i love mathematics essay

Essay on I Love Math

Students are often asked to write an essay on I Love Math in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on I Love Math

Why i love math.

Math is like a universal language. Everyone, everywhere can understand it. It’s like a puzzle, where you use your mind to find the right pieces.

Math in Everyday Life

Math is everywhere. When you’re shopping, playing, or even cooking, you’re using math. It helps us make sense of the world.

The Beauty of Problem Solving

Solving a math problem is like going on an adventure. You start with a question, and then you explore different ways to find the answer. It’s a journey of discovery.

Math and Creativity

Math encourages creativity. It’s not just about numbers, but also about finding new ways to approach problems. It’s about thinking outside the box.

250 Words Essay on I Love Math

Introduction.

Mathematics is often perceived as a complex and challenging subject. However, for me, it’s a fascinating realm of logic, patterns, and creative problem-solving. I love math, not because it’s easy, but because it’s a language of its own, capable of expressing the most intricate realities of our universe.

The Beauty of Patterns

One of the main reasons I love math is its inherent patterns. From the Fibonacci sequence found in nature to the fractals that describe snowflakes, math is everywhere. It’s not just about numbers and equations; it’s about understanding the fundamental laws that govern our world.

Problem Solving and Creativity

Mathematics also fosters problem-solving and creativity. It’s a field where there’s not always one correct answer, but multiple paths to a solution. This aspect encourages innovative thinking, critical analysis, and the development of unique strategies.

Mathematics: The Universal Language

Math is a universal language, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries. It’s a tool that enables us to communicate complex ideas and theories across different fields, from physics to economics.

In conclusion, my love for math stems from its inherent beauty, its capacity for problem-solving, and its universality. It’s a subject that continues to challenge and inspire me, offering endless opportunities for learning and exploration. To me, math is not just a subject; it’s a way of understanding and interpreting the world around us.

500 Words Essay on I Love Math

The beauty of mathematics.

Mathematics is more than a subject; it is a universal language that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. It is a tool that allows us to comprehend the universe, from the infinitesimal to the infinite. My love for math is rooted in its logical structure, the elegance of its theorems, and its practical applications.

The Logic and Structure of Mathematics

One of the most appealing aspects of mathematics is its logical structure. Math is built on a solid foundation of axioms, from which more complex theorems are derived. The beauty of this structure lies in its consistency and universality. Whether it’s Euclidean geometry or complex number theory, the principles remain unchanged across time and space. This characteristic of mathematics makes it a unique discipline, where truth is absolute and not subject to interpretation.

The Elegance of Mathematical Theorems

The elegance of mathematical theorems is another reason why I love math. The Pythagorean theorem, Euler’s formula, and the fundamental theorem of calculus are all examples of mathematical elegance. These theorems are not only aesthetically pleasing but also reveal deep connections between seemingly unrelated areas of mathematics. For instance, Euler’s formula links five fundamental numbers in a surprisingly simple equation, demonstrating the interconnectedness of different mathematical concepts.

Practical Applications of Mathematics

Mathematics is not just an abstract discipline; it has practical applications that significantly impact our daily lives. From calculating grocery bills to designing complex algorithms for artificial intelligence, math is ubiquitous. It is the backbone of modern technology, powering the algorithms that drive search engines, social media platforms, and even medical diagnostics. Furthermore, math is instrumental in the exploration of space, quantum physics, and other cutting-edge scientific research. This practical utility of mathematics makes it not just a theoretical pursuit, but a vital tool for understanding and shaping the world.

Mathematics: The Key to Understanding the Universe

In essence, my love for math stems from its ability to unlock the mysteries of the universe. It provides a framework for understanding the patterns and structures in nature, from the spirals of galaxies to the intricate patterns of a snowflake. Mathematics is the language of the universe, allowing us to decode the cosmos and uncover the fundamental truths of existence.

In conclusion, my love for mathematics is multifaceted, rooted in its logical structure, the elegance of its theorems, and its practical applications. It is a discipline that offers both aesthetic pleasure and practical utility. The beauty of mathematics lies in its ability to reveal the underlying patterns and structures of the universe. It is a discipline that challenges the mind, nurtures the spirit, and opens the door to a world of discovery. In the end, the love for mathematics is a love for understanding, a love for truth, and a love for the inherent beauty of the universe.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Why I love math

A short essay i wrote months ago about what i like about math.

