The statement can be used using physical properties of spatial objects, eg. length, width, height, square, cube. One may want to know the dimensions of a particular field or construct a table of certain measurements. The ancient Babylonians were able to use word problems to describe different situations, which are now modeled more easily with the algebraic expressions we have today (for instance, buy and sell, property related questions). They also had a sophisticated number system which allowed them to perform arithmetic in meaningful ways with respect to time, distance, and volume. Mathematics isn't all about generalizations and abstraction. Linking it to physical properties is important. For calculus, it is used in finding volumes of shapes, used in engineering, and physics. Calculus also links to rates of change and accumulation of quantities. Graph theory requires not much algebra as it is simply a mathematical way of understanding vertex and edge relationships using some sets, but mostly diagrams. This connects with social relationships, such as for networking sites like LinkedIn. Graph theory also helps deal with transmission of virus linkages from a positive source, and there was a nice video with Eddie Woo and Poh Shen Loh talking about it.
OK - you've veered away from Babylonian algebra a bit, but good to hear a partial argument for linking math to the physical world.
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