GCSE Maths

[DUERDEN]

I need to convince my son that a good grade in his maths GCSE is important. He is strong in the arts, languages etc and is adamant that he won't need more than the maths he has already acquired. He is a great debater and budding politician and runs rings around me in an argument. I need someone to help me explain why a university or employer requires maths even if the candidate won't be using maths for their studies or work. He feels they are narrow-minded and just awkward. I have used all the obvious arguments; don't narrow your options, you never know, you need maths for everyday living, etc.., but I would love something a little more meaty that might suggest that maths helps support other areas of study, forms connections in the brain... I don't know. He is the type of boy who will willingly do something if he can see a good reason for doing it, but he doesn't like doing things 'just because...'.

Find him a few job adverts of things he might like to do, and point out the number that require GCSE maths?

Does he have any career plans?

If he wants to be a lawyer or a politician, I would sincerely hope that he gains a sound grasp of statistics. The number of miscarriages of justice and cockups which has occurred because of innumerates in these professions is a serious matter.

If he's ever likely to want to be a teacher I believe you neeed maths gcse.

I had a friend at uni doing a law degree. She was a very impressive individual, but she hadn't been able to get a place at oxbridge because she didn't have maths O-level. Do some universities still insist on this?

These days it is almost impossible to get onto any degree course without at least a C at GCSE, but I get the impression that OP is wanting her son to aim at a higher grade than that.

Its long been the case that, whereas it would be totally (and rightly) unacceptable for a professional in the sciences to be illiterate, innumeracy has seemed a bit of a joke to some on the arts side (as has a lack of scientific knowledge). Increasingly this is an untenable position. We live in a technological world where you need the 'language' of mathematics arguably more than French.

What is he aiming at? If he has good results in other subjects, a poor grade in maths will indicate to university admissions tutors and potential employers that either (a)he is weak at maths - well, if he has dyscalcula that's understandable, but may limit what he can do (b)he's lazy.

If he's capable but simply CBA to put in the effort, it may be held against him.

He feels they are narrow-minded and just awkward.
I'm afraid those words may be accurately applied to your son in this instance!

If he is a great debater and good at arguments, then why can't he see that that is exactly what maths is about? Forming logical arguments so that the examiner can't dispute your solution.

In fact maths is the only discipline in which you can irrefutably prove things to be true.

In fact, if he wants to show that he is good at logical arguments, an excellent grade in maths is a good way to prove this to future employers!

If he seriously wants to go into politics, then maths would be an excellent skill if he was to be in charge of the economy! Or indeed to help him make sense of the balance sheet/profit projections etc if he was to be involved in business.