Whenever I arrived at school, I was always excited for one class - math. Even when I became homeschooled, I was always excited to work on math. If you ever asked me what my favorite subject area was, the answer was always math throughout my elementary, middle, and high school education. Whether it be the excitement of learning multiplication facts for the first time, learning how to logically prove that two triangles were congruent in geometry, or analyzing the behavior of a sine function, math has always interested and fascinated me. This is because math is a necessity, being practical and used in the entire world around us.

Regardless of what career field you choose, math is a very important skill to have. Every career field I have considered at this point involves math in one way or another. While the involvement of math in careers such as optometry and computer science is more upfront, even theologians and pastors still need an understanding of math. This is one reason that I love math because it is important. Our society could not function properly without it. Imagine how difficult it would be to buy groceries without mathematics - in fact, it would likely be impossible. Without an understanding of numbers, addition, and subtraction you would not understand how to pay the cashier and they would not understand how to return any change.

This, however, is only the surface. Without math, we would not be able to model how satellites (whether natural or artificial) orbit our earth and would have never been able to grasp sending humans and other objects into outer space. Without math, this essay would have never even been typed because the very machine you are using to read this is built on the idea of computation. Computers are basically glorified calculators that have been leveraged to be able to complete many more tasks than your handheld ones. The list could go on from keeping track of time and commuting from one place to another to modeling the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the sun and making calculations concerning a chemical reaction. This is why I love math. It is crucial to every task and job that needs to be done. Our world would certainly not be the same without mathematics.

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17 Tremendous Reasons To Love Math

How do we create math lovers? Discover the joy of math yourself if you don’t already love it. I’m sharing 17 great reasons to love math.

Do you ever hear this: I hate math. Why do we have to do this? Math is boring. Math is hard.

Math gets a bad rap. Parents and teachers who don’t like math can pass that attitude on to kids who then don’t like math. How we talk about and teach math matters.

So how do we create math lovers? Discover the joy of math yourself if you don’t already love it. Share your enthusiasm for math. In your classroom keep math fun—and give students reasons to love math.

17 Reasons to Love Math

I’m sharing 17 great reasons to love math. (And I’ve made them into a free poster to help you keep the love of math at the forefront in your classroom.)

1. Math can save you money

How much would that new video game be if there is a 20% off sale? Is it better to get the big box of cereal or the little one on sale? If you count up all the coins in your piggy bank can you buy a new soccer ball? You use math to figure it out.

2. Like patterns? Like math

Have you ever noticed how shapes fit together, the spirals in a sea shell, and the details of a snowflake? This is math in action. You can make predictions based on patterns you see. Fun!

3. Math builds problem-solving skills

Math uses critical thinking and builds problem-solving skills. Learning to look at a problem—whether a math problem or a life problem—and come up with a plan is an important skill to practice.

4. Math encourages curiosity and questions

You may think of math as looking for the answer to a problem in a book or on a worksheet, but math really starts with wondering or asking a question. Helping students to start by wondering builds interest and motivation.

5. Math helps out in the kitchen

What’s the easiest way to cut a pizza evenly to serve 12 people? Can you divide 15 apples fairly between 4 friends? If a batch of granola calls for 2 ½ cups of oats, how much do you need to make a double batch? Fractions, multiplication, measurements, estimates… these are all parts of math that show up in the kitchen.

6. Math is black and white

Some people like math because it seems more black and white than other subjects. The answer is right or it isn’t.

7. You can take lots of approaches to math

Even if math has a “right” answer, there are lots of ways to get to it. Teaching students different approaches gives them tools to solve different problems, helps them understand concepts, and lets them choose an approach that makes the most sense to them.

8. Math is play for your brain

Your body needs exercise and your brain does too. Think of math as running around at recess for your brain.

9. Enjoy puzzles? Math’s for you

Logic puzzles, finding the solution to a Rubik’s cube, and any other number of puzzles use math. Help students see that math is more than numbers on a page.

10. Math and science go hand in hand

Do you have a budding marine biologist in your class? Or a student who wants to be a vet or a doctor? Do you have kids who ask: How does it work? Math is essential to the study of science. The act of questioning, testing, and problem-solving show up in both areas.

11. Finding the answer is satisfying

Math problems aren’t easy to solve, but finding the answer can be very satisfying. Remind students that some problems are easier than others, and part of the fun is figuring it out. Bring a sense of curiosity and adventure to math class.

12. Building, sewing and other hands-on activities use math

How much wood do you need to build a bookcase? Do you need another box of tiles to finish the mosaic table? Do you have enough fabric to make this bag? How can we use our paper most efficiently if we need to cut out 12 circles? Measuring, area, volume . . . math shows up in many projects that we do. If you do creative projects with kids, show them the math that is involved.

