Math in Everyday Life: Banking

By Renee | Added Mar 31, 2015

 

    Mathematics affects the financial decisions that we make every day.  From paying our bills to using coupons at the grocery store, math is a part of our everyday lives.  Number sense and a facility with mathematical concepts is especially useful in banking.  

We use math for budgeting, spending, saving, and investing.  In each case, a good understanding of mathematical concepts will be beneficial for your personal finances.      

    Since banking refers to managing money, we are all essentially “bankers” in our own lives.  It is vital that we devise a responsible budget to ensure that our needs are met without overspending.  Likewise, we must be aware of our spending habits so that we can take care of our financial responsibilities.  We are using mathematical concepts everyday when we utilize online banking to help us pay bills, transfer money, and manage our personal accounts.  Furthermore, it is important that bankers have a strong knowledge of fundamental quantitative concepts in order to make the most out of their investments.  For starters, understanding the basic principles of interest will help you to get the most out of your money.  Whether you are looking at interest as a means to make money, or considering the effects of paying interest on a loan, this is a concept that we run into constantly in our daily lives.  Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of interest will help you to be a smarter “banker.”  Even more complex is understanding simple and compound interest and how it works for you.  These mathematical principles play a very important role in our daily lives and can have a big impact on your financial future.  In addition, bankers use math to help them understand and evaluate risk assessment. If you are dealing with stocks, bonds, or other investments, you will need to have an understanding of these fundamental concepts in order to make wise investment decisions.  

    From the most basic concepts of budgeting and spending to the more complex concepts of investments and interest, math is used in our everyday lives with regards to banking.  While we live in a world that does so much of the math work for us, it is still extremely important that you have a strong sense of mathematical principles in order to manage your personal finances.  Not only will a strong foundation in mathematics help you to manage your money, but it can help to shape your financial future.  Mathematical concepts are no doubt a key role in the planning and success of our financial lives.