# data[].attributes.body
DYW Live is an online learning programme for all schools across Scotland, to support their delivery of work-related learning including employability skills, career pathways and industry connections.

These sessions include a range of industry professionals talk about how they use numeracy and maths in their roles.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the advertising manager | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr Sophie Carr is the founder and director of Bays Consulting. Since founding the company in 2009 Sophie has overseen its growth to 12 people, providing data science and mathematical modeling for a wide range of clients. Outside of Bays, Sophie is the VP for Education and Statistical Literacy at the Royal Statistical Society, serves on the General Council for the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and was named the World's Most Interesting Mathematician of 2019.

How would you characterise your current work?

My working week is split between running a business, providing technical oversight of the projects that Bays works on, and developing/writing my own code. Running a business needs good numeracy skills to make sure you're on top of cash flow, invoicing, payroll, tax returns and the other financial aspects of running a business. As the company has grown, more of my time is spent on running the business, but I am still actively involved in technical review and oversight of the projects we deliver. I enjoy working with the technical team in Bays developing ideas as to how we can solve problems or investigating why some code isn't working. The amount of time I get to spend actually writing my own code is much smaller than it was a few years ago, so I make sure that I do this just for fun on home projects to keep my skills up.
How do you feel about maths?
I really enjoy maths now, but it wasn't always like that. At school my favourite subject was physics and maths was just something I needed to be able to do so that I could understand the physics. It wasn't that I didn't like maths, it just didn't interest me as much. I decided to study engineering at university, which I absolutely loved. It didn't take me long to realise that my ability in engineering was directly linked to my capability in maths. Over time I started to enjoy maths much more and ended up studying a Master's degree in applied mathematics and fluid mechanics. It wasn't until I was working as an engineer on flight trials that I was introduced to Bayesian Belief Networks and that was when everything changed. I was utterly fascinated by them (which is helpful as they formed the basis of my PhD) and maths went from being something I needed to do to work in engineering to the area I wanted to work in. Since then, I've never lost the sense of wonder and joy that maths brings me. That's not to say it's always easy (it rarely is) or that there aren't times when the work is a bit dull and repetitive, but maths has given me a career that I adore.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
Quite a lot! I work in developing and reviewing mathematical approaches to solving the problem that the company is working on. Sometimes I also get to write the actual algorithms (but less so as the company has grown, as I have moved more into running the business) which is turning the calculations and equations into code. A key part of the maths is that the results are understood and clearly presented. This means if I am writing code or reviewing others' code, then I have to look at the visualisations produced, especially when graphs are being created.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

I use all three in my work as they are fundamental to developing data science solutions and mathematical modelling. It starts with the data cleansing and data checking to understand the structure of the data. That requires the numeracy skills - are there numbers which seem to be unexpectedly high or low? Where is the "average" value? Once I understand the data structure then calculations are developed in algorithms. I work mainly in Python now to develop code, but learnt R at the start of my career.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

Absolutely - maths is an incredibly creative subject. I think part of the "bad reputation" that maths and statistics has comes from the perception that "creative maths" happens when people get the number they want to see, the number that serves their own purpose. There is a real difference between getting the number right (which is what mathematicians try to do) and getting the right number (that is the number that they expect the answer to be because it serves their own purpose). I honestly believe that most people seek to get the number right, that they don't set out to deceive.

At its heart, maths is all about solving puzzles - it is the one thing that unites mathematicians regardless of what area they work in. Also, when you work in maths in industry, unlike at school there is no answer sheet to work back from - in fact we often set out not knowing if we will find an answer. What that means is we need to be creative in thinking about how we could start to solve the problem. That is, what do we know that might be useful in starting to solve the problem? It is interesting and fun to see what ideas from diverse areas of maths and life we can pull together to get an insight that helps us take the next step forward in getting an answer.

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

All the time! I think it is also worth mentioning that I still do my 9 times tables on my fingers, and regularly add up using my fingers too. I work a lot in statistics and specifically with probabilities. I often have to develop and work with conditional probabilities, which you learn at school in probability trees. I often work out the order that events happen in by drawing a tree, which helps me ensure that the probability being calculated is the one that answers the question.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

This is a very tricky question to answer as I don't work in education, but I do have two children who definitely don't share my love of maths. There are fundamental maths skills that are essential in everyday life - from problem solving, to ensuring your change is correct, to working out the best value for money. I think the question has to be how those skills are gained, especially within the context that they may be encountered. If there was a way to encourage maths to be learnt through exploration, where pupils realise that mathematicians are wrong far more than they are right (and that this is nothing to be ashamed of) and which helps develop their curiosity, then I think this would be fantastic. Looking after secondary school, encouraging as many people as possible to take Core Maths would, I think, make a big difference to many people's futures.
You can find Sophie on: You can find Baystastic on:
Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the analytics company founder

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lynne McClure discovers how an analytics company founder utilises mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the artificial intelligence chatbot | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: mathematics and the artist | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the bicycle business owner | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the biologist | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the chief economist | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Major RE (retd) Frank Haxton IEng MICE MInstRE spent most of his career as a Civil Engineer for the Corps of Royal Engineers in the British Army. Now in civilian life, he is a renowned consultant on firearms range design and safety management.

How would you characterise your current work?

My wide-ranging career in Civil Engineering started in a Material Testing and Design Laboratory in the Royal Engineers. After further study as a Military Engineer, I worked in road and airfield design and construction. The final years of my work have been in design and operational safety of firearms ranges.
How do you feel about maths?
A poor grounding in maths at a post-war London school has been my Achilles' heel throughout my career. Ambition has driven me to learn on the job at each up-lift in my career. This difficulty detracts from the core subject and has been a limiting factor in my career.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
Civil Engineering is to me the ultimate creative enterprise, "harnessing the great forces of nature for the benefit of mankind".* Maths is the principle pillar underpinning the science of Civil Engineering. The simplest of structural designs involves analysis, requiring calculation. There can thus be no greater or more important subject for the Civil Engineer than mathematics.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

Ensuring the safe use of firearms requires an understanding of ballistics to determine the hazard and the constructed form of the defences. Ballistics is almost purely mathematics, involving energy, velocity and trajectory calculations and terminal effect. The construction of defences is part material technology, but the constructed form involves geometry and trigonometry. Placing the structures requires detailed survey work, calculating angles and distances. Numeracy forms the basis of Quantity Surveying and pricing.