13. Math is a journey

Too often we think of math as an answer to get to. When a paper gets turned back with red correct marks or wrong Xs, students lose sight of that journey. Understanding that the destination (the answer) is important, but so is the journey (how you think about and solve a problem) for building a love of math. Where will math take you?

14. Use math to create art

Let students play with pattern blocks or use compasses and rulers to create art. Explore spirals and symmetry. You can dig into mathematical concepts like angle measurement or Fibonacci sequence or encourage kids to notice things about their work and others.

15. Math is about wondering and asking questions

Some people enjoy the mental exercise of working through problem after problem. Others want calculators or computers to do the work for them. Either way, it starts with a question or a wondering. Sometimes when practicing many problem sets to get a process down (adding fractions or doing long division) students forget why they are doing it. Use student generated questions and wonderings to build problems for solving. Talk about problem sets like piano scales or drills in sports.

16. Math is useful in everyday life

“When will I ever use this?” is a question that comes up often in math class. Brainstorm with your class ways you use math every day. I’ve given some examples for cooking and shopping and creating. Other ideas to get you started: Use math to decide if you have enough of a particular item for everyone in class or to decide if you have enough time to play a game. Use math to figure out how many days of school before break or to add up a score in a game. Post your list in your class—and add to it as new things come up!

17. Math is fun

Math is fun! Help your students to see that through your attitude and approach. One of my favorite ways to show students that math is fun is to use math games regularly.

These are some of my top reasons to love math. What would you (or your students) add to the list?

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37 Best Math Board Games & Other Math Games To Develop Math Skills

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I hate maths… soo please and thank you for everything but no. maths is horrible and always will be I like English so yeah grammaryly

this is refreshing!

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Science | Technology | Engineering | Mathematics

Stem student stories from king's college london, 5 reasons why i love mathematics.

March 2, 2023 King's Mathematics , Studying at Uni , Undergraduate , Women in Science 0

By Clara Thulin, 2nd Year BSc Mathematics

There are many concrete, factual and more or less objective reasons why people choose to study maths. However, there is a big difference between studying maths, and loving maths. In this post, I wish to shed some light on the more philosophical aspects by sharing some of the reasons why I love mathematics.

The real-life applications are countless

I often link lecture content or maths I’ve learnt elsewhere to my everyday life. Not in a way where I can apply it in the kitchen or when making a budget, but I use it to reason things like social scenarios and political problems. Maths gives us a way to understand real world concepts like patterns and inequalities, and we use the world to understand maths. It is all connected. Mathematics has brought me to people who share my interest and my ambitions and to people who have challenged my way of thinking. New topics, specific theorems and the history of maths have also impacted and developed my ways of thinking. Maths is all about thinking, and when you develop your way of seeing maths, you also develop your ways of viewing and tackling other matters. Studying maths is an invitation to explore abstract thinking and one’s intuition, to learn about the world and all that it entails.

Maths is inclusive

No one has escaped hearing that mathematics is a universal language. While people can disagree on things like politics, the disagreements in maths are non controversial. Maths in its most fundamental form is inclusive, even though the world might not always be. It welcomes a conversation that everyone can join in on. Maths is not specific to a background or identity. It’s for all. I look forward to seeing this inclusivity implemented more and more in society, making maths a more diverse and accessible science. There is value in an exchange, and inclusion is crucial to its development.

The epiphanies are unparalleled

Nobody learns maths without encountering challenges. If someone claims that maths is easy, they haven’t learnt maths. We are all just scratching the surface. Knowing that there is so much more to learn is part of the beauty of life and the beauty of mathematics. It’s an opportunity to participate in its development and consequently improve its applications. Struggling to solve a maths problem can be frustrating, but my short term motivation is the gratification that comes from finally solving it. The epiphanies achieved when realising how things are connected or understanding why something happens or works are incredible. The feeling cannot be simulated without the initial struggle or hours of brain work.

It encourages free thinking

I have picked up on the difference between how maths is presented at school and at university. In school we are given a method and we are then expected to solve stereotyped problems. Thinking inside the box is encouraged, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that studying maths means learning fixed content. This is far from the truth. University prepares its students for a career, and instead promotes outside-the-box thinking, say mathematical thinking. It’s almost unfair to compare school maths with the maths taught at university. Although there are no current reasons to believe that most undergraduate content is incorrect, there are parts that are open to some debate. As the maths gets more advanced, the room for development gets larger. Mathematics as a whole encourages free thinking as there might be a neater way to get the same result, more connections to make and there are always new ideas to be discovered. It is never too early to question and to think outside the box. A student might spot something a professor didn’t, and there are many ways that an undergraduate’s skills can be useful even in areas like academic research.

