I think the critical and analytical thinking that is developed from the study of maths is used in many facets of our lives, and yes, obviously maths is used in many professional careers-often I think, by observing the examples in textbooks more closely, you will see maths has a lot of uses-for example, modelling of simple harmonic curves would enable one to calculate when is high tide and low tide and what is the time range that a ship can enter a harbour without being stranded or bumping into the bottom of a bridge, it can be used to calculate radiation half life, predict population growth and bacteria decay, it has countless uses-from economics to science, from engineering to medicine, and a lot of maths is actually used in the construction industry... even for the most ordinary individual, maths is used in making budgets, in calculating shopping expenses to ensure one is not getting ripped off by a clerical error, calculating home loan and interest rates and how much needs to be repayed on a weekly basis etc. The study of maths and mathematical theories, from the most simple(fractions is used in dividing a pizza into equal parts) to the most complex (prediction of trends in nature and criminal movements)pervades all aspects of our lives, which just highlights the many ways in which an appreciation and consistent application of maths and mathematical skills can enrich even the most mundane life