What are some real life applications of algebra?

ASTRONOMY

Astronomer use math all the time. One way it is used is when we look at objects in the sky with a telescope. The camera that is attached to the telescope basically records a series of numbers - those numbers might correspond to how much light different objects in the sky are emitting, what type of light, etc. In order to be able to understand the information that these numbers contain, we need to use math and statistics to interpret them. Another way that astronomers use math is when they are forming and testing theories for the physical laws that govern the objects in the sky. Imagine you're on a spaceship in orbit around the moon. You have a fuel leak and are running out of power. When do you fire the ship's thrusters, and for how long and in what direction, in order to be able to return to Earth safely? Also, in addition to flying and maneuvering a spacecraft, astronauts are often involved in conducting scientific experiments aboard the spacecraft, which would involve math in other ways too.