Simplifying Math For Everyday Life

As students, many of us perceived math as boring, complex, and overly abstract. We doubted ourselves when we saw other classmates do well, while we struggled. Over time, we developed math phobia and thought that after school\college, we would bury the subject in a box and never open it again.

The problem lies in the way Math is taught. At its core, math is a language of logic and reasoning. If one looks closely, math is all around us – right from the Fibonacci sequence we see in flower patterns right up to the precise construction of skyscrapers.

As the world constantly changes, so must the way in which we teach math. For as far as I can remember,  we have been taught math through abstract explanations, passive memorisation of rules and formulas, and a lack of real-world examples. No wonder students often use y=mx+c to calculate the slope of their love for the subject going down by every passing year. 

Leverage Technology for Math learning 

We have technology on our side that offers us numerous opportunities to teach and learn math in a very relatable way. There is mounting evidence that problem-centred approaches — whether in mathematical contexts, real-world contexts, or both — can improve the acquisition of both abilities and concepts. For example, the use of virtual Geoboards to illustrate area, perimeter, and rational number concepts provides students with more tangible visualisations, helping them grasp concepts more effectively.

Make Math relatable and draw inspiration from real-life examples  

The effort needs to be to teach math by incorporating their life activities and integrating the same with problem-solving in math. Let’s not forget that Math is a key life skill, one that equips people with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Think about it - if you couldn't think mathematically, how would you figure out when to leave your home to reach school in time? How would you figure out how long to set the microwave timer for? And since cooking involves measuring ingredients, how would you even begin to do that without math? 

Education reform – a necessity to bridge the gap in Math learning  

While we need to modify our approach to teaching math, we also need changes at the system level. The Government of India has recognised the need for this change and are taking steps to improve the learning situation through the redesigned curriculum as part of the National Education Policy, which calls for upgrading the Math curriculum and classroom scheduling for Classes 1-5, with emphasis on fundamental literacy and numeracy. 

The government's efforts are in line with the idea of making the foundation stronger for math and making it more engaging for students, and that is the need of the hour! Mathematical concepts make up a large part of our everyday lives and explain how the world works. Without it, the world would be incomplete. 

Manan Khurma

Guest Author The author is the Founder and Chairman of Cuemath