Mathematics has been a part of my life since I can remember and it has been a driving force behind a lot of my successes. I have always had an affinity for numbers and have used math to navigate my way to good decisions.
Math plays a big role in my daily life and has enabled me to understand complex systems and analyze situations quickly and effectively.
My Initial Dislike for Math
My initial dislike for math was due to not understanding the concepts. From an early age I was with taught an old and outdated way of learning math which was solely focused on memorizing formulas and rote learning techniques.
My unwillingness to learn the formulas led to me avoiding math and losing interest in the subject. As I progressed through school, I realized I was falling behind in math and I began to panic that I had no chance of ever getting a good job.
It wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I realized the importance of math.
My teacher at the time presented the concepts in a way I had never heard before. While he still relied heavily on memorizing formulas, he also started to add more depth to the concepts.
The teacher presented the concepts in a way that presented math as a language. Suddenly I began to understand the logic behind the formulas and my attitude towards math drastically changed.
I was suddenly able to see how math related to real-world problems and that although memorization was important, it was equally important to be able to apply math to solve every day problems.
My newfound understanding of math soon skyrocketed my grades and I was able to obtain my high school diploma with a strong math grade.
My College Years and Math
Once I entered college, I had a newfound appreciation for math. I was determined to use mathematics to better understand the world around me. In many of my classes, I relied heavily on math to analyze and crack large problems.
More importantly, I was able to apply math to problems I had never encountered before which enabled me to gain a better understanding of numerous topics.
For example, during my economics class I was able to analyze the impact of increasing taxes on households and businesses.
I used mathematical formulas to determine the financial burden the increase of taxes would have on the average household and businesses. Similarly, in my chemistry class I was able to use mathematical equations to determine the reaction rate between two substances. My math proficiency enabled me to solve these problems quickly and confidently.
Additionally, I was able to use my understanding of mathematics to pursue different interests. For example, I used my knowledge of mathematics to aid me in projects for my computer science class.
Understanding and applying mathematical concepts to programming assignments were a breeze for me as I was already comfortable with the concepts. Furthermore, mathematics helped me to understand complex financial markets and systems which led me to pursue an internship in the financial services industry.
My Career Choice and Math
By the time I graduated college, I knew that the knowledge I had gained in mathematics was essential to any career I chose. After college, I pursued a career in finance as I saw an opportunity to apply my knowledge of mathematics in a practical manner.
As an analyst in the financial services industry, mathematics is an integral part of my job. On a daily basis, I use mathematics to analyze various financial markets and make decisions based on real-time data.
Similarly, I use mathematics to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of certain financial models.
Whenever my team and I need to create a predictive model or analyze any given market, mathematics is the main tool we use. Mathematics allows us to quickly analyze and make the best decisions for our clients, which is why I rely heavily on mathematics for the majority of my projects.
My reliance on mathematics is not limited to my work life.
When it comes to my personal life, I use mathematics on a frequent basis to make decisions such as selecting the best mutual fund investments or figuring out how to pay the lowest amount of taxes. By applying basic math principles I can quickly determine the best course of action and make the most out of every opportunity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, math has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember and it has been a driving force behind many of my successes. My understanding of math enabled me to make the most out of my college career and to pursue and excel in a career in finance. By having a strong grasp on the principles of math, I am able to make good choices in both my personal and professional life.
Math has had and will continue to have a major impact on my life.