Math: Do you use it?

I haven't really used math regularly since high school (early '97), but it was always my best subject. I can still do quick mathematical equations in my head, but as far as doing precise equations at length I've never really had the need for the skill. Do you use math regularly? Do you still have the skill/knowledge?

I know there a lot of formulas to use in brewing, but I mostly use online calculators for most of them.

I use a fair amount of trig routinely, and some basic algebra and calculus occasionally. That's outside of the engineering courses I'm taking, which require a lot of math.

I work with databases, so yes.

count up all the cash you have on hand

count all your coins

how much $ do you have?

you just used algebra

Scale a 1g batch up to a 5g batch or vice versa

GrogNerd said:

count up all the cash you have on hand

count all your coins

how much $ do you have?

you just used algebra

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Pretty much what I was thinking. If you drove to work, you used math. Your brain does algebraic equations everyday. But, as an electrician, I use math everyday at work. From bending conduit to sizing conductors..... Graduated in '97? Thanks for making me feel old this morning....

I use math all of the time, but mostly on software or calculator. Did the OP mean using math at all, or using handwritten or mental calculations?

I haven't really tried to learn any math since I got kicked out of high school (early '96), as it was always my worst subject. for a while our boss in WY had us keep track of how many inches of pipe we welded in a day. (pipe diameter x 3.14) x # of pipes welded. but I'm always figuring out how many inches of stitch welds to make them evenly spaced.

I own two calculators. How cool at math does that make me?

Even if you don't keep a check register, and you keep track of how much money you have mentally, you are using some form of math.

Ever cook for more than one person? Probably some math.

Ever solve problems like "Why is water dripping from this or that" Believe it or not, you are probably using a form of algebra subconciously that sounds something like "Water in the tank, something happens, water drips out" which is actually A + X = B. (if you don't get it OK, but you are missing the boat)

Math is everywhere, whether you choose to see it or not.

I worked in the medical field for nearly 30 years, and I used math all the time. I still use it some for brewing and soap making (the calculations and %) but not nearly as much.

cheezydemon3 said:

I use math all of the time, but mostly on software or calculator. Did the OP mean using math at all, or using handwritten or mental calculations?

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I was talking more about handwritten and mental calculations.

As an electrician as well, I use math all the time. dfc, as an audio engineer, you don't use much math?

Machinist. When I started programing NC machines there was a ton of math. Used everthing I learned from basic math to physics (cam design), but with today's CNC's and CAD/CAM systems, you still need to know the basics and how to apply them, but the computer does most of the work.





edit to say:
my TV's 120", so I couldn't check that.

rhoop said:

As an electrician as well, I use math all the time. dfc, as an audio engineer, you don't use much math?

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When it comes to doing calculations on paper or in my head there's no real need to. If I convert sample rates the computer does it for me. Same thing goes for most processes.

I use math in my job just simple calculations %, additions, stuff like that... Also in my brewing adventures... example: I have 12 beers and I drink 10 to get drunk... how many beers do I have left: not enough to get drunk again... time to brew some more

I'm a software engineer and I find I don't use it a whole ton other than some basic logic. But I use it all the time for brewing since I crunch all the equations myself. And I also try to keep up with my electrical engineering skills with projects and whatnot, which uses a lot of math.

Couldn't live without it. I use it more for brewing by far than anything else. I don't write out equations much anymore, although I have a couple that are already written out using the same equation but solving for different variables so that I can just glance at it and plug numbers into the calculator. I think every brewer should learn the math first before relying on software or calcs, but that's just me. Makes it a lot easier to trouble shoot and spot problems before they happen if you already know what you're doing.

Anyone that claims they don't use it every day is lying to you.

It takes me 10 minutes to walk to the grocery store, and they close at 9:00. What time do I need to leave home by to get there? MATH!

On the highway, my truck gets 16 mpg. I've got 1/2 tank left. I just passed a sign saying "Next gas 250 miles". Can I make it? MATH!

Out for dinner, check is $47.58. Service was good, so I want to leave a 20% tip. You guessed it... Math.

Myself professionally - add me to the "Two calculators on my desk" club.

