Top 5 Math Classes to Take for 21st Century Success

Mar 18, 2017 | Parker

What does your child want to be when they grow up?  What skills will they need to compete in tomorrow’s job market? These are common questions for parents of children. In the end the answer may be long, complicated, and different for each child. One of the most likely skills on every child’s list will be math.  Across all industries, there is a growing demand for advanced math skills. The need for workers and leaders with strong basic and advanced math skills will continue to rise throughout the 21st century.

The demand for math-heavy fields like science, medicine, and engineering is increasing daily. Many creative arts fields, such as animation and special effects, now require advanced math skills. Our children will compete for these jobs with people from around the globe, especially China, S. Korea, India and Finland. Whether your child dreams of being an astronaut, animator, sports statistician, scientist, financial consultant, special effects engineer, or game designer, strong math skills will help them compete in the global job market. Their initial job prospects and long-term success will require fluency in advanced mathematics. The need for strong basic math skills will become greater across most career areas.

Children don’t know yet what they will be when they grow up. Even if they think they have a career goal now, it will likely change before they turn 25. That’s why at Mathnasium we want kids in high school to get the math education to prepare for any career. Remember, the most exciting jobs of tomorrow don’t even exist today. Your child’s education plan should include:

  • Statistics
  • Trigonometry
  • Calculus
  • Advanced Linear Algebra
  • Game Theory

Statistics: The mathematical field concerned with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. Statisticians, forecasters, and analysts, are used in most industries to help formulate implementation plans and strategies, create risk assessments, coordinate logistics, track performance, maximize profitability, and to generally inform a wide variety of decision making.

Trigonometry: The branch of mathematics which studies angles and their relationships. The fundamental mathematical component of both navigation and astronomy. Trigonometry is widely used by:

  • engineers
  • mathematicians
  • medical technicians
  • actuaries
  • statisticians
  • chemists
  • physicists
  • photographers
  • animators
  • special effects designers

Calculus: The mathematics of determining how processes or objects will change over time.  Calculus provides the framework that makes a wide variety of modeling systems possible. Calculus has applications across a wide variety of technical and scientific fields. Top career areas relying on calculus:

  • aerospace engineering
  • medical fields
  • pharmaceutical sciences
  • safety engineering

Advanced Linear Algebra: This area of mathematics deals primarily with vector spaces, linear transformation, dimension counting and transformation. While still valued across a very wide range of science and technology careers, linear algebra is increasingly becoming valuable in the visual arts fields, where the of tomorrow will need a fluency in this area to pursue their creative passions. Advanced linear algebra is helpful for careers in:

  • animators
  • designers
  • special effects directors
  • engineering
  • biology
  • biomedical research

Game Theory: The area of mathematics concerned with logical decision making in humans, animals, and computers, through mathematical models of conflict and cooperation. Game theory is sought after for careers in:

  • political science
  • economics
  • logic
  • psychology
  • biology
  • computer science
  • game design
  • educational design

What if my child struggles with math already?

Future study and success in mastering advanced math relies entirely on the basic math skills developed during elementary, middle and high school.  Correcting math gaps in your child’s fundamental math skills now, with the help of Mathnasium of Parker, will not only boost their confidence, and alleviate math-related anxieties, it will also increase their chances of mastering advanced math skills in high school. Mastery of advanced math topics in high school gives students a significant advantage when applying for college admissions. Students who bring advanced skills with them to university tend to excel in their beginning courses, and are able to progress to advanced-level courses more quickly.

It takes a map to get there.

Experts say the single best way to increase your chances of reaching a goal is to map out exactly how you will get there. To create this map you need to know where you are starting from and where you would like to go.  First you will need to evaluate where your child is right now in terms of skill, comfort, and confidence, with math.  Review their report cards, and talk with them about their math studies, as well as their current career interests.  Ask for their thoughts first, then ask about significant interests you have observed in them over time, even if they don’t come up at first.

Once you understand their goals, comfort level, confidence, and the math skills they will need to get there, call us to setup a complimentary, no-risk assessment and free trial session. Our assessment determines if your child is at or above grade level, which subjects to target, and any math gaps they may need assistance with in order to be well prepared to pursue their dreams. Call us at Mathnasium of Parker today at 303-840-1184 to schedule your appointment.

You may also want to read these articles:

Mathnasium of Parker Encourages Girls & Young Women to Pursue STEM Opportunities

To Take Advantage of Emerging Opportunities Students Need Math

Math Skills Your Child Will Need as an Adult

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