Maths as a tool of my work has changed exponentially over the years; logarithms, trigonometry tables and the slide rule have given primacy of place to the pocket calculator. The change has made maths more readily available as a tool, especially in field work.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

I do not see maths as creative, rather as a tool to creativity.

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

The maths with which I left school was insufficient for any useful purpose. Anything beyond the four basic arithmetical functions was a mystery to me.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

My proposal for change would be to the curriculum of teacher training. There is too little understanding of the world of work amongst teachers. Maths has hugely practical outcomes and to teach it in a vacuum fails to incentivise many young people. My experience of commanding a unit of 150 Army Apprentices aged 16 to 18 years old, was to see so many under-achievers succeed at A Levels in just two years. They were training as Cartographers, Surveyors, Engineers and in construction trades, and could now see maths not as an abstract topic, but as a vital tool of their chosen profession or trade.

*A traditional definition of Civil Engineering accepted by the Institute of Civil Engineers

Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the civil engineer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lynne McClure asks a civil engineer how he uses maths in his role

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the civil servant | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska asks a civil servant how he uses maths in his role

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the trainee clinical psychologist | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska discovers how a trainee clinical psychologist utilises mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the creative director | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How would you characterise your current work?
I am a bricklayer working for myself and also subcontracting to larger firms.
How do you feel about mathematics?
I have always felt apprehensive about maths. When I was younger I felt the focus on mental arithmetic as a way of judging me on my ability was pretty high-stakes (especially from my father) - this made me feel a little inadequate, and I still feel weak at mental arithmetic. Even though I now know that maths is more than just working out numbers quickly, it's hard to get away from that. A lot of the maths I use daily is the same because bricks and blocks are standard size - so memorising things like the 75 and 225 times tables over time has helped me feel less apprehensive. (In the UK, the usual size of a modern brick is 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm, which adds to a 10 mm mortar joint to make approximately 225 × 112.5 × 75 mm.)

Image credit: John C Bullas, (Flikr) under Creative Commons

Different 'standard' house brick sizes by country (source: Wikipedia)
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
My work relies heavily on maths. I use it every single day, measuring cuts of materials, setting out the positions and heights of walls from architectural drawings. I am always considering angles, measurements, dimensions and space as part of my job.
How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy practically in your work? What tools do you use to help you?
I use ratios of sand and cement in the mortar to make it the right strength. Typically above ground I would use a 6:1 mix of sand and cement; we would start with knowing a 25kg bag of cement contains 4 full shovels therefore needing 24 shovels of sand for a good mix. You get quite good at judging the shovelfuls accurately! Some stronger mixes below ground need more cement and the addition of extra lime i.e. 3:2:1 sand, lime and cement. I mainly use a tape measure and a calculator in terms of tools to help me with maths.
Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?
I do think maths is creative; a lot of what I build gets its beauty from maths. The building must be able to support itself, and the way architects and engineers solve the problems whilst making the structure remain attractive to the eye is in itself a very creative process.
Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?
I would say that day to day I use all the 'basic' maths that I was taught in school, but one I thought I would never use but do is Pythagoras' Theorem to find right angles. I would use a 3:4:5 triangle to find a right angle or I would use lengths of wood cut and nailed to this to make a set square. It's never millimetre perfect but it's accurate enough for what I would need - and I guess estimating and knowing how accurate I need things to be is another skill I use from school.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?
I think I would suggest pupils got to experience using maths in a working environment more - maths is a physical thing to me in my working day, not abstract or just on paper. I got to do field trips for other subjects but I don't recall any for maths: maybe seeing and using the formulas and ideas in real life would help guard against the feeling that they would never be used again after school. That's certainly not my experience!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections - mathematics and construction

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How would you characterise your current work? I am a bricklayer working for myself and also subcontracting to larger firms. How do you feel about mathematics? I have always felt apprehensive about maths.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the data engineer | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.body
Hear from James from the V&A in Dundee talk about how he uses maths skills to support the creation and assembly of the exhibits within the Museum.

# data[].attributes.body
In this session Laura and Claire talk about how maths helps them to ensure the NHS equipment and machines work accurately, maintain stock levels and keep repairs within budget.

# data[].attributes.body
Hear from Andy and Derek who explain the importance of Numeracy and Maths when working as a farmer. This covers everything from measuring the perimeter of fields, working within a budget and using estimation skills to help with planning and costings.

# data[].attributes.body
In this video Kelly from Stream Marine talks about the maths that is involved in the Merchant Navy and various Maritime careers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Maths Week Scotland - Stream Marine Careers | e-Sgoil

# data[].attributes.body
In this session Robert Burns from First Bus shares the maths involved in bus timetabling and transport management.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early Years & P1 BGE Primary BGE Secondary Senior Phase Study Support NQ Courses Vocational Certificated Courses Introduction to Mandarin Japanese Gàidhlig DYW Live i-Sgoil Supply Input

# data[].attributes.body
Hear Rosemary talk about her work at TNEI, a consultancy for the energy sector, and explain how maths is crucial to her work. Hear her talk about the maths linked to wind turbines, electric cars and powering your home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Rosemary will talk about her work at TNEI, a consultancy for the energy sector, and explain how maths is crucial to her work, whether that is predicting when the electricity cables running to your house will need replacing or figuring out how many wind turbines can you build at your wind farm without damaging the power lines it's connected to. This all involves lots of maths: modelling relationships between the weather and wind power, how much electricity people use, when electric cars are charged and much more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Rosemary will talk about her work at TNEI, a consultancy for the energy sector, and explain how maths is crucial to her work, whether that is predicting when the electricity cables running to your house will need replacing or figuring out how many wind turbines can you build at your wind farm without damaging the power lines it's connected to.

