Which is More Important : Reading or Mathematics?

Story by Eliana Adames. Illustration courtesy of YouTube.

MAR. 11, 2020: We are all told growing up that math and reading are the fundamentals of education and important, but, which one is the most important? By definition, reading is “ the action or skill of reading written or printed matter silently or aloud.” Meanwhile, math is defined as “the abstract science of number, quantity, and space. Mathematics may be studied as pure mathematics,  or as it is applied to other disciplines such as physics and engineering.” I decided to ask students and teachers which subject they think is more important: reading or math.  

7th grade scholar Miracle Agbeko says, “I think that they are equally important. I think this because depending on the job that you have, you can use both.” 

Deloren Harleston, another 7th grade scholar, disagrees. “I think that math is more important. For example if you go to the store and buy a gallon of milk you will not know how much change you are going to receive if you don’t know math.” 

2nd grade math teacher, Austin Weatherington, thinks reading is more important than math. “This is because you have to read more than you add or subtract. Reading is a skill that you use more than math.” 

Marcus Thompson, Dean of Students,agrees “I think that reading is more important. Reading is the most important subject because if you can’t read you can’t understand anything else.”

I think that reading is more important than math because reading is fundamental to everything. To do a math problem you have to know how to read it. However there is a reason we are taught all subjects in school—even if one feels more important, they all matter.

Eliana Adames is a 7th grade scholar at Friendship Woodridge International School.