Maths is its own kind of art

To me, maths is both an art and a science. Starting from a simple fact that paves the way for new facts, which in turn can be traced back to the starting point — its logical, it’s satisfying and it’s art. I find that looking at maths beyond my understanding can sometimes be even more beautiful than looking at something I do understand. It holds a mystery. Going back to my first reason, it can also be comforting knowing how little we, as humans, actually know. There are certainly those who know significantly more than I do, but they in turn, no matter who they are, often confidently say they know nothing at all. This bigger picture of maths and human existence sounds pretty poetic to me, but however subjective of an art maths may be, its conclusions are objective.

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What Students Are Saying About the Value of Math

We asked teenagers: Do you see the point in learning math? The answer from many was “yes.”

By The Learning Network

“Mathematics, I now see, is important because it expands the world,” Alec Wilkinson writes in a recent guest essay . “It is a point of entry into larger concerns. It teaches reverence. It insists one be receptive to wonder. It requires that a person pay close attention.”

In our writing prompt “ Do You See the Point in Learning Math? ” we wanted to know if students agreed. Basic arithmetic, sure, but is there value in learning higher-level math, such as algebra, geometry and calculus? Do we appreciate math enough?

The answer from many students — those who love and those who “detest” the subject alike — was yes. Of course math helps us balance checkbooks and work up budgets, they said, but it also helps us learn how to follow a formula, appreciate music, draw, shoot three-pointers and even skateboard. It gives us different perspectives, helps us organize our chaotic thoughts, makes us more creative, and shows us how to think rationally.

Not all were convinced that young people should have to take higher-level math classes all through high school, but, as one student said, “I can see myself understanding even more how important it is and appreciating it more as I get older.”

Thank you to all the teenagers who joined the conversation on our writing prompts this week, including students from Bentonville West High School in Centerton, Ark, ; Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles ; and North High School in North St. Paul, Minn.

Please note: Student comments have been lightly edited for length, but otherwise appear as they were originally submitted.

“Math is a valuable tool and function of the world.”

As a musician, math is intrinsically related to my passion. As a sailor, math is intertwined with the workings of my boat. As a human, math is the building block for all that functions. When I was a child, I could very much relate to wanting a reason behind math. I soon learned that math IS the reason behind all of the world’s workings. Besides the benefits that math provides to one’s intellect, it becomes obvious later in life that math is a valuable tool and function of the world. In music for example, “adolescent mathematics” are used to portray functions of audio engineering. For example, phase shifting a sine wave to better project sound or understanding waves emitted by electricity and how they affect audio signals. To better understand music, math is a recurring pattern of intervals between generating pitches that are all mathematically related. The frets on a guitar are measured precisely to provide intervals based on a tuning system surrounding 440Hz, which is the mathematically calculated middle of the pitches humans can perceive and a string can effectively generate. The difference between intervals in making a chord are not all uniform, so guitar frets are placed in a way where all chords can sound equally consonant and not favor any chord. The power of mathematics! I am fascinated by the way that math creeps its way into all that I do, despite my plentiful efforts to keep it at a safe distance …

— Renan, Miami Country Day School

“Math isn’t about taking derivatives or solving for x, it’s about having the skills to do so and putting them to use elsewhere in life.”

I believe learning mathematics is both crucial to the learning and development of 21st century students and yet also not to be imposed upon learners too heavily. Aside from the rise in career opportunity in fields centered around mathematics, the skills gained while learning math are able to be translated to many facets of life after a student’s education. Learning mathematics develops problem solving skills which combine logic and reasoning in students as they grow. The average calculus student may complain of learning how to take derivatives, arguing that they will never have to use this after high school, and in that, they may be right. Many students in these math classes will become writers, musicians, or historians and may never take a derivative in their life after high school, and thus deem the skill to do so useless. However, learning mathematics isn’t about taking derivatives or solving for x, it’s about having the skills to do so and putting them to use elsewhere in life. A student who excels at calculus may never use it again, but with the skills of creativity and rational thinking presented by this course, learning mathematics will have had a profound effect on their life.

— Cam, Glenbard West

“Just stop and consider your hobbies and pastimes … all of it needs math.”