# data[].attributes.body
In this video Stephanie, a self-employed hairdresser, talks about her role and the maths involved in the day to day running of the salon.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early Years & P1 BGE Primary BGE Secondary Senior Phase Study Support NQ Courses Vocational Certificated Courses Introduction to Mandarin Japanese Gàidhlig DYW Live i-Sgoil Supply Input

# data[].attributes.body
Abby, a Graduate Apprentice working with JP Morgan talks about how Higher Maths has helped her begin her career as a Software Developer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early Years & P1 BGE Primary BGE Secondary Senior Phase Study Support NQ Courses Vocational Certificated Courses Introduction to Mandarin Japanese Gàidhlig DYW Live i-Sgoil Supply Input

# data[].attributes.body
Mark, who works at Barclays Bank, shares how his Apprenticeship has lead to a full-time role in the Financial Crime Team. Learn how financial forecasting can help to identify financial crimes such as money laundering and tax evasion.

# data[].attributes.body
Hear from Hans Unkles, a fisherman from the small rural village of Tayvallich, who explains how he used his maths skills to help him create the UK's first electric commercial fishing vessel.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Making the UK’s First Solar Electric Fishing Boat | e-Sgoil

# data[].attributes.body
In this session meet Eliza who founded the games development company Spectral Wrender following a varied career in games programming. Watch as she shows some examples of the maths used when coding games.

# data[].attributes.headline
Maths as an Apprentice Mechanical Engineer 

# data[].attributes.subject
Maths as an Apprentice Mechanical Engineer 

# data[].attributes.body
Hear from Mary as she talks about the maths she has used during her work placements at Jaguar Land Rover and Jaguar TCS Racing, as part of her mechanical engineering course.

# data[].attributes.body
In this session, hear from Daniel on how task planning and mathematical modelling play a vital role in manufacturing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Early Years & P1 BGE Primary BGE Secondary Senior Phase Study Support NQ Courses Vocational Certificated Courses Introduction to Mandarin Japanese Gàidhlig DYW Live i-Sgoil Supply Input

# data[].attributes.body
Hear how Craig became an apprentice in the aquaculture industry and how maths plays an important role in his working life and those of his colleagues.

# data[].attributes.body
Hear how Andrew used maths to set up his own company, helleau®, and the important part that maths plays in understanding the data behind marketing and social media.

# data[].attributes.body
In this video, people from a range of industries discus the role maths plays in their work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jobs that use Maths - Careers - BBC Bitesize

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Where could your favourite subject take you? Get inspired by people using Maths in real-life jobs. Find out how much you could get paid for different roles and what qualifications you might need.

# data[].attributes.headline
STEM Ambassadors - When will I ever use this?

# data[].attributes.subject
STEM Ambassadors - When will I ever use this?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
When Will I Ever Use This? Resource | SAIS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
“But when will I ever use this” is a maths careers resource where we take the maths topics that learners find hard to contextualise and ask STEM Ambassadors show how they use it in the workplace. Each topic also has linked maths activities for the learner to try which has designed by each STEM Ambassador linked to their job and reviewed by a teacher to make sure it is appropriate for the level.

# data[].attributes.headline
STEM Ambassadors Scotland - Maths Careers

# data[].attributes.subject
STEM Ambassadors Scotland - Maths Careers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Maths Week Scotland is an annual, week-long celebration of the importance of maths in our everyday lives. This year, Maths Week Scotland will run from

25 September - 1 October 2023.

This year's theme is Maths in Motion - exploring how maths is involved in the movement of, well, everything!

We are working with our STEM Ambassadors and Maths Week Scotland to help you bring maths and numeracy to life in the classroom and to link to this year's theme.

A planning framework for your outdoor sessions including 25 outdoor maths games for everyone.

These inspirational resources introduce primary pupils to the concept of space debris and help raise their awareness of how important it is to clean up space.

Add requests for STEM Ambassadors to support activities related to Maths Week Scotland.

You need to be logged into your teacher/youth group leader account to use the link below.

Click on Browse Offers below to find out what activity STEM Ambassadors can offer you, type "Maths" into the search engine

You need to be logged into your teacher/youth group leader account to use the link below.

STEM Ambassadors can search the STEM Learning website for Maths related requests from Educators and Group Leaders. Click Browse Requests below and type the keyword "Maths" into the search engine.

We're looking for STEM Ambassadors to add Offers to the STEM Learning website so that Educators and Group Leaders can browse them. This is a great option if you have already developed a Maths focused activity or have an idea you would like to discuss.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Maths Week Scotland is an annual, week-long celebration of the importance of maths in our everyday lives. This year, Maths Week Scotland will run from  25 September - 1 October 2023. This year's theme is Maths in Motion - exploring how maths is involved in the movement of, well, everything!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
STEM Ambassadors in Scotland coordinates the Scotland STEM Ambassador Hub on behalf of STEM Learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Support pupils with their Maths and problem-solving skills using creative numeracy tasks in a real-world context.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The AMSP is creating an exciting set of high-quality videos which showcase the maths in different careers. Each video is also linked to one or more activities, so your students can get a real taste of what the career may entail.

The videos are suitable for all students aged 11+. Each person that features tells their story from childhood right through to the present day. We have aimed to use a diverse set of role models and careers in the videos so that the collection hopefully contains something that every student can relate to, whether that is the persons background, their interests or their aspirations. Each video is around 5 minutes long and has a few questions asked throughout, which make perfect places to pause and think about maths and careers with your class.

