Math Problems Are a Problem for Job-seekers, Employers Say

So more importantly what type of math are they having trouble with, applied or theoretical, and what is being taught in the educational systems?

For me what I see every day is clearly far too little time and effort is being put into teaching practical applied mathematics that the vast majority of people need in daily life while the educational system is trying to cram too much high level and theoretical mathematics down students throats.

Not everyone needs to understand Einstein's or Hawking's theories and conceptual mathematics but everyone should know how to balance a checkbook, be able to figure out their interest rates on a loan to know whether they are benin screwed or not, and do basic geometry to find areas and volumes of common shapes and objects they use nearly every day which as we see on this forum far too many can't simply because they never were taught it to begin with.

About 10 years ago I went back a second time as an older than average student for electrical engineering, with some years of real world hands on work experience in the field, and what I saw them teaching and trying to pass of as relevant mathematics was pure crap that didn't come close to being applicable or relevant to what an engineer of most any field would be using in their actual daily work.

In my few classes that did relate to engineering I saw that by far most students had no clue as to how or what formulas to use to do basic applied real world problem solving. Sure they were A+ students in theoretical calculus algebra and whatnot but when put to the test to come up with a formula to figure out a basic engineering principle they were sunk simply because no one ever taught them practical applied math or when they did it was covered so quickly that it clearly never stayed with them.

The main reason I am moderately functional at doing applied math is only from my applied mathematics classes I had when I got out of high school and went to a two year tech college. I recall when I was there we were drilled daily on applied mathematics on how and where a formula for most anything that would be or could encounter in real life technical work is set up and worked out and I still use those skills every single day of my life.

Now on the other hand all the hours and money I spent on taking and retaking and retaking those theoretical algebra, calculus, and what not class's for the second degree. Nope not a clue how to apply any of it to anything I ever seen and I have yet to ever find a problem that applied math couldn't solve in a far easier and more practical formula.

Most of you who have came to see and know me here on this site can see I am fairly good at putting the right numbers together based on what at times are some very absurd specifications and mix and matches of units of measure and that skill comes from knowing applied math where it belongs and how to use it. The very math that for what ever reason our education system seems to find to be too far below themselves to teach and ingrain into students so that they can actually function in daily life.

That's what I see relating to our country's mathematical illiteracy problem. No practical hands on math skills are being taught to the people who need them the most.