Great Courses – Everyday Life Mathematics 2021-6 – Download

Description

Mathematics course in everyday life. What is the use of mathematics? Obviously it is very useful in science, engineering and other technical fields. But what is the use of it in everyday life? This is the lament of countless high school and college students in required math courses, who would love to do something directly related to their lives. But Harvey Mudd College professor Mohammed Omar believes that the mathematics we are all almost familiar with can be used to improve our lives in many ways, including:

Diet Plan: Most people who want to lose weight follow ready-made diets. But the best results come from calculating our metabolic rate, calorie intake and weight loss goals and then creating a customized program that will provide long-term results. Professor Omar knows this well, because he has done it himself!
Eliminate debt: Credit card debt can be devastating, as a simple look at the math of compound interest shows. A deeper understanding of this math can help you get out of debt and avoid financial risks that are far beyond the capabilities of online tools like debt repayment calculators.
Choosing insurance: From an insurer’s perspective, insurance is about the math of risk. The more math you understand, the better off you will be when buying life, health and other types of insurance. Comparing different types of insurance policies – for example, whole life vs. term – is another area where math is essential.
Professor Omar, who specializes in turning math phobes into math enthusiasts, covers dozens of areas of life, including Math in Everyday Life, where math comes in handy. In 12 accessible half-hour lessons, he shows how basic techniques like algebra and geometry are the secret tools for making life run more smoothly. Requiring no background beyond high school math, this course provides hands-on experience in the practicalities of math and encourages you to apply it whenever you encounter numbers and quantities.

Use mathematical tools: Professor Omar’s goal is to give you the ability to conduct informative independent research that is mathematically correct. The tools you will use are: Algebra: The genius of algebra is that it allows you to find unknown values using formulas that you can look up or develop yourself. One way to apply algebra to your real life is to calculate when you should start investing and how much money you should set aside each month for retirement.
Geometry: When you have to divide up various assets, such as dividing an inheritance, geometry shows how you can satisfy all recipients. Another surprising real-world application of geometry is the creation of false voting districts that favor one political party over another, and so algebra can be used to reveal when algebra is at play.
Statistics: Statistics can be just as easily misleading as information. When discussing different options for medical treatment, doctors often refer to relative risks, which are statistics. Here, a little digging into the details of the data can shed light on how significant the differences really are and lead to more informed decisions.
Professor Omar also explains the role of statistics in setting insurance premiums, and you discover how to compile your own statistics to extract a surprising amount of information from relatively little data. He also introduces logarithms, a way of expressing very large numbers concisely. Professor Omar uses logarithms to explain Benford’s Law, a property of real data sets that allows identification of fraudulently collected data, such as cases of embezzlement. Mathematics for Everyday Life includes specific tips for making mathematics useful to you, for example:

Paying for college: Before you think about taking out loans, invest time and effort in scholarships and awards. Think of this pursuit as a potentially extremely lucrative part-time job that frees up your income when you graduate young. Money invested early in a career has the potential to compound wealth over decades.
City or suburb: When deciding where to live, consider commuting costs, which can add up over the years. In addition to the wear and tear on a vehicle, there’s also the opportunity cost of time spent driving — not to mention the environmental toll and psychological stress.
Units are important: If you’re not sure what a measurement means, focus on the units. For example, BMI – body mass index – looks like an indicator of obesity. But it simply measures weight divided by the square of height. These numbers can vary for reasons unrelated to being overweight.
Looking beyond self-interest, this course highlights the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint. Here, the problem can seem overwhelming. But once again, math comes to the rescue, allowing you to calculate the relative impact of electricity consumption, car use and air travel, as well as the mitigation effects of actions such as recycling. Some activities appear to have a larger impact on the environment. It is more worthwhile to focus on reducing these. Everyone uses tools for one task or another, whether it is hammering nails, digging a garden, cooking or shopping online. Math is one such tool – possibly the most powerful and versatile tool ever developed. Everyday Math is your ultimate guide to cleaning the tool, reviewing the instructions and using it!