7 reasons to love math

Ninth-graders often ask me in class: "What do we need trigonometry?" And in a class of ten or eleven there is a question: "Why do we integrals and derivatives? And the method of coordinates in geometry? "

All the difficult topics cause similar issues. "Most likely, we do in life is not useful" - say my students. And if we analyze the statistics of graduates, they are right. Only a small fraction of them will use any of the foregoing. And even less - to apply to the future work of all the mathematical knowledge of the school curriculum.

Let's see, what is the meaning of the subject, and why should all love math.

Reason 1. The uniqueness

As for the development of the state affected by the reforms of Peter I? A controversial topic. Why Taras Bulba killed his son? Written many articles with different interpretations. Can a legal state to listen to its own citizens? An ambiguous question.

And finally: 3 + 4 = 7x. Always. Today, 50 years ago, in Africa, a crisisIn inclement weather.

Reason 2. The development of thinking

The child learned to count, and if it would only deal with the calculations, then sooner or later it will stop development. Yes, you can count orally, using complex algorithms in mind, but will only develop the speed of thought, rather than depth.

Followed familiarity with the variables, geometry, trigonometry, stereometry, and logarithm of the derivative with the primitive. And each subsequent, more complex topic leads to the fact that the student develop the intellectual abilities: analysis skills and generalization, abstract thinking and the ability to think in concepts.

Reason 3. An opportunity to reflect about the abstract

We know that one plus two platypus duckbill platypus is three. Although few in solving this problem, saw a platypus live. That math teaches us to reflect on what we have in reality design. We use incoming information this time to plan long-term or short-term future. And the quality of this plan is highly dependent on our mathematical abilities.

Reason 4. Difficult decisions

If we have only n rubles and vacation should be n + 20 000 rubles, then we choose the cheaper option, as the mathematics taught us to compare. And as we would have liked to go to dream vacation, Severe mathematical reality tells us that will not work.

Here is a classic task for the fifth-sixth grade. In the city but live 100 children in the city - 300 children. Distance between cities - 10 km. At some point you need to build a school, the children collectively overcame the least possible distance? The answer - at the end of the article.

Reason 5. Yes, they are applicable

The influence of mathematics on the success of the programmers, scientists and engineers is self-evident.

Many times I have met engineers who use trigonometry in designing. Successful office workers have a competitive advantage, being able to optimize its operations.

Reason 6. We are learning algorithms

We do not think we, when we repeat everyday algorithms. We do not think how to breathe, how to lace shoes, we do not plan for the thousandth account the way to work. Yes, most of these skills we have mastered long before they went to school.

But if we are talking about high-level algorithms, here it helps us mathematics. Make the right agent solution, to carry out an operation (surgery receives inbound based solutions information, and two identical patients will be treated the same way), and take logistics solutions other.

Also math tells us that it is foolish to make the same action and hope for a different result. Your colleague brews coffee on the usual algorithm, and a coffee maker does not work. He repeats the same action again, yet - and still no coffee. Analyze his mathematical level.

Reason 7. Generate and detect lies

It can be of different types.

Comic lie: "Perhaps this best article about math from a teacher of mathematics at Layfhakere for 2018". like restriction information field we can not only to joke, but also misleading.

Statistics as a lie"According to statistics, most of those who drank the water, dead." It is the most banal example. There poizyaschnee, with the same incorrect understanding of the correlation: "All who are successful in life have seen the sunset or taking a bath, and perhaps - and then, and more. The conclusion is obvious. want to become successful - Take a bath at sunset. "

The next kind of lie in the statistics may harm not only to the person who reads it, but the one who collects the data. it the falsity of the sample. You open your case and conducting a survey about the business center, for example, on the confectionery. You got a sample of 1 500 people, realized that he wanted to see the future buyer, and open at home in a residential area, taking into account the wishes of confectionery people. But customers do not go, and you bankrupt.

This trap can be placed specially. For example, a study of the effectiveness of toothpaste on the people who had just emerged from the dentist. Sports studies students, and the projection of the results to the older generation. The study of public opinion through the Internet: "As the online survey, 100% of the population has access to the Internet."

There is also a false probability. Not all appreciate true enough connection between the events and the number of repetitions. The first example, if the probability that a house by the sea flood, for example, 1/10 of 000, when calculating the likelihood of flooding of two houses we get 1/100 000 000. This is not true, because if a house was flooded, which means that there was a natural disaster: heavy rain, big waves caused flooding. Obviously, in such circumstances, it would flood many homes, and the probability of flooding of a second home is much higher.

A second example of the number of repetitions. If we have a small probability of the event, but the terms are often repeated, it is likely to happen. Suppose the probability of slipping in the bath without a mat - 000 1/5. How often do we take a shower? Once or twice a day. So, we can assume that if we do not lay on the bottom of the bath mat, then about once every 10 years, we still poskolznomsya, and here is the outcome depends on the skill and luck.

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He studied mathematics, understand life.

The answer to the problem: you need to build a school in the city, as it is sad for the guys from A.

see also

• 11 books that will train mathematical thinking →
• TEST: How well do you remember the school curriculum in mathematics →
• Many people are afraid of mathematics. Where did this fear and how to fight it →