Mathematics for Every Day Living: The Cartesian Product As a Selection Tool

The paper is an attempt on how mathematics can be used as an instrument for everyday living. Drawing from hypothetical illustrations, the paper highlighted situations involving paired selection and the various commonly used approaches involved in the process. From these approaches, some shortcomings were observed and this created the need to explore a better and fairer alternative. This alternative was seen in the Cartesian product, a topic in Set Theory. Hypothetical illustrations were given on how the Cartesian product can be used as a fair instrument in a paired selection process. The submission is an eye opener to the mathematics teacher as the paper made some recommendations, one of which is that the teacher should strive to create a nexus, during instruction, between every topic in mathematics and its every day application.