Kerry Whisnant, an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and professor of physics at Iowa State University, may be on to something that will greatly impact team winning percentages. Mathematical models that he and other fanatic baseball statisticians have helped produce may accurately predict teams' successes. Whisnant and other members of the Society for American Baseball Research have analyzed...
Architect
Architects design buildings and other structures. They make sure buildings are functional, safe, and economical. They draw plans of every part of a building, including the plumbing and electrical systems. They also help choose a building site and decide what materials to use. Most architects today use computers in their work, and many are self-employed.
Low-end Salary:
$41,320/yr
Median Salary:
$70,320/yr
High-end Salary:
$119,220/yr Education:
There are three main steps in becoming an architect. First is the attainment of a professional degree. Second is work experience through an internship, and third is licensure through the passing of the Architect Registration Exam.
Math Required:
College Algebra
Trigonometry
Calculus I and II
Probability and Statistics
Linear Programming
When Math Is Used:
Mathematics is used by architects to express the design images on a drawing that can then be used by construction workers to build that image for everyone to see. Mathematics is needed to analyze and calculate structural problems in order to engineer a solution that will assure that a structure will remain standing and stable. The sizes and shapes of the elements of a design are possible to describe because of mathematical principles such as the Pythagorean Theorem.
Potential Employers:
Approximately 7 out of 10 jobs are in the architectural, engineering, and related services industry—mostly in architectural firms with fewer than five workers. A small number work for residential and nonresidential building construction firms and for government agencies responsible for housing, community planning, or construction of government buildings, such as the U.S. Departments of Defense and Interior, and the General Services Administration. About 1 in 5 architects are self-employed.
Facts:
Without mathematics, it would not be possible express the design images of the architect on a drawing that can then be used by construction workers to build that image for everyone to see. Mathematics is needed to analyze and calculate structural problems in order to engineer a solution that will assure that a structure will remain standing and stable. The sizes and shapes of the elements of a design are possible to describe because of mathematical principles such as the Pythagorean Theorem.
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Quote Of The Day
"I feel my training in mathematics provided me with the invaluable ability to apply logic, reason, and careful quantitative, as well as qualitative, analysis to my work. These thought processes are desired and applicable to almost any field."
Senior Engineer
Figures represent salary potential.
© BYU Mathematics Department 2009
Additional support provided by:
Mathematical Association of America