I let Excel do lots of the grunt work for me - but I gotta build the formulas correctly or it doesn't work.
so, yes.

plus what dkwolf said - it really is an every-day thing.

Hang Glider said:

I let Excel do lots of the grunt work for me - but I gotta build the formulas correctly or it doesn't work.
so, yes.

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Same here. Some of my work involves determining assessment rates for drainage facilities (the one I'm working on right now spans 35 square miles). Just one of the formulas in my excel spreadsheet would take up an entire line on your screen. Obviously excel does the majority of the grunt work, but I have to both build the formula correctly, and spot-check a dozen or so of the results by hand to make sure it's working correctly throughout the spreadsheet.

I run the IT opps in part of a Uni for a bunch of research physicists & astronomers. Yeah. Rocket science.

I need The Maths to do my job, from many practical standpoints.

For example. What's the heat output of the cluster at 25% - 50% - 75% load and can the chilled water handle it or do we need to engage auxiliary?

I also need it to smack them upside the head when they ask for things that aren't practical, never mind feasible.

That's the only language they understand.

I think the intent of the question was to ask if you use the math you learned in school to which you said, "I'll never use this after school." With that in mind, most of the math I do that requires whipping out a calculator is for brewing, but I also do various decay, buildup, equilibrium, dilution, concentration and radiation shielding/falloff calculations for work.

It depends what you mean by "math".

I use arithmetic all the time. I use probabilistics, statistics, and high-school level algebra, geometry, trigonometry, etc. all the time. I use 1st semester calculus occasionally. I use basic linear algebra occasionally. I use basic set theory periodically, but I don't use any of the symbols anymore so it takes me a bit to struggle through reading that stuff.

I haven't done partial differentiation, partial integration, or any calculus that involves multiple dimensions in a long time. I haven't done any differential equations in a long time. I started taking an online course in quantum computing recently, and realized after a couple of weeks that I couldn't really remember any of the math I needed to do that; stuff like remembering trigonometric identities was killing me trying to solve the homework problems, and then there's a whole bunch of complex number theory stuff in there, which I learned but cannot remember much of nowadays. I don't think I could do a Fourier transform or Laplace transform by hand anymore, either, even though I have done probably thousands of them in the past.


All that being said, I do rocket science all the time. The issue is that not many people use that math day-to-day anymore. Just like people use a calculator to do arithmetic, engineers and scientists use computer programs to handle all the sticky, tedious math for them, because nobody wants to sit there solving systems of equations for a week when you can run a program that will do it for you in less than a minute. It is not an efficient use of that person's time. So even though I have learned a staggering amount of math in my lifetime, I only use maybe 5-10% of it on a regular basis.

I teach engineering. So yeah, a bit of math It's all applied math that I used in practice.

Brewing and math goes hand and hand.

How many oz of starsan to make a 1/2 gallon batch?
How do I reduce a batch size?
How to convert 1/3 of a lb into ounces?
How do I estimate cell count?
How many ML in an ounce, TBS, etc?
How to determine ABV?

There are quite a few calculators out there but there's nothing more gratifying than knowing where the numbers come from.

If you suck at math, you will most likely suck at brewing.

I had to pass a math test to get my latest job even though some of the older coworkers couldn't even read. It's not discriminatory to test IQ and math is a common way to test that. I really have no use for remembering stuff that I can just Google though.

Learning math teaches our brain certain problem solving processes. Even if you never use it and google how many steaks to cook for 10 people, you are smarter and more effective for having learned it.

All the time.

Well I'll break our my math usage some.

I have to know how to do order operations and word problems - after all that is what brewing is. I frequently use calculators to work out that 6lb of DME and adding 2lb of honey after I've been fermenting a couple of days to get an calculated OG etc.

I'll do some math by hand, but nowhere near as much as I once did.

And a lot of math I've left disused (I've probably forgotten more math than I currently used.) Understand besides HS math (basic arithmatic, algerbra, trig, geometery) I also learned Calc, differential equations, basic statistics- a real requirement for some physics, linear algerbra, and complex numbers.

To day I'm probably using just some algrebra, geometry, basic trig and arithmatic.... ex. how much siding should my house need? well there is surface area -geometry+ algrebra+arithmatic, oh wait, angles for the roof, yup trig....