# No, I do NOT have to do that. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327 "2008-07-31T06:20:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/21 "2008-07-31T18:25:16Z")
You know you are growing old when you realize you don’t _have_ to eat right, sleep enough, and be moderate in the use of intoxicants-of-choice – but you have actually learned that you’d better do so _anyway_. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/22 "2008-07-31T18:49:49Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] I made an exception for percentages in the OP. Now please tell me when someone would need algebra or trigonometry. [/QUOTE] Are you kidding me? I’ve used both. Algebra you use all the freakin’ time. If we currently sell x units per month at y dollars, for z profit, how many units will we sell by year end, and at what profit? That’s a pretty simple example, but solving for “x” is pretty darned common. As for trig, I’ve used it to calculate the required angle on a jig I was using as a pass/fail inspection tool. I couldn’t measure the angle required, but I could calculate it given other information. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/23 "2008-07-31T19:05:43Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] I made an exception for percentages in the OP. Now please tell me when someone would need algebra or trigonometry. [/QUOTE] I take it you’ve never really built anything? ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/24 "2008-07-31T19:10:15Z")
Yep, solving for x is something I do pretty regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/25 "2008-07-31T19:19:18Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] I take it you’ve never really built anything? [/QUOTE] That’s my whole point! You don’t need it unless you want to go into a specific field. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/26 "2008-07-31T19:23:16Z")
Statistics is a math class everyone should take- From being able to critically understand election polls, being able to interpret medical information (if you want to look up something on the internet about a disease you have), to a whole host of other applications. Stats is a fantastic class to have taken, regardless of your field. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/27 "2008-07-31T19:27:07Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] That’s my whole point! You don’t need it unless you want to go into a specific field. [/QUOTE] A specific field, like “homeowner”? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/28 "2008-07-31T19:28:48Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] That’s my whole point! You don’t need it unless you want to go into a specific field. [/QUOTE] What specific fields are you (correctly) predicting you’ll never go into? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/29 "2008-07-31T19:30:31Z")
I don’t wanna grow up. I’m a Toys-R-Us kid. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/30 "2008-07-31T19:33:22Z")
I agree,\*\* IvoryTowerDenizen\*\*. My business stats class was one of the most useful I took in college (also one of the hardest). ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/31 "2008-07-31T19:35:04Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] That’s my whole point! You don’t need it unless you want to go into a specific field. [/QUOTE] HS math (algebra/trig/geometry) has many applications outside of a technical field. Many hobbies, personal finance applications etc require concepts learned in these math classes. Even if you never solve the "two trains are speeding away from each other " type of word problems, the concepts have many other applications. Also- you do not know where your career may go or what applications you may need math for later in your chosen career. Never thought I’d need to learn to type when I went to HS- oops. Finally- there is something about being a well educated, well rounded person that has value in and of itself. Value beyond “how will this help me in my job”. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/32 "2008-07-31T20:53:55Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] That’s my whole point! You don’t need it unless you want to go into a specific field. [/QUOTE] I, like others in this thread, think you are way off base here and are incredibly naive. I use algebra and trig all the time in my life and my visions in high school of what field I would be working in were completely off. Regardless, I have a question for you: why would you not want to know how to do algebra or trig? School is about the easiest part of life and why the hell would you not want to learn anything you can while you can? Once you get out in the real world, it is a lot harder to learn these things because all your time is spent working and living… For myself, I like to know how to do everything. Not only does it help me with my career, but I can fix anything in my house or car if it breaks. I never get ripped off by electricians, plumbers, or contractors of any stripe. I never get ripped off by mechanics either. I typically do not do the work around my house or on my car (my time is more valuable to me to than the money), but I know how to do it and can make sure it is done right at a fair price. Can you say the same? Regarding math: I can do my own taxes, decide whether an investment is going to pay out in the long run or if the external costs will outway the benefits, design and build complicated structures (like a deck with a hottub on the back of my house), verify that circuits in my house can handle loads associated with electronics or appliances I buy without having to pay an electrician $100/hour, etc… What about you? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/33 "2008-07-31T20:56:05Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] 1. I don’t have to understand any high school math [/QUOTE] You are far more likely to regret **not** understanding something than you are to regret understanding it. (If you even realize what you’re missing.) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/34 "2008-07-31T21:09:24Z")
