An argument for practical math

Math and I have a tumultuous relationship.

Like most people, when I understand how to solve a problem, math can be satisfying.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen to me much.

With math, most of the time I feel like I’m muddling about in the dark, making what I consider educated guesses, at best, and hoping for partial credit for effort.

I agree that math is important.

I can attest to the fact that I do and will use it in everyday life.

What’s problematic is the math that I’m learning now as a senior who’s put off her math requirement until she was forced to take a course.

It isn’t useful, practical math. It’s abstract math, relating to concepts I don’t think I’ll ever study.

I doubt I’ll ever decide to calculate how long a river is based on the speed of the current and the time it took a canoeist to go from one end to the other.

That’s what Google Maps is for.

In all seriousness, though, I have a problem with IU’s math requirements for those not pursuing careers in mathematically related fields.

I think taking a math course or two during our time here at IU is important, but the selection of courses I can choose from to fulfill my requirement disappoints me.

Where’s the course on how taxes, loans and financial systems generally work? What about economics for beginners? Or a course related to basic computer science and programming?

All these are concepts that we liberal arts students are expected to be comfortable with as we face increased pressure to compensate, since our majors aren’t “technical” enough.

I know these courses exist, but why are they confined to their respective degree programs rather than made available as courses for math credit?

I would never go out of my way to take one of these classes. They’re outside my degree requirements and my schedule is packed enough as it is.

Yet if topics like these could be adapted for math credit in lieu of the normal M118 and its counterparts, I’d jump at the prospect. 

As someone studying writing and journalism, having a more informed understanding of economics and finance would be incredibly useful, much more so than some of the strange, abstract polynomials I was simplifying and using to calculate the area of a circle on Wednesday evening.

I'd more than welcome arguments about why I will use the things I'm learning frequently once I — fingers crossed — pass this course.

But, as I’ve unofficially gleaned from my fellow liberal arts students and writers, it seems we’re all a little frustrated with how impractical some of the things we’re learning seem to be.

Offering a wider variety of math options to fulfill the math requirement at IU could create well-informed, well-rounded students who leave feeling at least a little familiar with some of the tricky mathematical concepts life throws at us.

Perhaps IU is afraid that if more creative or practical math credit options were offered outside the basic 100-level math courses, no one would sign up for them.

What a tragedy that would be.

­— kelfritz@indiana.edu