Math

Math at Work: Meet Industry Experts to Explore Jobs That Involve Math

3 Min Read
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Share videos of celebrities and students solving problems in math-related jobs. Then, have your students try the free activities!

Would your students be surprised to learn that math plays a key role in dream careers ranging from fashion designer to professional chef? Show them what it’s all about with the Math at Work web series, featuring industry leaders working shoulder-to-shoulder with students to give them helpful insights into math-related jobs.

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Featured Episodes and Activities

Each video in the Math at Work series demonstrates problem solving in action as celebrities and students tackle challenges in jobs that involve math. Your students can join in by completing each video’s related lessons.

Math Meets the Olympics

Math may be the last thing you think of when you're watching sports. But when it comes to the world of athletics—including the Olympic® Games—math is always in play. This series of activities explores how math and sports intersect and has students in Grades K–12 analyzing everything from shapes that the athletes use and make to how math can help with nutrition and goal-setting.

Math Meets Entrepreneurship

When you think of jobs that have to do with math, entrepreneurship may come to mind. But what are some of the main ways math skills factor in? Find out with actress Tiffany Smith and four student entrepreneurs who take their new business ideas to the set of Shark Tank. The students talk with sharks Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, and Kevin O'Leary to get tips and guidance on how to excel in business.

Math Meets Fashion

Sometimes people think creative jobs and math jobs are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Dispel that myth by introducing your students to Tim Gunn, the former co-host of Project Runway and current co-host of Making the Cut, as he and three students take a close look at math in fashion. They also consult with renowned fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg to hear her thoughts on how math comes into play every day in the world of clothing design.

Math Meets Culinary Arts

Among the many jobs that use math, careers in the food industry range from master chef to nutritionist to restaurateur. Join Carla Hall from The Chew as she guides three students through the ins and outs of how math works in culinary arts, and stay tuned for guest appearances from a Top Chef winner and former first lady Michelle Obama!

Math Meets Homebuilding

Ty Pennington, host of ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition, introduces two students to the many jobs that require math in the homebuilding industry, including carpenter, architect, project manager, and engineer. The students discover that without math, it’s impossible to plan and construct a house, especially when taking into account local weather and the environment.

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