Electricians

The everyday math

Electricians measure, estimate and size up jobs. O*NET rates "Provide preliminary sketches or cost estimates for materials or services" at 68 out of 100 for importance for electricians.¹ The UK National Careers Service lists "maths knowledge for understanding technical plans" among the skills, and in the profile's video an electrician called Luke says "You need to have sort of strong mathematical skills as well, because there'll be things that you have to do like cable calculations and working out cable routes and certain efficiencies".²

In the US, applicants to the apprenticeships run through the Electrical Training Alliance, with interviews by a committee representing both NECA and the IBEW, take two aptitude tests: Algebra and Functions (33 items in 46 minutes) and Reading Comprehension (36 items in 51 minutes). Calculator rule: "You will not be able to use a calculator for the tests", and a watch with a built-in calculator must be taken off.³ In England, English and math are a mandatory part of an apprenticeship for apprentices who start aged 16 to 18 without a suitable equivalent qualification, and an optional part for those aged 19 and over, funded if their employer agrees.⁴

The skills behind it, built around science

An algebra question without a calculator still ends in arithmetic: multiplying, dividing and working with tens. Multiply & Divide and Times Table Master practise those number facts. In a review of 17 small studies, fact fluency programmes that used drill and practice with modelling gave the largest effects.⁵ Those studies were about number facts, not electrical work.

• Classic workouts
• Times Table Master

Honest limits