When am I going to use this?
by: Mark Nechanicky, Region 1 Director
For most of us, math isn’t just about numbers—it’s like a secret code for understanding the world. We hope, even tell our students that once you start learning math, it can be really fun and satisfying to figure out, another reason students often wonder how the math they are using connects to the ‘real world’.
Here are some ideas to help us answer ‘when will I use this?’ while keeping in mind that we don’t yet know what jobs will exist in 2038, when today’s kindergarteners will graduate.
For the new Minnesota Math Standards, there are seven anchor strands organized into three strands.
| Strand | Standard | Future Jobs |
| Data Analysis | Data Sciences | Data analyst, AI ethicist, epidemiologist, sports statistician, climate modeler, health informatics specialist, urban data planner, social media analyst, genetic counselor, financial planner
Medical lab technician, agricultural technician, HVAC systems tester, quality control inspector, manufacturing process tech, pharmacy technician |
| Chance and Uncertainty | Risk analyst, game designer, insurance actuary, autonomous vehicle engineer, predictive maintenance engineer, weather forecaster, stock market analyst, cybersecurity strategist, epidemiologist
Auto service technician, heavy equipment operator, EMT/paramedic, logistics technician, wind turbine service tech, insurance claims adjuster |
|
| Spatial Reasoning | Measurement | Drone operator, biomedical engineer, architect, 3D printing technician, civil engineer, industrial designer, astronaut, construction estimator, environmental scientist, robotics technician
Electrician, plumber, machinist, construction trades, carpentry, welding, aviation maintenance tech, dental hygienist, civil engineering tech |
| Geometry | Robotics engineer, game environment designer, urban planner, VR/AR developer, industrial designer, animation artist, structural engineer, aerospace engineer, interior designer, cartographer
CNC machine operator, survey technician, CAD drafter, HVAC installer, pipefitter, landscape designer, solar panel installer |
|
| Patterns and Relationships | Number Relationships | Financial analyst, quantum computing specialist, software engineer, economist, logistics coordinator, accountant, pharmacist, actuary, AI programmer, statistician
Payroll technician, pharmacy tech, retail management, auto finance clerk, supply chain technician |
| Equivalence and Relational Thinking | Cryptographer, AI engineer, logistics manager, renewable energy analyst, supply chain analyst, chemical engineer, robotics programmer, climate modeler, economist, biomedical researcher
Welding tech, chemical plant operator, radiology tech, diesel mechanic, robotics maintenance, HVAC tech |
|
| Patterns and Relationships | Epidemiologist, marketing analyst, environmental scientist, sociologist, trend forecaster, computational biologist, urban planner, product designer, AI trainer, meteorologist
Wind energy tech, environmental field tech, industrial maintenance worker, logistics/supply technician, health information technician |