Math is timing, it’s logic, it’s precision, it’s structure, and it’s the way most of the physical world works. I love math — especially algebra and geometry — as it all follows a formula, and if you set it up just right, you can create almost anything you want in at least two different ways. Just stop and consider your hobbies and pastimes. You could be into skateboarding, basketball, or skiing. You could be like me, and sit at home for hours on end grinding out solves on a Rubik’s cube. Or you could be into sketching. Did you know that a proper drawing of the human face places the eyes exactly halfway down from the top of the head? All of it needs math. Author Alec Wilkinson, when sharing his high school doubting view on mathematics, laments “If I had understood how deeply mathematics is embedded in the world …” You can’t draw a face without proportions. You can’t stop with your skis at just any angle. You can’t get three points without shooting at least 22 feet away from the basket, and get this: you can’t even ride a skateboard if you can’t create four congruent wheels to put on it.

— Marshall, Union High School, Vancouver, WA

“Math gives us a different perspective on everyday activities.”

Even though the question “why do we even do math?” is asked all the time, there is a deeper meaning to the values it shares. Math gives us a different perspective on everyday activities, even if those activities in our routine have absolutely nothing to do with mathematical concepts itself. Geometry, for instance, allows us to think on a different level than simply achieving accuracy maintains. It trains our mind to look at something from various viewpoints as well as teaching us to think before acting and organizing chaotic thoughts. The build up of learning math can allow someone to mature beyond the point where if they didn’t learn math and thought through everything. It paves a way where we develop certain characteristics and traits that are favorable when assisting someone with difficult tasks in the future.

— Linden, Harvard-Westlake High School, CA

“Math teaches us how to think.”

As explained in the article, math is all around us. Shapes, numbers, statistics, you can find math in almost anything and everything. But is it important for all students to learn? I would say so. Math in elementary school years is very important because it teaches how to do simple calculations that can be used in your everyday life; however middle and high school math isn’t used as directly. Math teaches us how to think. It’s far different from any other subject in school, and truly understanding it can be very rewarding. There are also many career paths that are based around math, such as engineering, statistics, or computer programming, for example. These careers are all crucial for society to function, and many pay well. Without a solid background in math, these careers wouldn’t be possible. While math is a very important subject, I also feel it should become optional at some point, perhaps part way through high school. Upper level math classes often lose their educational value if the student isn’t genuinely interested in learning it. I would encourage all students to learn math, but not require it.

— Grey, Cary High School

“Math is a valuable tool for everyone to learn, but students need better influences to show them why it’s useful.”

Although I loved math as a kid, as I got older it felt more like a chore; all the kids would say “when am I ever going to use this in real life?” and even I, who had loved math, couldn’t figure out how it benefits me either. This was until I started asking my dad for help with my homework. He would go on and on about how he used the math I was learning everyday at work and even started giving me examples of when and where I could use it, which changed my perspective completely. Ultimately, I believe that math is a valuable tool for everyone to learn, but students need better influences to show them why it’s useful and where they can use it outside of class.

— Lilly, Union High School

“At the roots of math, it teaches people how to follow a process.”

I do believe that the math outside of arithmetic, percentages, and fractions are the only math skills truly needed for everyone, with all other concepts being only used for certain careers. However, at the same time, I can’t help but want to still learn it. I believe that at the roots of math, it teaches people how to follow a process. All mathematics is about following a formula and then getting the result of it as accurately as possible. It teaches us that in order to get the results needed, all the work must be put and no shortcuts or guesses can be made. Every equation, number, and symbol in math all interconnect with each other, to create formulas that if followed correctly gives us the answer needed. Everything is essential to getting the results needed, and skipping a step will lead to a wrong answer. Although I do understand why many would see no reason to learn math outside of arithmetic, I also see lessons of work ethics and understanding the process that can be applied to many real world scenarios.

— Takuma, Irvine High School

“I see now that math not only works through logic but also creativity.”

A story that will never finish resembling the universe constantly expanding, this is what math is. I detest math, but I love a never-ending tale of mystery and suspense. If we were to see math as an adventure it would make it more enjoyable. I have often had a closed mindset on math, however, viewing it from this perspective, I find it much more appealing. Teachers urge students to try on math and though it seems daunting and useless, once you get to higher math it is still important. I see now that math not only works through logic but also creativity and as the author emphasizes, it is “a fundamental part of the world’s design.” This view on math will help students succeed and have a more open mindset toward math. How is this never-ending story of suspense going to affect YOU?

— Audrey, Vancouver, WA union high school

“In some word problems, I encounter problems that thoroughly interest me.”

