If you’re trying to decide what to study at A-Level, there’s one subject that can often get overlooked: Maths. Maths has a bit of a bad reputation as being a difficult subject – a bit stuffy and academic perhaps. Whilst we know that it’s seriously hard work for lots of people (except those maths pros who were born with a brain for numbers!) it is rewarding. For people who love a good puzzle that magic moment when you solve a problem is so. satisfying. As for being ‘stuffy’, nothing could be further from the truth! Studying Maths can lead to some really exciting real-world careers. Here are just a few examples:
Astronomer: Astronomy is the fascinating study of our universe. People have been looking up at the night sky and wanting to know more about the stars for thousands of years. Today astronomers have sophisticated digital telescopes that gather information about galaxies that are far, far away. They analyse the data they collect to find more about how the universe works. Mathematics is a core subject for any budding astronomer. It gives you the foundation you need not only for physics, but for the computer programming an astronomer needs to understand to analyse the data they collect.
Meteorologist: A meteorologist studies the effects of the Earth’s atmosphere. That’s a fancy way of saying they predict the weather! But that means so much more than knowing if you need to take an umbrella out with you tomorrow. Providing accurate forecasts about the weather is essential for all sorts of key industries such as agriculture or tourism. Even the weather forecasters you see on the news are qualified meteorologists who have completed extensive study in their field. Maths is important for anyone who wants to be a meteorologist since forecasters use both equations and probability to make their predictions.
Architect: Architects design buildings. They turn paper blue prints into iconic structures for people to live and work in. It’s a job for a creative person with a strong visual imagination and is an incredibly satisfying career for someone who wants to shape the world around them. Architects use mathematics in almost every aspect of their work. They use maths for example to figure out whether a wall can support a ceiling, and use geometry to calculate the size and shape of that wall.
Computer Scientist: We take for granted how much computing affects our daily lives. Without it, we wouldn’t have our smart phones or social media – this very webpage wouldn’t exist! Today there are more and more careers for computer scientists and software engineers than ever before and Mathematics is absolutely essential in order to pursue them. That’s why Silicon Valley successes such as Mark Zuckerberg studied maths at school before moving on to computer science.
There are a wide variety of exciting jobs available to you once you gain a maths degree. Find the right tutor at MyTutor.co.uk and learn from a young student who knows how to help you pass your maths exam and put you on course for an exciting career after you graduate.
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