"I was very impressed with the video. Susie strikes a nice balance between her background and honest thoughts about maths with how important they are for what she's doing now. It was good to see genuine examples of her work and to hear how she gets to feel good about the work (maths) that she's doing."
Dave Gale Lead Practitioner and member of the TES Maths panel

Focusing on Core Maths

Focusing on A level Mathematics

Focusing on A level Further Mathematics

Skip to content

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Where maths meets... the world of work! - AMSP

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The AMSP is creating an exciting set of high-quality videos which showcase the maths in different careers. Each video is also linked to one or more activities, so your students can get a real taste of what the career may entail. The videos are suitable for all students aged 11+.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Maths Careers provides a range of resources, information and signposting to help those working in mathematics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Maths on the farm - Royal Highland Educational Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our interactive Thinglink shares some maths based activities for different levels of learners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
João Afonso is a General Dental Practitioner based in Cambridge.

How would you characterise your current work?

On a daily basis I encourage patients to look at good oral health as a fundamental part of general good health. I have a special interest in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics (the branch of dentistry concerned with the design, manufacture, and fitting of artificial replacements for teeth and other parts of the mouth), and spend part of my week in referral practice dealing with advanced and complex cases of oral rehabilitation. It is wonderful to see and feel the deeply transformative power of dental treatment. Smiling is happiness.

I am also involved in interesting conversations about dental issues as a postgraduate tutor at King's College London, on the M.Clin.Dent. course in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics.
How do you feel about maths?
I see maths in most things. I even hear maths every day, playing on the radio. I feel comfort in maths, as I think it underpins many of my daily processes and actions. It's absolutely fundamental.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
I find various parts of my work mathematical. For example, some fundamental characteristics of the front teeth - see below - that contribute to an attractive smile appearance can be defined. Although considerable variations exist in nature, tooth size and position should be proportionate to ensure the necessary appearance for an aesthetic smile; some fundamental characteristics of the front teeth that contribute to an attractive appearance can therefore be defined. Shape is an important idea in dentistry - it's also interesting to note how surprisingly different the shape of a whole tooth is compared to our expectations, because so much of the tooth is below the gum line.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

Form and contour of teeth are generally defined as triangular, ovoid or square.

Studies on the amount of tooth visible in an aesthetic smile show that the width of a central incisor (see below) is roughly 80% of the length, within a certain variable range. Of course these factors must be evaluated while taking other important factors into consideration, such as function and articulation(ability to speak clearly).

Maths also allows us to measure and therefore know and understand ourselves and our bodies better. For example, various studies have concluded that a normal physiological wear of the natural tooth enamel is 0.25 micrometres per year (a micrometre is one millionth of a metre, or 0.001 mm). This knowledge is a valuable tool in monitoring tooth wear development and in identifying a pathological pattern of tooth surface loss, today one of the most increasingly prevalent dental issues.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

I think maths is both straight to the point, but also infinite. Of course maths is creative!

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

On a daily basis, especially measurement and calculation.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

At school, maths has always inspired both love and hate. I have always felt that maths could be my best friend but also my worst enemy. If I had the chance to change the school curriculum I would emphasise the link between subjects, so maths could be used to help us understand things like literature, and the other way around. This way maths might not be so hated but perhaps more clearly seen in different aspects of our lives.

Oh and don't forget: keep flossing.

Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the dentist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
João Afonso is a General Dental Practitioner based in Cambridge. How would you characterise your current work? On a daily basis I encourage patients to look at good oral health as a fundamental part of general good health.

# data[].attributes.headline
Maths and the Energy & Environment Project Coordinator

# data[].attributes.subject
Maths and the Energy & Environment Project Coordinator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the personal trainer | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska asks an energy & environment project coordinator how she uses maths in her role

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections – maths and the environmental scientist | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Alhaji Sheriff is a Chartered Accountant who works for Marie Stopes International as a Donor Finance Business Partner, based in the UK.

How would you characterise your current work?

I see my role as a trusted financial adviser providing "real time" support and analysis that adds value and assists senior management in making informed decisions to help drive the organisation forward. As a donor finance business partner, I provide financial management support throughout the life cycle of a donor-funded project, from proposals to close out and audit. More so, I serve as a critical link between the donor and the organisation in ensuring complete accounting and reporting on projects whilst checking that all projects within my portfolio comply with the organisation's regulations and any specific donor requirements. It sometimes involves travelling to some of our country offices - which can be very exciting as you get the opportunity to meet your colleagues who live in different countries.
How do you feel about maths?
I am very passionate about maths and I believe it has in many ways helped shape my analytical thinking and my reasoning ability, which I believe contributes immensely in solving problems. The ability to use different techniques to arrive at the same answer is what I find most fascinating about maths - you can all be given the same problem and would get the same answer but the journey in arriving at the answer can differ.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
A huge chunk of my work is mathematical, as I use figures a lot. I use maths to ascertain how much money we will need to deliver a donor project, and to report to a donor how much we have spent and how much we have remaining on the project. This can sometimes just involve basic addition, multiplication, subtraction and division. However, it does get really complicated depending on what is required by the donor and the organisation. This usually leads to the use of complex maths such as mark-ups, margins, payment by results calculations and in some cases scenario workings, analysing various components of a donor-funded project.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

The main mathematical tool or vehicle I use for maths is Microsoft Excel. I use Excel for basic and complex calculations, depending on the task. The ability to navigate your way through Excel depends on a range of variables such as your sense of reasoning as an individual, your problem-solving skills and the level of Excel training you have; so to a large extent it comes down to maths and problem solving.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

In my opinion, maths itself isn't inherently creative but how you use it to discover or prove theories or apply it to other fields can be a place in which you can show your creativity. There is usually a correct answer to every maths question regardless of the fact that there is usually more than one way to get to the solution, so for me, maths helps bring creativity out of a person rather than it being a creative art in itself. You don't have to be creative to be good at maths, but you can be a methodical and logical thinker and be good at it.

