I blame this phenomenon for why people feel mathematics is not useful. It is, it's just that reality is more complex than high school mathematics can properly prepare you for. To understand the mathematical solution, should you encounter it, does however require some foundational knowledge so if you don't know any then you can't even begin to understand it (possibly even failing to identify it is mathematical).
I mean take something practical like a mortgage. It's fairly easy to calculate the annuities using a geometric series, but that places it beyond most people's mathematical skills. Sure you could use a special calculator, or if you're adventurous look up the formula (beware though, Wikipedia is bound to lead to errors by defining the monthly rate as yearly rate / 12), and then it probably may not like doing mathematics at all but neither do you really understand what's happening.
I mean take something practical like a mortgage. It's fairly easy to calculate the annuities using a geometric series, but that places it beyond most people's mathematical skills. Sure you could use a special calculator, or if you're adventurous look up the formula (beware though, Wikipedia is bound to lead to errors by defining the monthly rate as yearly rate / 12), and then it probably may not like doing mathematics at all but neither do you really understand what's happening.