We've all been there, sat in school wondering when on earth we're going to apply the Pythagorean theorem to our daily lives - and the likelihood is that most of us have probably never used it past our GCSEs, or equivalent.
That's why one woman was left wondering whether we need a "serious rethink of our education system" and whether things like "how to boil an egg" may be of more use in the real world.
She took to Mumsnet to list the things her children had learned about this week, saying that she believed there were better things kids could benefit from knowing.
She wrote: "Does anyone else think we need a serious rethink of our education system?
"Pythagoras, algebra, complex verbs, the chemical make up of plutonium. These are just a few things my kids have learned about this week.
"They will come out of the education system not knowing how to insure a car or road tax. How to boil an egg. How to create a budget and stick to it.
"Is it time we say it's time to stop? And reevaluate? And stop wasting five hours a week on science when hardly any then go on to use it? I really think it probably is."
Many people defended the current education system, saying that it wasn't up to teachers to teach kids certain things.
One wrote: "Is there any reason you can't teach them those things?", and another asked a similar question: "Why are you not teaching your children life lessons?"
Another wrote: "But how can you possibly tell which ones will be scientists, accountants, vets, when they are 11? And how will any of them become these if they aren't given the educational foundations to build on.
"Besides, it's not just the specific things they learn it is the very act of learning which builds intelligence, reasoning, literacy, etc. If all we teach them is 'life skills' we're going to be seriously lacking in thinking skills in a generation's time."
The mum reiterated in a comment that she thought only 20% of the curriculum should be changed, but others still argued that certain things need to be taught by parents.
"Oh for god's sake, how old are you?", someone fumed. "Are you in fact in Year 8 or Year 9? No, you might not use every scrap of knowledge you learn now in the future. But you won't know what you'll need to know until it's too late to catch up.
"Learning how to boil an egg - get a grown-up at home to teach you, or YouTube it. You'll learn how to tax and insure a car when you've learned how to drive and bought one."
Do you think the education system needs a rethink? Let us know in the comments.