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

Yes, I do use and rely on the maths I learnt in school but not so much as I had imagined. Most of the maths I use is basic. In terms of percentages, if I were to allocate what % of maths that I learnt in school I use or rely on in my work, I would say no more than 15%. The 85% I don't use or maybe I haven't used yet. Interestingly, I don't seem to remember most of the maths I learnt in school.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

Personally, I think we learn too many things in school that we don't necessarily need or never get the chance to use - maths is certainly not an exception. I'm not too au fait with the maths curriculum at this stage, as it's been a while since I left school. However, if I were to make a suggestion, particularly from an accountant's point of view, I would say teach the things that students need to know and/or what will be beneficial to their prospective employers as early as possible - this way you prepare them for the things that lie ahead. I do recognise that they need to learn other mathematical theories, but those should be kept at a minimum whilst focus is geared towards the things that are useful to their careers and everyday lives.

Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the finance business partner

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska asks a finance business partner how he uses maths in his role

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: maths and the florist | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the hairdresser | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the housemaster | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fiona Beedle is the librarian at Cambridge Assessment.

How would you characterise your current work?

I am the University of Cambridge Departmental Librarian for Cambridge Assessment, looking after about 8,000 items, which include books and journals on assessment and course and study books for all the disciplines such as maths, English, biology, etc. As we moved to our new building this past year I am currently cataloguing all the books which were donated at that time by the different divisions within the business and will shortly be overseeing the incorporation of the previously separate Cambridge English library into this one.

I really enjoy my work, especially working with the logic of organisation and presentation - a library is ultimately presentation in a logical way so that people can clearly and easily find what they are looking for. Another aspect I find particularly interesting is the challenge of getting into the thought processes of how others have categorised items, such as when I am trying to find a specific journal article from another library for a member of staff.
How do you feel about maths?
Scared! Maths does not come naturally to me, and I believe that ideally children should find numbers fun. I was number blind as well as dyslexic and neither of these conditions was recognised when I was a child, so maths was fearsome for me and at school it was a nightmare - I was considered so bad that the school didn't let me take any exams in it.

When my children were doing maths at school in the early 1990s I didn't understand what they were doing with their homework and couldn't help them. I was also looking at applying for a university course at that time, so I decided to take a GCSE in maths and with the help of a wonderfully patient tutor I did it in a year. I can now see there are patterns in maths and I imagine for others it would be fascinating and addictive, but I still don't have the confidence with numbers to enjoy it.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
On a day-to-day basis I work with Dewey Decimal Classification to apply both accession and classification numbers to the items in the library. The Dewey system is complex, using a logical progression of numbers to help categorise and then easily find each catalogued item. When visiting other departmental libraries, I not only need a good understanding of it but also an ability to memorise these numbers in order to find the book(s) I need - especially when looking for maths books which tend to have very long classification numbers!

I also use financial calculations for my work, keeping careful track of the library's budget and ensuring that all external charges are accurate. When deciding to buy a book for the library I need to compare prices and ascertain the best value against the quality of the options available for that item. Then when I am sourcing copies of articles or book chapters for staff I need to ensure that I use the best value source, whether that be to use the copying service of another library or to obtain the item myself and copy it. Time and resource management factors come into play here as well.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

When setting up the new library here at Triangle I needed to estimate the total shelf space I would need for all of the current books in the library as well as those which would be donated to it as a result of the move. Shelf space is calculated in 'shelf meterage' and does not necessarily correspond to the number of books in the library, as books come in all shapes and sizes!

To help me with my own use of the Dewey system I use a spreadsheet; I also consult the online British National Bibliography and Copac, which is an online combined catalogue of the UK's national libraries, many university libraries and specialist research libraries.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

I wouldn't say maths is creative in itself, but its application is extremely creative - my son is an architect and the way he uses maths is vital for his creativity, as it would be for a designer, or for a chef. There are so many creative applications for maths that I can think of.

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

As I got so confused at school and didn't really learn any maths there I cannot say that I use anything from that time. It is only as I have matured that I have begun to appreciate, and apply, the organisational logic of number systems.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

I would make it far more applicable to the real world, to nature and to the interests and hobbies of the students. When I was at school you had a book with lined or squared paper and you'd do all your work on that. It wasn't until I was doing my maths GCSE in the early 1990s and I had to work out a train timetable for it that the penny dropped that this might be useful. Since then I have realised that I also use maths in one of my hobbies - researching my family history - where I need to work out people's ages and their potential relationships from dates on old documents.

Household items are great for comparing weights and measures - an ounce of icing sugar and an ounce of demerara sugar are totally different in many ways! This kind of real-world application would help students understand what they were doing, and they would obtain the life skills they needed for using numbers.

It's also really important for students to feel comfortable asking questions - admitting that they don't understand and being able to share that to help everyone to understand properly.

Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the librarian

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fiona Beedle is the librarian at Cambridge Assessment. How would you characterise your current work? I am the University of Cambridge Departmental Librarian for Cambridge Assessment, looking after about 8,000 items, which include books and journals on assessment and course and study books for all the disciplines such as maths, English, biology, etc.

# data[].attributes.body
Join Phil and Blair from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland live from Edinburgh Zoo. They show you around some of the exhibitions and talk about how maths features in the different jobs found at the zoo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the mechanical engineer | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska asks a civil servant how he uses maths in his role

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How would you characterise your current work?
I have been working as a midwife for six years. I only work on the labour ward, so I provide antenatal and labour care, assist with deliveries of babies, and also do a small amount of postnatal care.
How do you feel about maths?
I don't feel I have a very good relationship with maths; I wouldn't go as far as to say I hate it, but I've always been pretty bad at it - or maybe just had a 'bad attitude' towards learning it. If I'm confronted with anything mathematical, I tend to stop in my tracks. I was always in the lower groups for maths, and my maths teachers would always tell me how I needed to work harder to remember facts to help me move on with harder topics. I ended up retaking my GCSE five times because I got Ds every single time. I really wanted to go to university so I persevered, and I actually didn't end up getting my C until I left school. I had to reapply for university and do an access course to help get me to the point where I could get in - it was around this time that I met my husband, who was really good at maths and supported me in helping me pass the course. I felt like not getting that magic grade held me back so much and stopped me pursuing my career for a long time.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
I would say drug calculations, mostly. Most of it is done for us - it's written up in very specific guidelines - and we tend to use the same drugs every time, so we don't have to redo the equation every time we need to prescribe. We generally have to input the drug dose or the rate, and we get the other value back. Sometimes drugs get given in a different amount than we're used to and we have to convert into different units. (We measure drugs in ml, units, grams, or suspensions - g per ml). Sometimes four or five of us will sit there checking each other's' calculations for fear of getting it wrong; surprisingly, we find the doctors sometimes lack in confidence too, but the pharmacists are almost always excellent at these sorts of calculations, so we ask them if we can. People might be surprised by that!

