately exclaimed when I saw the list of 10 highest-paying degrees, as determined by the PayScale College Salary Report. I didn’t expect to see American Literature or Elementary Education, but I also didn’t expect this.
1. Petroleum Engineering
2. Chemical Engineering
3. Electrical Engineering
(Seeing a trend here?)
4. Materials Science and Engineering
5. Aerospace Engineering
6. Computer Engineering
(What do these things have in common?)
7. Physics
8. Applied Mathematics
9. Computer Science
10. Nuclear Engineering
Dang, that’s a lot of math there. Here’s some more: The typical entry level salary for someone with a petroleum engineering degree is $97,900. The typical entry level salary for someone with a degree in, oh let’s say, English is $30,968. The English major can expect to earn about 32% of what the petroleum engineering graduate earns.
So, I’m not breaking my promise that you don’t have to be BFFs with math. But I do want to point out that math-intensive degrees are getting a lot of attention from employers, who are willing to pay big bucks. If I had to guess–and this is just a guess–some of the reason that engineers, physicists and applied mathematicians earn so much is because there aren’t many of them. At least compared to the number want ads in these fields.
So, if you’re a parent or a high school kid or a college student thinking of changing your major, consider the sciences (for your kid or yourself). If you’re afraid of the math, learn to cope with your anxiety.
Or at least don’t diss these geeks. Their bank accounts are probably bigger than yours.
Don’t know what a physicist or applied mathematician might do? Over the weekend, I interviewed a physicist who helped develop a math model that can predict how a tumor will grow and metastasize. Save
So let’s get one thing straight right away: men are not inherently better at math than women. And as our mothers and grandmothers and daughters have shown, women are not inherently bad at managing their finances.
But there are some ways that men and women experience and perhaps think about math differently. And those differences may affect how they approach financial decisions.
Would you like me to guest post at your blog? Or do you know of a blog that I would fit right in with? I’ve got lots of ideas to share with anyone who will listen! And I promise I’m a good guest. I wipe out the sink after I brush my teeth and don’t mind if the cat sleeps on my pillow. Get the details here.
Ursula Marcum practices an amazing art form called kiln-formed glass, which she can explain better than I. Her pieces are layered and rich, unlike any other glass I’ve ever seen. Like most artists, Ursula does quite of bit of basic math in her work, and she shares the details here.
What do you do for your living?
I’m an artist who works in kiln-formed glass. Rather than blowing glass, which people may be familiar with, I cut up and compose individual pieces of glass, then I fire it all in a specialized kiln to get the result I’m after. Each piece may take several firings. I then sell the completed works at art fairs and to shops as well as a show at galleries. I also teach kiln-formed glass classes at Vitrum Studio, which specializes in this medium.
When do you use basic math in your job?
Because I’m self-employed, and therefore wear many hats, I use math ALL the time, for all kinds of reasons. Most of the time it’s basic computation, but I work with fractions quite often because of all of the measurings I have to do. For example, if I’m making a glass patter, I need to measure all the pieces of glass so that they fit together and, ultimately, fit into a ceramic mold that guides the glass into a particular shape. Or, I need to center a piece of hardware that’s going to go on the back of a hanging panel.
Sometimes, though, I need to refer to specific formulas. Let’s say I’m doing a sculptural piece. When I put the glass in the kiln, at a certain point the heat will turn the glass from a solid into a liquid and, if I’ve made the correct calculations, it will fill a void that is in a plaster mold. I need to figure out the volume of the void so that I know how much glass, by weight, to use. This is one of several formulas that I have in a notebook which I refer to again and again.
Do you use any technology (like calculators or computers) to help with this math?
I use both calculators and computers to help me because I know that when used correctly they are accurate! In order to do something like the volume formula that I spoke of earlier, I will first use a calculator to convert the numbers to the metric system. It makes it so much easier. I also use the computer to help me keep track of things like inventory and finances. It’s much faster than using a pencil and paper, though I use those tools, too.
drawer #4 from Marcum’s collections series
How do you think math helps you do your job better?
Accuracy is very important, and a piece of artwork looks professional because of the details. If my corners aren’t square, or my hardware is off-center, or I don’t have enough glass to completely fill the mold, that is sloppy work. If I can’t keep the financial books in order, or I don’t know what inventory I have on hand, I will be out of business pretty quickly.
How comfortable with math do you feel?
The work that I do help me to become comfortable with math. I am the sole proprietor, so if I don’t do it, there isn’t anyone else to take up the slack! Practice, practice, practice made it feel less scary. Eventually, I got to the point where I had enough confidence to feel comfortable with the math I was doing, as well as believe that I could figure out something new that came my way.
Bird Feathers
What kind of math did you take in high school?
I really, really struggled with math in school once I got past basic arithmetic. The exception was geometry, which I aced. In hindsight, I understand that I did well in this class because I was (and still am) a strong visual learner. Because there were shapes that I could draw and relate to, geometry made sense to me in a way that algebra never did. I got through trigonometry with the help of a very, very patient teacher who stayed after school two days a week to tutor me. It was so frustrating for me though – and I’m sure it was for her, too! At the time I thought, “Well, I’ll just get through this and then I’ll NEVER use math again.” Admittedly, it was a bit short-sighted. Not only does my job require math, but LIFE also requires math.
Did you have to learn new skills in order to do this math?
Mostly, I had to learn to confront my fear of math. I had been taught all of the skills that I needed for my work, I just didn’t believe that I knew how to use them. But I loved working with the glass, and I had the desire to make my work to the best of my ability, and that meant that I had to brush up on those dusty old math skills.
If math makes you nervous, see if you can apply it to something you love. It’s a great motivator!
Do you have questions for Ursula? Visit her on her Facebook page.
