# Who uses algebra in Every Day Life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892 "2000-05-30T15:29:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/1 "2000-05-30T15:29:29Z")
Firemen use algebra in calculating water pressure and volume. ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/2 "2000-05-30T16:20:22Z")
I’m using the Force. That was your question, right? ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/3 "2000-05-30T18:05:07Z")
The Force is strong in this one. I’m assuming this is relating to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25706) thread. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/4 "2000-05-30T23:08:35Z")
I’m having a party Saturday night. Say a barrel of Bitch Beer (aka Bud Lite) equals 400 oz. (I’m making that up.) If each guest will drink approximately 40 oz. of beer and I have 75 guests, then how many barrels of beer should I order? ## If x = 40 oz., then 75x = 3000 oz. 400 oz. = 1 barrel 3000 oz = x barrels 3000 times 1 divided by 400 = 7.5 barrels of beer. 7.5 barrels \* $75 barrel = $562.50 Hmmm. Better make it Top Hat. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/5 "2000-05-30T23:15:04Z")
Is there a question here, or did perhaps **Jois** mistakenly open a thread instead of posting a response to the “Why Algebra” thread currently in this forum (but probably going to IMHO or Great Debates or the Pit) tomorrow)? If a question doesn’t develop, I’m going to go ahead and close it. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/6 "2000-05-31T05:59:46Z")
Dear General Question Moderator, I’m sorry! (Slips very small bill under doormat) I should have written “Who Uses Algebra in Everyday Life?” Jois ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/7 "2000-05-31T15:20:29Z")
::looks at bill. sniffs haughtily:: Well, I can change the title for this, but for supervisory purposes, I’m forced to send this to **In My Humble Opinion** ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/8 "2000-05-31T15:35:38Z")
OK, I have no idea why this copy stayed here, but I hope the trend continues. At any rate, there is another copy safely in IMHO, so I’ll lock this one. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/9 "2000-05-31T16:13:15Z")
Manny, I think your powers are waning. You probably need to talk to your Santerìa priest about sacrificing another chicken to Changò. It may not help, but it sure won’t hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/10 "2000-05-31T19:15:12Z")
Gee, I don’t know if that small bill will cover a chicken… Could we sell off some of that beer Pundit Lisa is buying or just send Manhattan an invitation in Pundit Lisa’s name? ---
**Author:** ![Antene1941](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Antene1941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antene1941)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/11 "2015-07-15T18:14:18Z")
I use algebra pretty much all the time - having said that, that is because I study at university. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/12 "2015-07-15T18:17:10Z")
> [@Antene1941](#): > > I use algebra pretty much all the time - having said that, that is because I study at university. 🙂 For example, X=(365\*15)+45+3, where “x” is the number of days since the last post. ---
**Author:** ![Antene1941](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Antene1941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antene1941)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/13 "2015-07-15T18:18:17Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > For example, X=(365\*15)+45+3, where “x” is the number of days since the last post. Whoops! :eek: Didn’t realize this thread was from 2000… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/14 "2015-07-15T18:19:20Z")
No worries–just messing with you! Welcome to the board :). ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/15 "2015-07-15T18:44:42Z")
I do daily. I am constantly setting up the methods of calculating quantities and then the material and labor cost to install said quantities. All this involves geometry and algebra. 70% of the time low level stuff and 30% of the time much more complex getting up and into engineering calculations. ahhhhhhhhhh see the time stamp of the OP ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/16 "2015-07-15T19:00:06Z")
I use algebra and geometry everyday. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-uses-algebra-in-every-day-life/20892/17 "2015-07-15T20:01:38Z")
People don’t realize how much almost everyone uses algebra everyday.