On Time? You Used Math!

Are you ever on time? Are you always on time?

Are you sometimes close to being on time?

Chances are, you did math to make that happen.

And you do a lot of math to be on time.

If you have to be at work at 8:30, you might do math like this:

8:30am – 30 minutes – 1 hour – (3 x 9 minutes) = 6:30am

be there at 8:30am – 30 minutes drive time – 1 hour get dressed time – (3 x 9 minute “snooze” on alarm) = set alarm for 6:30am

Which means you did conversions (minutes to hours), approximations (a 9 minute snooze is basically 10 minutes), subtraction and multiplication.

You might even do algebra to be on time.

You might even do some “what can I give up to sleep more” algebra. It goes like this:

7:00am + 30 minutes + 1 hour + 9 minutes + x = 8:30am

it is now 7:00am + 30 minutes drive time + 1 hour get dressed time + 9 minutes for the snooze button I really want to hit – x (approximately 9 or 10 minutes of something like washing hair, eating yogurt instead of eggs or shaving legs) = be there at 8:30am

Notice this is also substitution!

Use this to positively influence your children.

The next time someone says, “I haven’t done math in years,” point out to them they do math all the time. In fact, they likely did math to get there on time!

Especially point this out if you’re in earshot of a child.

When kids hear how math is used effortlessly and frequently, it helps to demystify it. And when it’s demystified – they become more familiar and comfortable with it.

And you know what that means? They’re more engaged!