What is mathematics exactly?
Why is it taught? Could students today answer either of those questions?
A HUNDRED YEARS AGO the first lessons taught were the simple definitions and purpose.
A particular school book covering mathematics in the early 1900's gave a preface to the student stating that all the mathematical problems put forth for learnings sake would be exceptionally practical.
And the clearly stated aim was to give the student the satisfaction of knowing that whatever he or she is learning will be of use.
It reads...
Math is simply a series of steps to walk through one at a time. Later the walking pace can become a jog or a run as the math mucsle becomes stonger with the excercise.
Mathematics is the science of numbers, or quantity. The branches of this mathematical science are Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry
Quantity is anything which can be increased , diminished, or measured; such as numbers, lines, space, motion, time, volume, and weight.
ts a BIG Deal isn't it because this covers just about everything doesn't it.
For example your age will increase next year from say, age 9 to age 10. A year is the increase of days in a period of time.
What is time?
GREAT QUESTION, and to learn how to answer this your self lets starts with getting the basics of mathematics covered as the first step in this big space.
But just before getting to those math basics lets just say that if you stick with this you might begin to see that Unity is the beginning of everything. Maybe this unity looks like a circle, imagine a circle.
Unity, by dividing itself into 2 parts creates a duality from unity, or two parts of a circle. Or, maybe it multiplies itself and now there are two whole circles, also 2, which is duality.
Can you see this in your mind. If you can then you can go really far into the beyond. From this 2, this duality, you can dive into magnetism, and electricity, and time. BUT, you gotta start at the beginning. So let us Begin!!
Google will tell us that mathematics is a language, but actually language came from numbers. Numbers were first, of course. So lets start with numbers.
A Unit is a single thing, or one.
A number, or quantity, is a unit or a collection of units.
So look at the words your are reading. A, is a unit, but unit spelled out is a quantity of letters used to describe the concept or image of one, such as the image of a circle could do. So in the language of mathematics instead of spelling the word unit, maybe we would just draw a circle to say unit, one, unity.
A number is either concrete or abstract.
A concrete number or quantity is a number that refers to a thing, like concrete steps, or cookies on a plate. Imagine you just made a batch of cookie dough and from that you baked 9 big cookies. Nine, 9 cookies, is in this case is a concrete number.
An abstract number or quantity does not refer to a particular thing. Maybe inside the big cookie things on the plate there are minerals from inside the eggs, and butter, and flour used to create the cookies. And those minerals are made from atomic particles. I could say if you eat one big cookie you are taking in one billion, 1,000,000,000 atomic particles- just a guess, a theory. Are you getting the picture?
I can actually see the big cookies, on the plate, which is on the table , which is on the floor which is part of the building. I can touch them, eat them, smell them, hear them crunch. The cookie is a thing, or an object, because I can experience it with my five, 5, senses.
An atom is not seen with any of these five, 5, senses. I can imagine a little circle as a beach ball, but so tiny that it can be inside the cookie. Just like I can imagine what I read in a book, the main character, the clothes she wears, the cookie she is eating, while walking in the park on a sunny day. I can imagine all these things..., I can see them inside my head, inside me. But my outside senses can't see these, can't eat that cookie, can't feel that sun, smell those flowers in the park. These are all abstract images.
Okay, are you getting the idea?
If so, then answer this. How many concrete ideas do you have in a day.
Raise you hand if you understood that mathematics is a science.
Download the mini learning packets and crossword puzzle CW 30525 30525 30625-a and a typical exam
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