I believe math is a crucial thing to learn as you grow up. Math is easily my favorite subject and I wish more people would share my enthusiasm. As Alec Wilkinson writes, “Mathematics, I now see, is important because it expands the world.” I have always enjoyed math, but until the past year, I have not seen a point in higher-level math. In some of the word problems I deal with in these classes, I encounter problems that thoroughly interest me. The problems that I am working on in math involve the speed of a plane being affected by wind. I know this is not riveting to everyone, but I thoroughly wonder about things like this on a daily basis. The type of math used in the plane problems is similar to what Alec is learning — trigonometry. It may not serve the most use to me now, but I believe a thorough understanding of the world is a big part of living a meaningful life.

— Rehan, Cary High School

“Without high school classes, fewer people get that spark of wonder about math.”

I think that math should be required through high school because math is a use-it-or-lose-it subject. If we stop teaching math in high school and just teach it up to middle school, not only will many people lose their ability to do basic math, but we will have fewer and fewer people get that spark of wonder about math that the author had when taking math for a second time; after having that spark myself, I realized that people start getting the spark once they are in harder math classes. At first, I thought that if math stopped being required in high school, and was offered as an elective, then only people with the spark would continue with it, and everything would be okay. After thinking about the consequences of the idea, I realized that technology requires knowing the seemingly unneeded math. There is already a shortage of IT professionals, and stopping math earlier will only worsen that shortage. Math is tricky. If you try your best to understand it, it isn’t too hard. However, the problem is people had bad math teachers when they were younger, which made them hate math. I have learned that the key to learning math is to have an open mind.

— Andrew, Cary High School

“I think math is a waste of my time because I don’t think I will ever get it.”

In the article Mr. Wilkinson writes, “When I thought about mathematics at all as a boy it was to speculate about why I was being made to learn it, since it seemed plainly obvious that there was no need for it in adult life.” His experience as a boy resonates with my experience now. I feel like math is extremely difficult at some points and it is not my strongest subject. Whenever I am having a hard time with something I get a little upset with myself because I feel like I need to get everything perfect. So therefore, I think it is a waste of my time because I don’t think I will ever get it. At the age of 65 Mr. Wilkinson decided to see if he could learn more/relearn algebra, geometry and calculus and I can’t imagine myself doing this but I can see myself understanding even more how important it is and appreciating it more as I get older. When my dad was young he hated history but, as he got older he learned to appreciate it and see how we can learn from our past mistakes and he now loves learning new things about history.

— Kate, Cary High School

“Not all children need to learn higher level math.”

The higher levels of math like calculus, algebra, and geometry have shaped the world we live in today. Just designing a house relates to math. To be in many professions you have to know algebra, geometry, and calculus such as being an economist, engineer, and architect. Although higher-level math isn’t useful to some people. If you want to do something that pertains to math, you should be able to do so and learn those high levels of math. Many things children learn in math they will never use again, so learning those skills isn’t very helpful … Children went through so much stress and anxiety to learn these skills that they will never see again in their lives. In school, children are using their time learning calculus when they could be learning something more meaningful that can prepare them for life.

— Julyssa, Hanover Horton High School

“Once you understand the basics, more math classes should be a choice.”

I believe that once you get to the point where you have a great understanding of the basics of math, you should be able to take more useful classes that will prepare you for the future better, rather than memorizing equations after equations about weird shapes that will be irrelevant to anything in my future. Yes, all math levels can be useful to others’ futures depending on what career path they choose, but for the ones like me who know they are not planning on encountering extremely high level math equations on the daily, we should not have to take math after a certain point.

— Tessa, Glenbard West High School

“Math could shape the world if it were taught differently.”

If we learned how to balance checkbooks and learn about actual life situations, math could be more helpful. Instead of learning about rare situations that probably won’t come up in our lives, we should be learning how to live on a budget and succeed money-wise. Since it is a required class, learning this would save more people from going into debt and overspending. In schools today, we have to take a specific class that doesn’t sound appealing to the average teenager to learn how to save and spend money responsibly. If it was required in math to learn about that instead of how far Sally has to walk then we would be a more successful nation as a whole. Math could shape the world differently but the way it is taught in schools does not have much impact on everyday life.

— Becca, Bentonville West High School

“To be honest, I don’t see the point in learning all of the complicated math.”

