Math at work: Using numbers on the job
L
ois Coles teaches algebra to eighth
graders in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Each year she has her students talk to
workers in careers that interest them, asking
for examples of how they use math in their
jobs.
"It's unbelievable," says Coles. "The
students ask everyone—from figure skaters to
real estate agents, nurses, and airline pilots—and they all give us math problems."
Math is used in many occupations. And,
experts say, workers with a strong background
in mathematics are increasingly in demand.
"Employers are looking for math majors a
lot more than they used to," says Mike Breen
of the American Mathematical Society. That
equals prime opportunity for career-minded
math enthusiasts.
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