Mathematics is a foundational subject. It is the foundation of physics, physical chemistry, astronomy, engineering, computer technology, statistics, marketing, home and business economics, and many other sciences. But it also appears in everyday life, not always in an obvious way, because there are branches of mathematics that focus on logic, for instance, and sets (we organise objects into sets without realising that sets have an important place in mathematics).
The school curriculum recognises mathematics as a basic subject that students will need in everyday life (for example, shopping, banking, do-it-yourself tasks, household budgeting, and so on), as well as in their careers when they leave school, college and university. And mathematics is not confined to numbers. There are so many branches of the subject. The world around us, particularly the new technology, would simply not exist without mathematics. No wonder it is a daily part of schooling!