In a realistic point of view, I need to know how to cut a cake or a piece of pie or know how to divide 25,000 dollars into 10 paychecks. On the other hand, I don’t need to know the arc and angle. I need to throw a piece of paper into a trash can. I say this because, in all reality and I know a lot of people say this but it’s true, when are we actually going to need this in our real world lives? Learning complicated math is a waste of precious learning time unless you desire to have a career that requires these studies like becoming an engineer, or a math professor. I think that the fact that schools are still requiring us to learn these types of mathematics is just ignorance from the past generations. I believe that if we have the technology to complete these problems in a few seconds then we should use this technology, but the past generations are salty because they didn’t have these resources so they want to do the same thing they did when they were learning math. So to be honest, I don’t see the point in learning all of the complicated math but I do think it’s necessary to know the basic math.

— Shai, Julia R Masterman, Philadelphia, PA

Learn more about Current Events Conversation here and find all of our posts in this column .

Math Essay Ideas for Students: Exploring Mathematical Concepts

Are you a student who's been tasked with writing a math essay? Don't fret! While math may seem like an abstract and daunting subject, it's actually full of fascinating concepts waiting to be explored. In this article, we'll delve into some exciting math essay ideas that will not only pique your interest but also impress your teachers. So grab your pens and calculators, and let's dive into the world of mathematics!

The Beauty of Fibonacci Sequence

Have you ever wondered why sunflowers, pinecones, and even galaxies exhibit a mesmerizing spiral pattern? It's all thanks to the Fibonacci sequence! Explore the origin, properties, and real-world applications of this remarkable mathematical sequence. Discuss how it manifests in nature, art, and even financial markets. Unveil the hidden beauty behind these numbers and show how they shape the world around us.

The Mathematics of Music

Did you know that music and mathematics go hand in hand? Dive into the relationship between these two seemingly unrelated fields and develop your writing skills . Explore the connection between harmonics, frequencies, and mathematical ratios. Analyze how musical scales are constructed and why certain combinations of notes create pleasant melodies while others may sound dissonant. Explore the fascinating world where numbers and melodies intertwine.

The Geometry of Architecture

Architects have been using mathematical principles for centuries to create awe-inspiring structures. Explore the geometric concepts that underpin iconic architectural designs. From the symmetry of the Parthenon to the intricate tessellations in Islamic art, mathematics plays a crucial role in creating visually stunning buildings. Discuss the mathematical principles architects employ and how they enhance the functionality and aesthetics of their designs.

Fractals: Nature's Infinite Complexity

Step into the mesmerizing world of fractals, where infinite complexity arises from simple patterns. Did you know that the famous Mandelbrot set , a classic example of a fractal, has been studied extensively and generated using computers? In fact, it is estimated that the Mandelbrot set requires billions of calculations to generate just a single image! This showcases the computational power and mathematical precision involved in exploring the beauty of fractal geometry.

Explore the beauty and intricacy of fractal geometry, from the famous Mandelbrot set to the Sierpinski triangle. Discuss the self-similarity and infinite iteration that define fractals and how they can be found in natural phenomena such as coastlines, clouds, and even in the structure of our lungs. Examine how fractal mathematics is applied in computer graphics, art, and the study of chaotic systems. Let the captivating world of fractals unfold before your eyes.

The Game Theory Revolution

Game theory isn't just about playing games; it's a powerful tool used in various fields, from economics to biology. Dive into the world of strategic decision-making and explore how game theory helps us understand human behavior and predict outcomes. Discuss in your essay classic games like The Prisoner's Dilemma and examine how mathematical models can shed light on complex social interactions. Explore the cutting-edge applications of game theory in diverse fields, such as cybersecurity and evolutionary biology. If you still have difficulties choosing an idea for a math essay, find a reliable expert online. Ask them to write me an essay or provide any other academic assistance with your math assignments.

Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect

While writing an essay, explore the fascinating world of chaos theory and how small changes can lead to big consequences. Discuss the famous Butterfly Effect and how it exemplifies the sensitive dependence on initial conditions. Delve into the mathematical principles behind chaotic systems and their applications in weather forecasting, population dynamics, and cryptography. Unravel the hidden order within apparent randomness and showcase the far-reaching implications of chaos theory.

The Mathematics Behind Cryptography

In an increasingly digital world, cryptography plays a vital role in ensuring secure communication and data protection. Did you know that the global cybersecurity market is projected to reach a staggering $248.26 billion by 2023? This statistic emphasizes the growing importance of cryptography in safeguarding sensitive information.

Explore the mathematical foundations of cryptography and how it allows for the creation of unbreakable codes and encryption algorithms. Discuss the concepts of prime numbers, modular arithmetic, and public-key cryptography. Delve into the fascinating history of cryptography, from ancient times to modern-day encryption methods. In your essay, highlight the importance of mathematics in safeguarding sensitive information and the ongoing challenges faced by cryptographers.

