Functional Skills enable apprentices to learn essential literacy and numeracy skills they can apply in everyday life, supporting them to grow in confidence and heighten their ability to learn. A key characteristic of functional skills is that they are based on a problem-solving approach.
Understanding and using mathematical concepts, and being numerate, helps children know and describe the world around them and make meaning of these encounters. It is, therefore, an essential skill for successful daily life.
BKSB Learning Platform
1. Simple eLearning to support the Functional Skills element of Apprenticeships.
2. It satisfies funding and Ofsted requirements with data to show achievement and progression.
3. It assesses candidates’ Functional Skills & matches them to appropriate programmes.
4. It delivers Initial and Diagnostic Assessments.
It is important that apprentices are given the time and support they need for their Functional Skills Maths, which includes allowing them to attend lessons and providing opportunities for them to revise for the exam. 75% of the exam is made up of problem-solving type questions, which requires them to apply skills to different contexts. It is with these questions that most have difficulty and lots of practice is required to become confident.
By completing Functional Skills Maths and focusing on problem-solving, apprentice will benefit their workplace as they are more prepared to take on challenges, use their initiative, work independently, and realise that tasks often need persistence, thought and reflection.
In their daily, personal life maths is a useful skill.
Use of Maths in Daily Life:
• Cooking – Whether you are measuring ingredients for a recipe or calculating cooking time, the use of mathematics is essential in cooking. From fractions to unit conversions, for example, you must accurately measure ingredients such as flour, sugar, and liquids. Even when adjusting the recipe to fit your needs, you still need to use math to calculate ingredient amounts.
• Budgeting – If you want to save money and avoid debt, you need to use maths for budgeting your finances. Calculating your income, expenses, and savings would be best to manage your finances efficiently. Whether creating a personal budget or managing the finances of a business, you need to have a solid understanding of math concepts. It would help if you calculated income and expenses and created a plan to manage your finances. You must also use math when investing money, calculating interest rates, and operating loans.
• Time Management – Time management is critical in today’s fast-paced world. Math plays a significant role in time management, whether you are scheduling appointments or planning your daily tasks.
• Shopping – When shopping, you need to use maths to calculate discounts, sales, and the total cost of your purchases. These uses of maths is necessary to avoid overspending or making costly mistakes.
• Travel – Planning a trip involves several mathematical calculations. You need to calculate the cost of flights, hotels, and transportation. Additionally, you must create a budget to ensure you stay within your means while still enjoying your trip. Math skills also come in handy when converting currencies, calculating exchange rates, and determining the best time to book your trip.
• Sports – Sports rely heavily on the use of mathematics. Math plays a critical role in sports, from calculating scores to determining statistics. Whether you are playing or watching a game, uses of maths is always present.
• Gardening – In addition to these basic math skills, gardening involves more complex mathematical concepts such as geometry and algebra. For example, if you want to build a raised garden bed, you need to calculate the number of materials you need and the dimensions of the bed to ensure that it is stable and structurally sound.
Geometry comes into play when you want to create symmetrical garden designs or when you need to measure the angles of sunlight to determine the best planting spots. And algebra is used when you want to choose the ideal ratio of soil amendments or calculate the mulch required to cover a particular garden area.
Moreover, keeping track of your gardening expenses and income requires basic accounting skills. You need to calculate the cost of seeds, soil, tools, and other materials and track your profits if you sell your product. Developing these skills can help you in your gardening endeavours and other areas of your life.
• DIY Projects – DIY projects require a lot of maths in daily life. From measuring the dimensions of materials to calculating the amount of paint or wallpaper needed, you need to use maths to complete your project successfully. Moreover, if you are building or constructing something, you must understand basic geometry and algebra to ensure your project is safe and stable. For instance, you must calculate angles accurately for cutting wood or metal. You also need to understand the concept of the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the length of the diagonal of a square or rectangle.
You need to calculate the cost of materials, estimate the time required for the project, and allocate your resources effectively. In addition, you need to use basic maths skills for budgeting your DIY projects. Doing so can ensure that you stay within your budget and complete your project on time.