[QUOTE=Lakai] That’s my whole point! You don’t need it unless you want to go into a specific field. [/QUOTE] That’s a bit short-sighted. I wear three hats at my current job - document administrator / network administrator / office manager. All three of those job descriptions require a certain amount of math from time to time. As a quick example, today I had to work out how many file cabinets each of our strata managers would require in their new offices, and how much space they would therefore each require in their offices - and assign them offices based on their space needs. If I didn’t have a basic grasp of algebra and geometry, I would have no way of knowing in advance which office was appropriate for which manager, and would be less able to do my job - which is about as general a sort of job as you could hope to have. I mean, I guess I dind’t _have_ to learn math, but… ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/35 "2008-07-31T21:47:03Z")
I’m a musician. I only have to count to four. Still, I wish I was an Irish musician. Then I’d only have to count to three. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/36 "2008-07-31T21:51:54Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] I don’t have to eat anything I don’t want to. The days of choking down broccoli and cauliflower at the dinner table are over. I’ll eat raw broccoli, but cauliflower? Yuck A Doo. [/QUOTE] Preach! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/37 "2008-07-31T22:43:13Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] A specific field, like “homeowner”? [/QUOTE] Well, I don’t think algebra or trig are a prerequisite for home ownership. I own a home and never understood either one. I am one of those people who had a horrible time with math and flunked out of algebra. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/38 "2008-07-31T22:52:54Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] A specific field, like “homeowner”? [/QUOTE] Precisely. I’m glad my wife and I had enough math to not make stupid mortgage decisions. If we hadn’t, we’d probably see ourselves in those growing foreclosure statistics. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/39 "2008-07-31T23:08:16Z")
[QUOTE=Captain\_C] I do NOT have to be nice to someone if I don’t want to. Sure, I’m generally nice to everyone. But the way I figure it, there are 7 billion people on this Earth, I can do without a few of them liking me. [/QUOTE] This. I choose who I’m nice to, not you. And by extension of this I don’t have to like everyone, because sure as hell not everyone likes me. Whilst we’re on the subject, no I don’t have to respect [insert belief/practice/profession/achievement here], no matter how sacred or important said thing is to you or someone else. Respect is earned, not demanded. This doesn’t mean I go around telling people I don’t respect them, I hasten to add… ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2008, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327/40 "2008-07-31T23:08:50Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] If I didn’t have a basic grasp of algebra and geometry, I would have no way of knowing in advance which office was appropriate for which manager, and would be less able to do my job - which is about as general a sort of job as you could hope to have. I mean, I guess I dind’t _have_ to learn math, but… [/QUOTE] I don’t know if it was different for you, but I learned basic geometry before high school. High school geometry just changed the sides of a rectangle from L=2 and W=3 to L= x^2+4x+4 and W= x^2+7x+5. Then we had to solve some problem. I can’t tell you how many times I encountered an office that had a length of x^2+4x+4. 🙂 The same with trigonometry. It went from using sin and cos to figure out the sides of a triangle, to graphing cos(x) like in the cartoon. Then there were times when I had to graph a parabola. A skill which has yet to make itself useful. [QUOTE=Eyer8] I, like others in this thread, think you are way off base here and are incredibly naive. I use algebra and trig all the time in my life and my visions in high school of what field I would be working in were completely off. Regardless, I have a question for you: why would you not want to know how to do algebra or trig? School is about the easiest part of life and why the hell would you not want to learn anything you can while you can? Once you get out in the real world, it is a lot harder to learn these things because all your time is spent working and living… [/quote] I can make you tremble before my parabola graphing skills. 🆒 I know math. I’m just upset that I never get to use the stuff I was taught in high school. > [@](#): > > For myself, I like to know how to do everything. Not only does it help me with my career, but I can fix anything in my house or car if it breaks. I never get ripped off by electricians, plumbers, or contractors of any stripe. I never get ripped off by mechanics either. I typically do not do the work around my house or on my car (my time is more valuable to me to than the money), but I know how to do it and can make sure it is done right at a fair price. Can you say the same? Regarding math: I can do my own taxes, decide whether an investment is going to pay out in the long run or if the external costs will outway the benefits, design and build complicated structures (like a deck with a hottub on the back of my house), verify that circuits in my house can handle loads associated with electronics or appliances I buy without having to pay an electrician $100/hour, etc… What about you? Would you also want to know how to read in ancient Greek? Some skills just aren’t useful. The math I learned before high school I agree that everyone should know. The stuff that was added in high school I’m convinced no one should learn unless they want to go into a field that needs it. It should be taught in college, where people can choose to take it. Not at a time when no one knows what they want to do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-i-do-not-have-to-do-that/458327.md?page=3)