What was the subject you learnt at school that you never had to use in life?

Trigonometry! I hated maths and struggled to get my O level which I needed to be primary school teacher.

I think I've used most things - except logarithms. Were they so that you could work with bigger numbers that you'd use a calculator for now? My dad had a slide rule but I never learnt to use that and I never learnt to use the log tables, either. I could see a bit more point to sines, cosines etc, but was never confident with them.

I was pretty useless at Latin, especially the grammar, but I have found it useful in recent years when I've been researching in old documents. I can't translate accurately, but I can get the gist of it and can sometimes produce a reasonable trnaslation of a few words. My Latin teacher would be amazed!

Apart from the obvious - algebra (which the teacher said at the times was useless - only maths lovers would enjoy the mental exercise) I can't think of anything which was totally useless.

As a quizzer I love general knowledge and lots of 'stuff' comes in handy.

Education is for expanding the mind and enriching life. It’s not training in practical things
Grandma70s; Spot on! We were being shown how to reason, "learn" and understand, regardless of what endeavours we became involved in when we emerged from school into the big wide world. I was too dim to appreciate this at the time!

All maths was and remains a mystery I never managed to solve. My first job was in a bank, whatever were they thinking of! I hated it from day one and left a year on none the wiser about what I was meant to be doing!

I think I use a lot of what I learnt except trigonometry and logarithms. I loved school and would go back now if I could.

Sewing

Athletics. . I have never had to hurdle anything, jump over a gate. Throw anything pointed a long distance or run around in a circle for ages. Kept me fit, I suppose. But I can think of nicer ways.

Algebra, and those foul, stress making logarithms. We had to go around the class working them out in our heads and I dreaded my turn!

Trigonometry, algebra, and how to read under the covers after Lights Out.

Playing hockey - although can’t say I ever ‘mastered’ it at school. Hated it then.

How to make an Apron by hand with a halter top before starting cookery classes! It was white and we were taught how to cut a bias binding to trim the top. I was made to unpick it so many times it was black before I finished.

Latin / Logarithms / Quadratic Equations Formula / Calculus / Musical dictation

I struggled with all of them - found myself crying when they 'just wouldn't sink in' - and now realise that they weren't even important in the Grand Scheme of Things. How I wish I'd realised that at the time .

Another vote for Geometry. And Beam Balances which we spent so much time with in Physics.

Oddly enough I can still recite all the poems and Shakespearean pieces I learned as a child.

Another for quadratic equations still none the wiser, and algebra although I hated maths and had an unpleasant teacher who just to shout at me are you dense girl

Logarithms fell out of general use when electronic calculators took over, but are still important in advanced maths. You might have become a Maths professor and needed them !!

Those arithmetic questions that were about filling a bath ! Never could understand why you would leave the plug out. Don’t get me stared on the train questions. Have never been able to work them out and have never used that calculation.

Never thought I would need my 5 years of Latin, but it comes in useful knowing the roots of words, especially in quizzes!

I use trigonometry & geometry often when I'm working out patchwork. I use equations occasionally when I need to work out portions for meals.
Logarithms stopped being useful when calculators came in, but before that they were very useful for multiplying.
The very best thing I learned in school was questioning received wisdom, which we did a lot in history.
And even things I wasn't good at, like art, I am glad to have some basic knowledge.

I think we learnt to learn and explore ideas and develop the self discipline to study something that was difficult and that maybe at the time we couldn't see the purpose of. (I just ended with a preposition there?). We all chose our future paths but ecause we had covered so much we had a choice.

Nothing. I think school is just a grown up trick to make children behave. Even the teachers probably don't know anything except their own subjects. Down with skool!!!

Algebra Geometry not used.
Latin handy for my Nursing studies never thought it would be useful

Most of the maths stuff (other than the basics) such as logarithms/algebra no use at all. And as for slide rules!
Not used much of the French we had to learn or the RE stuff.

Godawful algebra and bloody boring geometry.

I've never had to deal with a problem involving either of the above since I last clapped eyes on the buggers on an exam paper at the age of 16.

Sewing/needlework.
Both in primary and secondary, this subject put me off sewing for life; I remember taking a vow that I would get a good job and earn money so that I would never have to make my own clothes, and I did.
Conversely, two years of cookery convinced me I could cook, and although I didn't pursue the subject at school I took courses later, and still really enjoy cooking.