10 Examples of Algebra in Real Life

January 29, 2023February 3, 2023 AnisAlgebra in Daily Life, Algebra in Real Life, Examples of Algebra

Almost every student says “I’m not going to use this math in real life!” When solving algebraic equations. right? However, this situation is not always the same. We often see algebra used in most areas of our daily life; For example, market people use algebraic operations to calculate profit and loss. The fact that we see no “X” or “Y” does not mean that algebra has failed to prove its existence; Still, real-life examples of algebra are countless. This precise and concise mathematical language blends beautifully with almost all other subjects and even everyday life. In this article, we are going to see 10 examples of algebra in Real Life.

The word “algebra” comes from the Arabic word “al jabr”, which translates as “reuniting the broken parts”. Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, a 9th-century Persian mathematician, geographer, and astronomer, is considered the “father of algebra”.

10 Examples of Algebra in Real Life Father of Algebra — Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi “Father of Algebra”

Let’s go to see some examples of algebra in Real Life:

(1) Early Life

Early in development, a child uses algebra to calculate trajectories, and you might be surprised to learn how! A 16-week-old baby can judge the direction of an object’s approach and is even able to determine where the object will land.

Babies easily estimate the distance between them and the toy and are also able to track objects. What role do you think is playing here? Of course, it’s algebra! Although children have no theoretical knowledge of algebraic operations, they can use them efficiently.

(2) Professional advancement

Algebra will be required in any field you wish to pursue. When a student moves from school to college, chances are that algebra will find a way into whatever subject a student chooses. Most of the time, physical and chemical sciences impose the fundamentals of algebraic equations. In computer science, algorithms are based only on algebraic operations.

Furthermore, algebra is involved in art and architecture to calculate the correct proportions to reveal a masterpiece. Basic knowledge of algebraic operations prepares a person for the work ahead.

(3) Morning Routine

Algebra starts from the moment a person wakes up in the morning. Take for example – a person has a meeting in the morning, what is that person likely to do? He would set an alarm to wake up in the morning to get ready and gather all the necessary documents.

What’s going on here? The person knowingly or unknowingly uses algebra to calculate the time required to take a shower, collect breakfast or coffee, collect all important documents and reach the office on time. Now, this particular situation involves time, money, and distance and their exact calculations to get to the meeting on time.

(4) Making it to the Trash Can

How do you think you can make a perfect shot in the trash can? Yes, you guessed it right! You apply algebra to this case as well. When aiming at the trash can, you unconsciously calculate the distance between you and the trash can, the wind resistance, the weight of the trash you want to throw, the required trajectory, and the force required to make the piece of trash fall into the trash can. garbage can Your application of algebra doesn’t end there when aiming for the trash.

You also estimate the strength of the nerve impulses that each muscle has to send to contract or relax at the right time. In case, you still miss your shot, you are not good at your algebra.

(5) Business and Finance Management

Algebra is as important in business as in any other field. A business owner calculates the amount of profit or loss using algebraic operations. A business person will employ algebra to decide whether a piece of equipment will not lose its value if it is in stock. Also, the business owner must calculate the lowest price at which an item can be sold to still cover expenses.

For people working in finance, exchange rates and interest rates are often represented algebraically; Therefore, good knowledge of algebraic operations is required to manage money properly. Also, understanding the terms of a loan or an investment account requires a sound knowledge of numbers, especially algebra. Moreover, business market growth is often exponential, which also requires a good knowledge of basic algebraic operations.

(6) Sports | Algebra in Real Life

Algebra doesn’t even leave sports behind to use it. If you look closely, almost all sports players, unintentionally, apply algebra. Cricketers can only hit sixes because they can calculate the force required to hit the ball, and basketball players calculate the trajectory to score a point.

Similarly, footballers calculate the ball and distance to score a goal and sprinters estimate the speed required to cover the distance to reach the endpoint; Therefore, every game involves algebra in one way or another.
Furthermore, you might be surprised to know that even dogs use algebra to calculate the time and distance to catch a boomerang or a piece of food in mid-air.

(7) Cooking | Algebra in Real Life

You might think that algebra has no role in the kitchen, especially when cooking. However, Satya may not be a stranger to the kitchen or even cooking. Algebra finds its way into cooking, baking, measuring ingredients, etc. Those new to the kitchen often consult recipe books when preparing a particular dish. Temperatures in recipe books may be given on the Celsius scale and may need to be converted to another scale depending on the dial involved.

Also, take the following example: When preparing Thanksgiving dinner, the turkey needs to be cooked according to its weight. Let’s say it takes 24 hours to thaw a 5-pound turkey and you have a 15-pound turkey on hand, how long will it take to thaw the turkey? You can very well do the same calculations using algebraic operations.

(8) Health and Fitness

A knowledge of algebra may even prove beneficial to your health. When losing weight, you may have noticed that you first calculate your body mass index (BMI), then track food intake, and therefore monitor your calories. Now, BMI is calculated with the help of some equations.

Similarly, if you want to calculate your body fat percentage, some other equations may be involved. It is quite surprising that during the weight-loss journey, various equations are helping you in one way or the other. In the gym, when lifting weights, an instructor determines how much weight a person can lift based on their weight.

(9) Swimming Pool

Let’s say you just bought a new house and you want a pool in your backyard. What are you going to do? You will first calculate the area of your backyard and then determine how much area you want to spread your pool over. right? You may have noticed that you can perform the above steps only with the help of some algebraic equations.

After determining the area of the pool, you will also calculate the amount of water to fill the pool and the time it will take to fill the pool to its brim or half its volume; Which again requires algebra.

(10) Home Improvement

Home repairs and remodeling require numeracy. Algebra is needed to accomplish this task efficiently. Algebra and numeracy basics will help you determine the amount of specific material needed to complete the desired project; For example- an electrician will figure out the number of electrical circuits, a tile installer will estimate the number of tiles needed to cover the floor of a particular room, a painter will determine the amount of paint needed to paint a wall and so on. In each example, you may have noticed that algebra is involved in one way or another.