Earlier this month, I did a podcast with Arin Greenwood at Out of the Storm News. We talked about how math confidence can help folks make good financial decisions–and how if you don’t trust your math abilities, you may avoid the math and make poor financial decisions.
And in June, I did a guest post for Michelle Rafter at WordCount, about the 5 math skills that all journalists need to master. Again, with solid math skills, journalists can better report the stories we need to read or watch or listen to.
Today’s Film Friday kind of brings those two ideas together, with a twist. The popular and brilliant Khan Academy breaks down the unemployment numbers in a way that can really help you understand what they really mean.
It’s kind of depressing but definitely worth 12 minutes of your time.
Earlier this week, I provided a guest post about math anxiety and kids for Imp3rfect Mom. I wasn’t surprised to get a comment from a reader asking about how to deal with her math anxiety.
My son is an adult so my question concerns me. I’m almost 60 and I’ve been mathphobic (big time) since I was in 6th grade. At that point math just crashed and burned for me and I struggled for the rest of school. Now I am self studying for a designation related to my job (the job itself doesn’t require math ability) but I have to learn some equations for the Time Value of Money for the last exam. I look at that chapter and just freeze. I actually am telling myself “well, if I just skip that part and study real hard, I’ll still pass the test.” This is ridiculous! How do I conquer 50 years of Fear of Math?
I’m sure you can hear the frustration in her writing. (Do you ever feel the same way?) I anxious about certain things–making difficult phone calls, traveling to places where English is not the predominant language, or asking someone for help when I’m lost. (That last one is so silly, isn’t it?)
I’ve talked about the roots of math anxiety–the insistance that the goal is the right answer, timed calculations and an expectation of perfection–but now it’s time to share some ways to cope.
Allow yourself to fail. This is not so easy when you’re dealing with your finances or preparing to take a test. But when you’re learning (or relearning) something, you will make mistakes. Heck, even when you have something down cold, you can screw up. If you’re feeling anxious about math, set up low-stakes scenarios when failure isn’t a big deal. Try things on your own, for example, and allow someone you trust to check your work.
Ask yourself, “How hard can it be?” I’ve said this before, if I can do this stuff, so can you. I don’t have the typical “math brain.” I can’t do mental calculations, and sometimes I forget really basic facts like 6 x 7. And believe me, if a fourth grader can do these tasks, so can you.
Make it fun. I swear, I’m not violating math secret #3 (You Can Skip the Love). You don’t have to have fun or love math to be good at it. Still, if you’ve read my book, you know what I mean. Too often, math is cut-and-dry, boring numbers. When it’s presented or explored using real-world stories with funny characters, it’s a lot more tolerable. So, whether you’re studying for a test or trying to explain a concept to your kid, try making up problems using Sesame Street characters or your crazy Aunt Miriam who has 76 cats and wears a fedora. The sillier the better.
Find resources that work for you. I’m a big DIYer. And everything I know about sewing, painting, renovations and carpentry, I learned from Google. I promise. Besides my book, there are amazing resources out there for folks who need a little refresher. You can even find videos on YouTube or Flickr tutorials. But be careful: sometimes mathematicians think they’re being really helpful, when they’re not. Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by minute details or unrelated tangents. Click through these resources quickly until you find what you need.
Trust your gut. Just because a textbook or a friend has the information you need, doesn’t mean you need to follow that advice or process. This is the beauty of being a grownup–we don’t have to follow the rules that a teacher sets out for us. Think about when you feel comfortable with math. Is it in the kitchen? When you’re gardening? When you’re doing your budget? What is it about that process that is less threatening? Use what you know about yourself–and your learning style–to step into these other, scary places.
So I’d love to hear from you now. What tricks have you used to conquer your anxiety or fear–about anything? If you have dealt with math anxiety in the past, what has helped? Share your ideas in the comments section.
When my friend Alisa Bowman asked me to answer some math questions for a health blog she writes for, I didn’t quite expect what she sent over. In terms of health, I’m usually asked how to find BMI or how to calculate the perfect caloric intake. Here’s what Alisa wanted to know:
I’ve heard that treadmill readouts are notoriously inaccurate. Is there a way to figure calories burned in your head?
I’m at book club. How many glasses of wine can I drink and still be safe to drive home?
If I am at high altitude, how do I figure out how long to boil an egg to make sure I don’t get salmonella?
I had no idea how to answer these, so I put my reporter cap on and did some research. I was especially interested in the last question, as I’ve had zero experience cooking at high altitudes. And I found the answer really interesting! Maybe you will, too.
(By the way, Alisa is the author of an amazing book, called Project Happily Ever After, that her story of how she went from wishing her husband dead to falling back in love with him. Check out her site.)
I loved Alisa’s random questions. They made me think, and I learned something — which is the best part of being a writer. Do you have random math questions? Have you been in a situation when you think math could help, but you’re not sure how? If so, post your question in the comments section or drop me a line. If it’s a good fit, I’ll answer it in an upcoming blog post!
If you’ve started down the frugality path, you have probably already been smacked in the face with one unavoidable fact: there’s math involved in living within or below your means. For some, this is no biggie. For others, this could very well be the difference between saving a little and saving a lot.
But even if your basic math skills are rusty, you can handle these calculations, no problem. A few simple tricks will help you stay frugal and even take it up a notch!
How has math helped you be frugal? Share your ideas in the comments section here or at Suddenly Frugal!
Would you like me to guest post at your blog? Or do you know of a blog that I would fit right in with? I’ve got lots of ideas to share with anyone who will listen! And I promise I’m a good guest. I wipe out the sink after I brush my teeth and don’t mind if the cat sleeps on my pillow. Get the details here.
