Algebra In Everyday Life Research Paper Samples

Apart from merely adding and subtracting, Mathematical concepts in the classroom do often seem so far from the real world. They seem like they are in the clouds, and that they may not be needed in everyday life, that they can never be needed by ordinary people going on with their lives in their homes. However, there are many mathematical concepts that people use in the daily lives- whether directly or indirectly and whether they realize it or not. In major science or financial -among other- institutions, such as NASA and banks, algebra is used every day. For that, some people assume that it is not applicable in many real-life situations. Yet, algebra is an example of mathematical concepts that are applied in many basic issues of life (Swan et al., 2012).
Almost –if not entirely- every person looks to excel in whatever field they are in. To do that, one must take the very opportunities out of what they have. The best opportunity is the one that will lead to the very best benefits or advantages. In considering these best returns, whether in sports or business or even shopping, that decision is indirectly informed by the concepts taught in algebra.
People like taking short-cuts or detours. There is a thought-process involved in this. The person considers the direction to whatever destination they are headed. After that, they consider all the possible routes to the place. They disqualify one route after another, settling on the one they think will be more direct to that destination. In other words, they are considering options from choices. This is algebra a work and most people, even those who have been in algebra classes, do not realize this.
Calculating interest rates is math. However, banking has become such a central part of life it is hard to ignore it as a matter of everyday life. In this regard, people use interest rates to decide the best banks to save money with, and which ones are the best for getting loans with. This is a way of deciding the best option. Equally, after saving, one can know how much they should expect in return within a given period of time.
People use algebra for self-protection. Algebra makes it hard for people to deceive you. In the political arena where polls are commonplace and often used to sway the electorate, knowledge of algebra makes it hard for one to merely accept what they are told, the probably flawed statistics about who is winning the election. Of course, it is not that the person with the knowledge of algebra goes out to do the polling on their own. However, they can ask the right questions, such as who were the participants in the polling and where they live, and what these factors mean for the external validity of the poll. These are things that people may do without giving it much thought, in the same way that people subconsciously perfectly sing a song whose words they know without thinking hard about it. Children are easy to lie to because they are nearly- if not entirely- blank. Calculating interest rates is a way of avoiding being cheated by the banks.
People also use algebra in shopping. Most people go to the shopping mall with a list of the things they need to buy. But as they pick these things, they compare the cost of all these things to the money they have in hand. They are making sure they do not take more than they can pay for. They are using algebra of keeping track of their shopping. The same thing happens when one goes to the amusement park. A parent calculates how many rides his three children should have if each ride costs $0.50 per child (Harris, 2015).
Also in relation to shopping, algebra helps make decisions regarding discount buying. For example, a buyer may decide to consider a 30 percent discount for a given dress. This may be the only thing that pulls them to a given shop and not the other.
There is always the notion that buying more tends to be cheaper. This is often true. For example, the price of one kilogram of cooking fat may be X. However, the price of a two kilogram of cooking fat is not X times 2 (that is, 2X). Instead, it is likely to be cheaper than 2X, even if only by a small difference. Therefore, most people, when they have the money to afford it, choose to buy the bigger unit. They consider that buying the smaller units to the equivalent of the bigger unit might be more expensive that just buying the bigger unit in one piece. These are calculations that people do without necessarily knowing it. Most probably they do not realize it because they are not looking for exact numbers or answers. Rather, they are looking for the better option, which is many times a vague picture in the head. In the end, algebra is the basic way to keep within budget.
There are many other examples. A cyclist travelling between two towns works out the distance between the towns and how much time it will take him to move from one to another. Algebra also applies in how plumbers charge for their services, such as a fixed charge for coming to the house and extra fixed hourly rates while they work. Another example is a movie subscription, including bonus for a certain number of movies.
In the end, according to Clement (1982, cited in Macgregor & Stacey, 3), the central theme in algebra is that it is a tool for problem solving. But problems are very much a part of everyday life. In other words, algebra, one or another, is pretty much central to problem-solving decision-making, mostly in terms of the though process involved.
In relation to the argument above, it is important to note that mathematical concepts are not merely the figures that people play with. Like all philosophy, mathematical concepts are born out of questions about life. Therefore, this discussion is not concerned with formulas or the numbers that are involved in algebra, although these may also be looked into. Rather, the goal is also to look at the philosophies that led to the formulas in the first place, and how these are evident in everyday life. On the basis of these philosophical contemplations, algebra does not apply as expected, not necessarily in terms of numbers and graphs. It is about considering what options are available and how to get the very best, and this is something people do all the time.

References

Harris, A. (2015). Real Life Applications of Algebra Objectives. Seattle Pi. Retrieved
27 February 2015, http://education.seattlepi.com/real-life-applications-algebra-objectives-2405.html
Macgregor, M. & Stacey, K. (1997). Student’s Understanding of Algebraic Notation:
11-15. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 33, 1-19
Swan, M., Clarke, N., Dawson, C., Evans, S., Burkhardt, H., Crust, R., Noyes, A. &
Pead, D. (2012). Functions and Everyday Situations. Mathematics Assessment Resource Service: University of Nottigham & UC Berkeley