Ways We Use Algebra in Real-Life Without Realizing It

You’re sitting in class, your Algebra teacher explaining a concept. And you wonder, “Why do I have to learn about this? How will this help me?”

You’re not alone.

You might be surprised to learn that much of what we do in our daily lives are filled with algebraic formulas and equations.

Here are two ways in which algebra has been used in your day to day lives without even realizing it:

Grocery Shopping

You’re at the supermarket doing your weekly grocery shopping. You have your shopping list in hand, complete with what and how many/much you need to buy.

Next on your list is oatmeal, which is a breakfast staple in your family, and find that there’s a promo, buy 2 for the price of 3! But since you’re operating on a tight budget, you need to figure out how this will affect your budgeting. You intended to buy one box, but the value has changed. You need to figure out if buying one extra box will still allow you to complete your shopping list.

Do you have enough money to cover the items in your cart? If this costs x and you buy 2, how much money will be left, and will it be enough for the rest of your shopping list?

It’s a process that takes a few seconds to process, but it is algebra no less. Planning Your Daily Commute

Your alarm goes off in the morning. You get ready for work and realize you’re craving for a nice, warm breakfast sandwich to get your day going. You could make one at home, but you also have the option to buy one from the coffee shop near your office. Do you have time to make one? Is it more time/ cost-effective to prepare one at home? Checking Waze, how will potential traffic affect your decision? Are alternative routes that we usually do not take get us to work faster?

Whether it’s the time it would take to complete a task, or determining routes for a faster commute, algebra will help us navigate these daily decisions.