Are you good at maths? Do you have a head for figures? Do you like solving number puzzles? If the answer is 'yes', then working with maths could be for you.
There are lots of careers that use maths including maths teacher, banker, civil servant and computer programmer. In fact maths is in use in every type of business from large multi-national companies (like Coca-cola) to banks, hospitals and even your local corner shop.
Companies are in business to make a profit, and so finance forms the root of every major business decision. To maximise profits a business must carefully plan and stick to budgets. We use maths to help us work out budgets and to calculate the amount of profit a company has made.
Here are some more careers that use maths:
As a pure mathematician you could be involved in the science of codes. You would analyse complex signals, solve challenging problems and make and break codes. Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) employs the highest number of pure mathematicians in the country. GCHQ works closely with MI5 and MI6 - who would have thought that Maths could help you become James Bond?
Salary Range: £20,000 - £40,000.
An accountant advises people and companies on all things to do with finance, including record keeping and tax payment. To become an accountant you must pass professional exams. On average it takes four years to qualify as an accountant. Qualified accountants are known as certified or chartered accountants. They can work in private practice for individual members of the public, in a firm of accountants or for large businesses. They can also work in the public sector for organisations, such as charities or the National Health Service.
Salary Range: £15,000 - £100,000
Economics is about wealth and poverty in every day life. An economist looks at the resources available (including people, land, raw materials and machinery), which can be used to production all of the things that we want and need.
Economists spend time watching how firms organise production. They also watch how the government gets involved in the economy by using taxes to provide services like schools and hospitals. They look at how banks lend money and consider ways in which we spend our money. Often they use their skills to work out how we can get richer. Economists are also concerned about the environment. If we continue to pollute our resources (land, sea and air), this could lead to them being damaged and this could lead to us all being poorer in the future.
Economists use the theories, statistics and IT skills they've learnt and because they have a good understanding of how the world works, they are in great demand to help change it for the better.
Salary Range: £18,000 - £200,000