Furthermore, DIY projects can be a great way to teach children about maths in a fun and engaging way. You can involve them in measuring and cutting materials, calculating areas and volumes, and creating their designs using basic geometry. This can help them develop their maths skills and cultivate a love for learning that can benefit them in all areas of their lives.
• Home Renovations – Home renovations require advanced maths skills. You need to calculate the area of a room, measure the amount of flooring or tiles required, and estimate the cost of materials and labour. Additionally, you need to understand angles and measurements for installations such as flooring, tiles, and cabinets. It can be challenging to complete home renovations without proper math skills.
• Health -Even your health requires one of these 10 uses of maths in your daily life. From calculating your body mass index (BMI) to measuring medication doses, maths plays a vital role in maintaining your health.
Understanding Maths and Income Tax
Income Tax is a direct tax that individuals in the United Kingdom pay on their income. The amount of Income Tax paid depends on the income earned, categorised into various bands. It’s is an important skill to know, but how is this calculated?
Income Tax Bands (as of 1 January 2024)
| Band | Taxable Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | Up to £12,570 | 0% |
| Basic Rate | £12,571 to £50,270 | 20% |
| Higher Rate | £50,271 to £125,140 | 40% |
| Additional Rate | Over £125,140 | 45% |
Examples of Income Tax Calculation
Example 1: Income of £20,000
- Calculate Taxable Income:
- Total Income: £20,000
- Personal Allowance: £12,570
- Taxable Income: £20,000 – £12,570 = £7,430
- Calculate Income Tax:
- Tax Rate: 20% (Basic Rate)
- Income Tax: 20% of £7,430 = £1,486
Example 2: Income of £60,000
- Calculate Taxable Income:
- Total Income: £60,000
- Personal Allowance: £12,570
- Taxable Income: £60,000 – £12,570 = £47,430
- Divide into Tax Bands:
- Basic Rate: £12,571 to £50,270 (Total: £37,700)
- Higher Rate: Above £50,270 (Total: £9,730)
- Calculate Income Tax:
- Basic Rate Tax: 20% of £37,700 = £7,540
- Higher Rate Tax: 40% of £9,730 = £3,892
- Total Income Tax: £7,540 + £3,892 = £11,432
Learning Support at Eden
At Eden Training Solutions, we offer a comprehensive support system to help you succeed in your Functional Skills Maths:
- Dedicated Skills Coaches: Receive one-on-one support from experienced coaches who guide you through your learning journey.
- Interactive Online Learning: Access a wide range of resources on our Noodle Now! platform.
- Practical Assessments: Engage in real-world problem-solving scenarios to prepare for your final assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of Functional Skills Maths qualifications?
Functional Skills Maths qualifications aim to develop practical maths skills essential for everyday life and work, ensuring learners can apply these skills in various contexts.
Who should take this course?
This course is suitable for anyone needing to improve their maths skills to meet personal, professional, or educational goals.
What support is available?
Learners receive support from dedicated Skills Coaches and have access to a range of online resources and interactive lessons.
How are assessments conducted?
Assessments are conducted through practical tasks and real-world scenarios, with mock exams to prepare you for the final tests.
What are the benefits of this qualification?
Completing this qualification enhances your employability, prepares you for further education, and provides essential life skills in maths.
Conclusion:
From cooking to sports and even shopping, mathematics is a necessary tool that we use to make sense of the world around us. So, if you are reaching this line, you must have learnt about the uses of maths in daily life. By understanding the importance of these 10 uses of maths in our everyday life, we can appreciate the subject more and use it to our advantage.
If you want to improve your maths skills or help your child excel in maths, consider Cuemath’s online math classes. Cuemath provides interactive and engaging online courses that help children develop a deep understanding of maths concepts. With us, you can help your child build a strong foundation in maths and achieve academic success. So, it is time to start your journey with Cuemath today and discover the power of maths.
