I took calculus my senior year of high school, and I really liked the way our teacher framed this on the first day of class.
He asked somebody to raise their hand and ask him when we would use calculus in our everyday life. So one student rose their hand and asked, âWhen are we going to use this in our everyday life?â
âNEVER!!â the teacher exclaimed. âYou will never use calculus in your normal, everyday life. In fact, very few of you will use it in your professional careers either.â Then he paused. âSo would you like to know why should care?â
He picked out one of the varsity football players in the class. âYou practice football a lot during the week, right Tim?â asked the teacher.
âYeah,â replied Tim. âAlmost every day.â
âDo you and your teammates ever lift weights during practice?â
âYeah. Tuesdays and Thursdays we spend a lot of practice in the weight room.â
âBut why?â asked the teacher. âIs there ever going to be a play your coach tells you use during a game that requires you to bench press the other team?â
âThen why lift weights?â
âBecause it makes us stronger,â said Tim.
âBingo!!â said the teacher. âItâs the same thing with calculus. Youâre not here because youâre going to use calculus in your everyday life. Youâre here because calculus is weightlifting for your brain.â
And Iâve never forgotten that.