Math in the Real World

(Originally posted: May 23, 2017)

I'm certain all teachers have had to answer the question, “when will I ever use this?” from their students. Recently one of my former students posted an interesting meme to Facebook, similar to this one:

A long time ago, in my eighth grade computer class, I had to teach my students how to use a spreadsheet. I created a lesson based on one Microsoft had shared, in which students were to find their “dream car” and to figure out what the monthly payments would be. They created a variety of scenarios for different interest rates, length of loan, amount of down payment, and determined if a rebate or a lower interest rate was a better deal. They learned how powerful spreadsheets can be, and learned a little about loans.

In an attempt to make math lessons more “practical” and to address the need to teach students valuable life skills, EconEdLink has published a series of lessons, and interactive tools called “Math in the Real World.”

If you teach a math or a life skills class, I highly recommend you check it out.

Submitted by Jim Dornberg, Instructional Technology Specialist
Monroe County Intermediate School District
REMC 19E