Careers in Math Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Careers in Math - Essay Example Multifarious are the careers in which a sound knowledge and grasp of Mathematical subjects and principles find practical daily relevance. â€Å"These range from Mathematics teaching careers, at all levels of education, to those of engineers, architects, and astronauts.† (Donald, 1995, p.58). I interviewed a few professionals on their on-the-job, daily application of mathematical knowledge. These professionals are engaged in solving pre-calculus problems connected with their businesses. One of them was a participant in the project of salvaging the famous Pisa Tower, in Italy, which had begun to tilt dangerously for a long time. He told me that trigonometrical calculations were needed to determine the least angle of deviation from the perpendicular to which the tower had to be yanked to prevent it from toppling. The other professionals are sets of archeologists, one of whom was graphing asymptotes to illustrate the data generated from carbon-14 half-life dating of fossil specimens. The equation relating the original amount of carbon-14, A, in the fossil specimen to the amount, A(t), observed at time t is an exponential one which can be written thus This equation is an exponential relationship whose graphs are asymptotes. There are two possible asymptotes for the graph. The first is produced when A is plotted against t. The other is produced when the reverse is done, that is when t is plotted against A. Both asymptotes arbitrarily approach the x and the y-axes, and both have negative gradients except that the gradient of one is greater than that of the other. The difference in both asymptotes thus lies in the size of gradient.