what is the use of maths in politics?

Answer 1

You can use maths in everything. Mathemetics is life.

Answer 2

Only basic mathematics is used by politicians because it is all they need and all most of them probably can understand. A lot of politicians love to quote statistics, but they have no idea how the statistics were arrived at, or if they are accurate. They'll quote anything that supports their agenda.

Math was used to estimate the cost of the Big Dig in Boston. The original estimate was in the low billios of dollars and is now estimated at at 58 billion. That's called Ted Kennedy math.

Math is also used to estimate population growth, and estimate number of illegal aliens in the country.

But for the most part, I'd say arithmetic and how to lie with statistics are the main uses of math by politicians.

Answer 3

Politicians cleverly manipulate numbers. They see great opportunities in areas where ordinary people fails to notice!

1) Most clever application is to maintain a number needed for majority support that will keep them in power! They usually apply hook or crook mathematics to achieve it!

2) A wise prime minister once asked his clever finance minister a usual question! Question was " Can we achieve 10% growth of our economy in coming year?" It was month June! Without answering to question FM hurridly went out, looked at sky and came back!
"What happened" ? asked prime minister.
Sir, I have assessed prospects of plenty of monsoon rain this year! no doubt this year's monsoon will be greater! Our agricilture and industry will grow far better than 8.5% we achieved in current year! Further, people are not concerned about an 8% inflation! We can retain it this year also!
I assure you sir a 10% growth in our economy!

No wonder that prime ministers speech was lost for a while!

I don't know if politicians or Mathematicians are greater!

Politicians definitely apply instant-Mathematics!


Regards!

Answer 4

excellent question! i could write a book about all the different ways math is used in politics; however, all it really boils down to is statistics and the science of skewing numbers via charts. charts are very deceptive. you have to realize why one type is used over the other, and you must know what type of data goes into each number on the chart. the gov can illustrate, via charts, just about anything it wants to shove down our throats.

additionally, watch out for deficit spending charts: they are perpetually used before elections. they are most used when an incumbent is up for re-election. the public ridiculously blames over spending on the president. it has nothing to do with the president! it is congress that passes bills that take our tax dollars (the us budget is in the TRILLIONS) and dissipate them to all sorts of foolish spending plans, and if we don't collect taxes to cover these expenditures, there is a deficit. look in the news for the bar chart you can find about the deficit in this gw bush presidency. then look for one in the reagan administration. then look at one that starts when theodore roosevelt was president going forward. you will be astounded at "the red" bars going downwards in the reagan administration as opposed to any administration before him! i really don't know why the public believes that the president has anything whatsoever to do with these expenditures!

well, maybe in one way, i do: gw bush has asked congress for an additional special, "emergency" fund of $15,000,000,000 (that is 15 BILLION buckaroos) to "secure our border" between the usa and mexico, now. but one year ago, congress voted in the act to build a 700 mile border fence that simply is not there! obviously, there was enough $$$ one year ago to build it, so where did that money walk away to?

statistics (us census jobs are mostly for statisticians, who are perpetually, every 10 years, making up new charts of one aspect of american society vs. another and revamping them per the decade census) are the primary use of mathematics in politics. they can back anything up. just anything you want!

Answer 5

politicians have to use math for many things, and a lot these days for the war spending bills they have to pass etc. etc.

Answer 6

You can evaluate the validity of statements that politicans make (the few that are true). You can understand the statistics of polling.

Answer 7

Statistics are extremely valuable to politicians because they are so easy to manipulate. Statistics make lies believable.

Answer 8

tons of stuff! polling, budget and funding, evaluating the effectiveness of policies - reading, understanding, and preparing statistics...

Answer 9

u can count ure votes!

Answer 10

well, u need to count your bribe dont u?