We also often use calculators or IV drug machines to work out the drip rates, for example, so we input values into the machines and it calculates the rates for us. Feed requirements for babies are also mathematical because we have to work out how much volume the baby should take each feed based on ml per kilo of weight, and how many times a day you feed (e.g. three or four hourly).

We have to pass a drugs calculation course to qualify as a midwife, and you have to get 100% to pass. I also had to do another one for the Trust hospital when I moved jobs. They're not too difficult - there's no formulae to learn as they give them to you in the test, and you just have to fill in the relevant values. There's a certain amount of questions you can use a calculator for, but some are non-calculator at the moment.

We have something called a partogram which is a type of graph or chart used for every patient during labour (see an example of one, left). It is used to capture information like cm dilation, blood pressure, baby's heart rate, contractions - to manage labour, and show deviation from 'normal' progression so we can see if something might be wrong. This happens on a piece of paper on the patient's notes - like a 'picture' of their labour. We used to have an action line (starting at 4cm which is beginning of labour) where we would plot the time and the dilation, and if they progress much slower than the 'normal' line into the 'action' line, we would need to do something about it. But they are getting rid of this now - we're not sure why, but maybe because people aren't using it correctly.
How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?
As I mentioned, calculators or IV drugs machines, and we also use infusion pumps (pictured below), which also do a lot of calculations if we want them to - e.g. how much or at what rate. The machines are calibrated and tested yearly and obviously we have to place a lot of trust in them. I have noticed that people coming through the training now seem to have better mathematical or numerical skills overall - they changed the interview process a few years ago and we are seeing that coming through. We used to have lots of 'people' people, who had a good bedside manner and were good at the 'caring' side of the job - but now they seem to be more 'academic', better at clinical procedures, but what's lacking now seems to be those social skills. I wonder if it's always a choice between one or the other.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

I guess it can be...I probably do some of it myself and don't really realise it. Origami, for example... but I honestly don't think I ever experienced creative maths teaching as a pupil. The most creative I can remember is my teacher ripping up a ten pound note in a lesson - the memory stuck, but I can't even remember the point of it!
Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?
Not that I can think of...
How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?
Try and make it more fun. I guess you can't change attitudes towards maths that easily, but I wish you could. For me it was so clearly drilled in that you have to be good at the Big Three (English, Maths and Science) - like have to, have to, have to - and it makes them the three subjects you don't want to do, because all you do is get drilled over and over. I do remember a little bit of maths being applied to everyday stuff, but it just wasn't that realistic or obvious - I would have liked more application to day-to day stuff like the things I use now in my job.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How would you characterise your current work? I have been working as a midwife for six years. I only work on the labour ward, so I provide antenatal and labour care, assist with deliveries of babies, and also do a small amount of postnatal care. How do you feel about maths?

# data[].attributes.body
In this video, Ellie from Nature Scot talks about how you can explore your own environment using maths.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Using Maths to Discover Nature | e-Sgoil

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ben is a personal trainer at PureGym. He helps clients achieve their fitness goals using boxing, strength and conditioning training, as well as nutrition and physical rehabilitation work.

How would you characterise your current work?

I would characterise my work as very personal and intimate. People invest time and money into their own health and goals and trust me to act as a medium to do it through. Because of this I get to know them on a very personal level and bring out a side to them that they probably don't show to other people in their lives.
How do you feel about maths?
I feel that maths is important in everyday life, especially when it comes to doing everyday tasks like shopping, paying for things and budgeting. I can also see how maths can be used on a more abstract level to break down the workings of the universe, although I'm nowhere near smart enough to understand that type of use of maths.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
There are certain aspects of my work that can be mathematical. It depends on the trainer themselves, and whether they feel it's necessary (or want) to be specific in order to achieve the client's goal. Mathematics can be used to work out calories and macronutrients, body composition, and to progressively overload in strength training (incrementally increase the workload on the body to avoid plateaux). However, it is possible to achieve the client's goal without using such objective methods.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

In my line of work, I often need to calculate weights, reps and sets whilst training a client. This can be done as mental arithmetic. I might also use maths within the training plan itself. I need a good understanding of maths to do things like design nutrition plans, periodisation programming (splitting various aspects of athletic training across a longer timescale) and calculating % of xRM (working out the weight someone can lift and for how many repetitions based on their maximum lift on 1 repetition, i.e. '1RM'). For this I usually use my phone calculator, although I could use Microsoft Excel to work out the formulas. Finally, within the actual business of personal training, quite often I need to use maths to calculate my incomings and outgoings. I use a money tracking app for this, which keeps everything clearly organised.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

I'm not sure about maths without context, but I definitely get creative with maths in my work. For instance, when training a client and they can't complete the reps/sets/weight I have planned (or I want to mix things up), I use maths to modify the set exercise to help them achieve the same outcome. For me, knowing the maths of a given system can give me the creativity and freedom to adjust things within that system.

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

I definitely use more maths from school than I thought I would. From simple arithmetic on the gym floor to working out percentages, having a good understanding of maths has proved essential in my line of work. There is a lot of maths from school that I can't remember and definitely don't use. This would be things like working out surface areas or volumes of shapes. If I do need to find out that kind of information, I usually use Google.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

To be honest I can barely remember the curriculum. There definitely could have been more emphasis on real world maths, especially things that can help people manage their everyday activities, such as taxes, tax returns, stock market and so on. That would have been useful to know as an adult. The maths I was taught in school has served me well to this point, but if there is anything I cannot do, I am happy to use technology to help me.

Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the personal trainer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ben is a personal trainer at PureGym. He helps clients achieve their fitness goals using boxing, strength and conditioning training, as well as nutrition and physical rehabilitation work. How would you characterise your current work? I would characterise my work as very personal and intimate.

# data[].attributes.body
Xavier from ILM gives us a behind the scenes view of the maths needed in films and special effects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) | e-Sgoil

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How would you characterise your current work?
I am a self employed plasterer and a sub-contractor for other builders and householders. I work by myself. Most of my work is plastering extensions by measuring and cutting plaster board, and fixing to walls or ceilings. I also do floor screeding, which is mixing sand and cement and spreading it on the floors to make a level surface.
How do you feel about maths?
Maths I use as a tool just like a hammer or a screwdriver.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
The most mathematical thing I do is measuring, for example considering boards on walls and then cutting them to size. I have to very carefully work out how much board I need. The standard size boards I use are 2.4m by 1.2m by 12.5mm thick. With floors, I have to measure how much sand and cement I need, and also take into account if insulation is needed under the floor.
How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?
I use maths for calculating: one example might be for volume of floor screed needed, i.e a specific mixture of sand and cement. If the room is 4m long by 3m wide and the floor needs to be at a depth of 0.100m, I multiply all three together to get 1.2m ³. I use a tape measure for measuring length, width and depth.
Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?
I think decorative geometry is the most creative type of maths: circles cutting into circles into an expanding flower shape (often known as the flower of life, see image below). I'm also fascinated by the fact that the Pyramids were built with the golden ratio of 1.6180. I think maths can help give an answer to why some proportions intuitively look right and others don't.
Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?
I do use some of the maths I have learnt at school, but this is only the basic stuff. I've forgotten most of it as what I do day-to-day feels different and out of context compared to the maths in the classroom. The maths I use in the work place has become automated, like second nature, and is interestingly often not using the same method I learnt at school.

The picture below shows a triangle of plasterboard which is made to fit in a triangular gap on a ceiling.

On the bottom edge I would measure the length from corner to corner, find the middle, then using a 90 degree square measure up and mark a line going up to the height of the top edge. For example one side measured 90mm, the other 60mm from that centre marking. Then I would measure out the lengths of the edges to double check that it would fit.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

I think it might help if there were more physical representations of the mathematics available i.e. physical squares, circles, triangles, pyramids etc. maybe with measures on them, like lengths of sides. I also think many more real world examples would be useful, like 'how you could survive at sea by dividing up the drinking water which you had to live on?' or 'if all of the money in the world was divided by the population how much would each person have?' I would have loved to have been able to consider in a maths lesson how astounding it is for us sitting on a spinning ball at 1039 mph at the equator, spinning 66,500 mph around the sun whilst simultaneously going half a million mph round the Milky Way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you're a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cambridge Mathematics are developing a flexible and interconnected digital Framework to help reimagine mathematics education 3-19.

# data[].attributes.body
Lawrie Cerexhe, a volunteer with the RNLI at Oban Lifeboat Station, talks about the maths involved in saving lives at sea.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
National Numeracy Day 2026 Videos | e-Sgoil

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the primary school SENCO | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska discovers how a primary school SENCO utilises mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ania Majewska works for RGVA - a company that specialises in vehicle graphics in Maidstone, Kent.

How would you characterise your current work?

My official title is Junior Production Artworker. Day-to-day, I am responsible for calculating how much material is used for vehicle artwork. I also set up graphics ahead of printing and assist the graphic designer with creating visuals for a company specialising in vehicle graphics (car wraps/stickers).
How do you feel about maths?
At school, I was never too keen on maths. I never realised how much I'd need it in my current job! I do use it on a daily basis now.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
Quite often I need to calculate the costs of materials needed to wrap a vehicle and to create visuals on cars and lorries. I also convert units from millimetres to metres and vice versa. This is often related to scale drawing as we have to convert to and from a 10% scale. Vehicle artwork, as you can imagine, is very big so it's nearly impossible to work on graphics with the actual scale (imagine a 13T lorry that needs all of its trailer covered with stickers!).

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

I need to switch between units so I need to be able to convert units quickly. As already mentioned, I need to be able to set visuals to certain scales and ratios. Additionally, because my work requires me to calculate costs and measurements for the vehicles I am working on, I need to keep track of cumulative costs. For example, when working on a sticker for a lorry, I need to be able to calculate the amount of material needed, considering things such as size of the vehicle and any elements that may not be included in the calculations, such as door handles. There is also a certain amount of millimetre bleed that needs to be set up. This means I need to leave some space on the artwork so the printer cuts around it, not into it.

I use specific software such as Adobe, calculators and conversion tools in addition to mental arithmetic (if you count that as a tool!).

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

I don't necessarily think that maths itself is creative, but elements of maths are. They certainly are needed in creative jobs such as graphic design, to help you visualise the actual size, scale/ratio of graphics and artwork you may be working with.

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

Yes, some. I use unit conversion, subtraction, addition, division and multiplication. I don't fully remember doing scale drawings but I think I might have done this in school as well.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

I would say that the school curriculum should definitely include more maths that would be used after you leave school. Maybe more lessons on ratio and scales would be useful, especially if you do want to do graphic design or architecture later on, as it would really help students. At the time, I didn't realise I would go into graphic design so I wish I did more on two-scale drawings or grade drawings. I also think it is important to talk about what skills you will need in certain jobs whilst at school.

Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the production artworker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you're a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the professor of psychology | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections - mathematics and the shoemaker | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the shop floor assistant | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska discovers how a shop floor assistant utilises mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the software engineer | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr Brigid McClure is the Head of Directorate & Strategy Delivery at London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE).

How would you characterise your current work?

