Why Do We Need Math?

steammmakers
Feb 4
3 min read

I was born and raised in the mid-western United States, to parents who were at least 3rd generation Americans. We were a middle-class family living in the suburbs of a major small city.

English is not my first language. Nor is it Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, Russian or Portuguese.

It was Math. I understood the laws of physics, and how math was a beautiful, efficient language to describe it. But I lacked the vocabulary to share it. I could see vectors. Sometimes, animated mathematical vectors chasing each other filled my field of vision, over-layered on a hawk swooping in to nab a speedy zig-zagging rabbit. Many years later, after I learned to read, write & understand English; I could even see the math equations of those vectors and the contrails of the arcs they left behind.

Math is a beautiful and elegant language in its own right. Sometimes, it’s just plain easier:

Train A leaves the station headed due East at 55 miles per hour.

Two hours later, Train B, leaves the same station also headed due East.

How long will it take for the second train to catch the first?

Or, I could say

55·t = 65·(t-2):. t=?

(Here, you are 2 steps away from realizing the answer is 13 hours)

Math isn’t just a boring subject in school whose homework keeps us from playing the games of childhood. Math isn’t something that was designed to lower your GPA. Math is part of your existence; part of your world.

“Why do we have to learn math, I’m never going to use this in real life,” Janey Bollier whined in the 5th grade to a very un-amused Mrs. Watkins. Fortunately, my vector-vison showed me exactly when and where the flying eraser would sail past me on the way to Janey, who sat right behind me. I was able to swoop out of the way just in time to hear “Whishhh. Ooowwwww!”

You will use math every single day of your life, whether you realize it or not. When you’re driving a car and attempting to merge on the highway by adjusting your speed and position to match traffic; you’re Mathin’.

If you are the pilot of a barge and pulling into a dock, you have your velocity, offset by the velocities of the river and the winds, plus the momentum of your hundreds of tons of cargo and it’s your job to not fuck it up. You’re Mathin’.

If you’re a hair stylist, and somebody wants their hair bleached and dyed, you have to dilute the solution to the right concentration. You’re Mathin’.

If you’re a wide receiver trying to catch the Quarter Backs throw; you’re Mathin’. If you’re the running back trying to tackle him; you’re also Mathin’!

If you’re making music or singing; you’re Mathin’!

On the subject of singing, here's a parody of a song my friend and I wrote. It's to the tune of Swingtown by The Steve Miller Band. I hope you like it.

[Chorus]

Ooo oooohhhh

Come on and Math,

Come on and Math

Let’s do a li’l ma-ath

I see the, vectors flying

And the, numbers forming

And I’ve got to find a sol·u·tion

[Verse]

Do you think it’s so queer

That I see it so clear

It’s so easy

I can’t help but do Math

Math, Math, Math