Charles Darwin, developer of evolutionary biology, said very bluntly ...

"Mathematics ... was repugnant to me ... [but] I have deeply regretted that I did not proceed far enough at least to understand something of the great leading principles of mathematics; for [people] thus endowed seem to have an extra sense."

It can also be said that ...

No other discipline of study has the reach or power of mathematics to describe, analyze, and solve problems in such diverse fields as medicine, economics, government, computer science, physics, biology, psychology, chemistry, engineering, environment, social science, as well as others that we haven't even discovered yet.

1. What can mathematics do for me? [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Calgary. Link here.]

By training the mind to look for patterns and form mathematical models, one learns logical thinking, conceptualization and problem solving. This ability can help you function in a variety of ways.

Daily, mathematics can help you:

comparison shop,
schedule your time wisely,
answer that skill-testing question,
figure out how much material is needed for that construction/renovation project,
convert that recipe to serve a group of 25,
choose the best route to scale a cliff,
play and win a pool tournament,
calculate the odds of winning the lottery,
and much, much more!

A degree in mathematics can give you a strong analytical base that includes highly developed skills in abstraction and conceptualization, analysis of underlying structures, critical thinking and problem solving, simulation and modeling.

The versatility of mathematics certainly agreeably impacts an individual's employability. The skills and tools one acquires from studying mathematics prove invaluable to employers. The transferability of these skills to a variety of careers proves invaluable to employees.

2. Where does mathematics come from?

Mathematics did not simply appear one day from beneath a rock. Mathematics was developed out of the need for precise measuring and calculating systems for construction and architecture by the Egyptians. [Think of the pyramids. Without the development of mathematics, they wouldn't (couldn't) have been built. Read more on Egyptian mathematics.] Mathematics was developed out of the desire for accurate predictions and strategies for gambling and card & dice games by the French. [Think of playing poker. Without the development of mathematics, no one could know that a full house is more rare than a flush, and so a full house should always beat a flush. Read more on poker probabilities.] Mathematics was also developed out of the desire for logic, order, and perfection throughout all facets of life by the Greeks. [Think of a credit card (say your parent's, since you probably don't have your own). The ratio of its dimensions (i.e. width-to-length) is nearly exactly 1.6180339887..., since the Greeks determined that this is the most perfect and visually appealing ratio for rectangles. (The Egyptians also incorperated this "perfect" or "golden" ratio into the design of the pyramids). Read more on the golden ratio.]

Thus, mathematics was developed equally from need and desire. Also, the development of mathematics is ongoing. Without the continuous development of mathematics, we wouldn't have faster communication networks, advances in biomedical science, and a host of other improvements and advances in meeting the needs and desires of society. [Read more on Mathematical and Algorithmic Sciences and Biomedical Mathematics.]