My role is to support and advise the LSE Director, Dame Minouche Shafik, on the delivery of the university's long-term strategy. This partly includes overseeing a portfolio of major transformational programmes, but, more importantly, it is about embedding strategy into the daily rhythms of the university.
How do you feel about maths?
Positively - I think of maths as a language that allows you to conceptualise and communicate complicated things in powerful ways
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
A lot of my work involves working with quantitative data to inform planning and decision-making, the allocation of resources, and building business cases for investment. I'm also responsible for reporting on progress to our board of governors, which involves working with baselines, targets and benchmarks.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

Successful strategy requires resources to point in the right direction, but university resource allocation models are very complicated, and the higher education section is currently facing unprecedented financial challenges and volatility. I have specialist Planning and Finance colleagues who do the more difficult modelling and accounting using advanced skills and specialist software, but I need to be able to understand their work and ask sensible, sometimes even challenging, questions. More locally, in managing my own team, I also often draw on concepts from music and dance (e.g. rhythm, frequency or harmony), which are fundamentally mathematical.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

Of course - like any language, it allows you to play with concepts, prompt new understandings, and find novel ways of expressing ideas. And the more I understand how the financial management of an organisation works, the more I realise it is definitely an artform!

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

I use basic numeracy regularly - not so much the six pure maths modules I studied at A-level. At the time I enjoyed the elegance of equations and proofs, but I wish now that I had paid more attention to mechanics and statistics as I think they would be more useful in my daily life.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

I remember learning a lot of maths by repetition and memorising formulae and 'tricks'. But with computers now literally at our fingertips, I think it's increasingly important that people grow up with a firm grasp of how the underlying mathematical concepts and relationships work. I also don't remember ever learning about profit & loss statements, balance sheets, mortgages or pensions - if they were familiar ideas from childhood, perhaps they would be less scary as an adult!

Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the strategist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you're a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the tattoo removal business director | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lynne McClure asks a tattoo removal business owner how he uses maths in his role

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Des O'Brien is a corporate television producer/director who specialises in making programmes in the areas of science and medicine. He was a co-founder of Amethyst Television when the company was established back in 1990. Since then, he has been a director and producer of programmes about science, healthcare and medicine.

How would you characterise your current work?

I work with healthcare charities, hospital trusts and pharmaceutical companies making programmes on everything from the science of taste to comprehensive genomic profiling. I guess you could say that as an English and History graduate, I operate somewhat outside my comfort zone. However, I think that it's my ability to make sometimes complex narratives into simpler stories that has enabled me to sustain a career in this area over so many years. Having said that, I shouldn't underestimate the virtues of a curious mind and the human capacity for lifelong learning.
How do you feel about maths?
I would characterise my feeling about maths as ambiguous trending toward the apprehensive. I have to admit to having had fairly negative feelings about maths when I was at school. It was a subject I studied up until the age of 17 but would have "dropped" earlier had I had the chance. I think maths really left me behind at the point of abstraction. I was fine at the addition, subtraction and multiplication but lost my way around about the introduction of complex algebra. On reflection, I think maths is a difficult subject to teach to anyone who doesn't get it first time. Remember, maths is likely to be taught by people who were good at maths. I think the consequence of this is that when faced with the nonplussed student, teachers can struggle to help them cross the maths Rubicon.
What is it about your work that is mathematical?
Much of the maths I use in work falls very firmly within my comfort zone. I can add, subtract and multiply without experiencing any cold sweats. So, basic accounting tasks like compiling quotes and sending out invoices is not a concern. To be honest, apart from this rudimentary maths, I think most of us can avoid exposure to more challenging maths until kids arrive. Fortunately for me, neither of my children studied maths beyond O level so I got by without exposing too much of my ignorance.

How do you use maths, calculation or numeracy in your work? What tools do you use to help you?

Up until fairly recently I had complete recall of my times tables. Now I confirm with a calculator. I still avoid the automation that you can build into software like Excel as it can be nice to know that you can still add up a column of figures. Actually, it's my life outside work - in set building for amateur dramatics productions or constructing DIY shelving - that forces me to use maths in a much more intuitive and practical way and perhaps there's a lesson there for teachers - applied maths, or perhaps applying maths, so to speak.

Do you think maths is creative? If so, how?

I'm sure it can be, but I've never been there. The nearest I've come (my tongue very firmly in my cheek here) is reciting the ditty;

11 was a racehorse
22 was 12
1111 race
22112

(One-one was a racehorse
Two-two was one too
One-one won one race
Two-two won one too)

Do you use or rely on any maths that you learnt in school?

To my earlier point about the basic maths skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (yes, I can do that too), I use these skills all the time and never even think about it. Without those basic skills I would definitely feel ill-prepared for modern life, especially as modern life becomes ever more complex.

How would you change the school curriculum, if you had the chance? Why?

I assume you mean the school maths curriculum? To be honest, I'm not overly familiar with the modern maths curriculum so I may be out of date, but I feel that maths often falls into the trap of being taught as an end in itself rather than as a means to an end. For example, I learned more about the joy of maths during a Radio 4 In Our Time programme than I ever did in school. The programme is about Carl Friedrich Gauss and I learned that arithmetic is full of patterns that you can intuitively grasp without the labour of "working out." The story of how Gauss arrived at the answer to the sum of all the numbers between 1 and 100 is wonderful.

I would use the story of mathematical discovery to help inspire interest in pupils. I feel that maths can feel depersonalised. It's as if the universe of maths just arrived from nowhere with no humans involved. It's a bit like the story of the tree falling in the woods: if there's no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? To my mind, maths is similar; it needs humans to be fully appreciated. The curriculum should allow space to tell the stories of the mathematicians who have shaped the subject we learn at school.
You can find Des on:
Join the conversation: You can tweet us @CambridgeMaths or comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: Mathematics and the television producer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dominika Majewska asks a television producer how he uses maths in his role

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intersections: maths and the zoo manager | Cambridge Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether you’re a teacher, researcher or educator, our Mathematical Salad selection has something for you, in six delicious categories.