Writing a math essay doesn't have to be a daunting task. By choosing a captivating topic and exploring the various mathematical concepts, you can turn your essay into a fascinating journey of discovery. Whether you're uncovering the beauty of the Fibonacci sequence, exploring the mathematical underpinnings of music, or delving into the game theory revolution, there's a world of possibilities waiting to be explored. So embrace the power of mathematics and let your creativity shine through your words!

Remember, these are just a few math essay ideas to get you started. Feel free to explore other mathematical concepts that ignite your curiosity. The world of mathematics is vast, and each concept has its own unique story to tell. So go ahead, unleash your inner mathematician, and embark on an exciting journey through the captivating realm of mathematical ideas!

Tobi Columb, a math expert, is a dedicated educator and explorer. He is deeply fascinated by the infinite possibilities of mathematics. Tobi's mission is to equip his students with the tools needed to excel in the realm of numbers. He also advocates for the benefits of a gluten-free lifestyle for students and people of all ages. Join Tobi on his transformative journey of mathematical mastery and holistic well-being.

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Home — Essay Samples — Science — Mathematics in Everyday Life — Mathematics In Everyday Life: Most Vital Discipline

Mathematics in Everyday Life: Most Vital Discipline

Categories: Mathematics in Everyday Life

About this sample

Words: 795 |

Published: Mar 14, 2019

Words: 795 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Works Cited

Benacerraf, P. (1991). Mathematics as an object of knowledge. In P. Benacerraf & H. Putnam (Eds.), Philosophy of mathematics: Selected readings (pp. 1-13). Cambridge University Press.
EdReady. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from https://www.edready.org/
Puttaswamy, T. K. (2012). Engineering mathematics. Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.
Steen, L. A. (Ed.). (2001). Mathematics today: Twelve informal essays. Springer Science & Business Media.
Suter, B. W. (2012). Mathematics education: A critical introduction. Bloomsbury Academic.
Tucker, A. W. (2006). Applied combinatorics. John Wiley & Sons.
Vakil, R. (2017). A mathematical mosaic: Patterns & problem solving. Princeton University Press.
Wolfram MathWorld. (n.d.). MathWorld--The web's most extensive mathematics resource. Retrieved from http://mathworld.wolfram.com/
Wu, H. H. (2011). The mis-education of mathematics teachers. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 77(1), 1-20.
Ziegler, G. M., & Aigner, M. (2012). Proofs from THE BOOK. Springer Science & Business Media.

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Unpopular opinion: this is why i love mathematics, “everybody can appreciate the thrill of mathematical research, and share the passionate stories of humans and ideas behind it." — cedric vilanni.

Whenever I get asked why my favorite subject is and I say Math, one of three things happen. Either I get a 'yick' face, the person I am talking to begins to tell me all of the reasons they hate math, or the other person says they love math too and a unicorn with glasses and a bowtie appears and we ride off into the sunset, graphing calculators in hand, ready to take on the world. Needless to say, the first two are more common.

Mathematics has been given a bad rap over the years and has become the butt of many jokes and the bane of so many people’s school careers. I am not one of those people, though. I find math to be inspiring and beautiful and, if nothing else, incredibly useful. I hope that by the end of this you may believe me, and perhaps understanding that side of the field may stop you from making the 'yick' face next time someone mentions the subject. I submit to you, that although mathematics is hard it is so worth it, and not just because it helps us understand the world, but because it is a beautiful human structure and should be appreciated as such.

As Alan Smith said, “there are two kinds of people: those people that are comfortable with numbers, that can do numbers, and the people who can't,” and finding inspiration in mathematics is not reserved for those who are great at the execution of such. Even those who struggle with learning the equations and memorizing formulas can find beauty within what the numbers and mathematical reasoning can uncover. Math is a way to learn more about our world and be able to prove those things as well and has been for thousands of years. Through mathematics, we were able to prove such things as how large the Earth really is, that the universe is made up of atoms, create algorithms that we use in our everyday lives and even learn why objects have mass, and that’s awesome! Not even to mention that, with the new movie Hidden Figures that just came out, we even relied on clever mathematics, among other fields, so get a man into space and eventually to the moon! How is that not incredibly inspiring.

Mathematics is all about intuition and creative thinking. Through the use of Mathematics, we are able to answer questions and look at the world through a different light and answer questions that were never thought possible. Math allows us to push beyond the known to explore the unanswered questions in the universe and get one step closer to understanding why we are here, how we exist, and where we are going. Math is an incredible thing and is both a tool for us to explain the universe and give it a language, as well as a beautiful art form in itself. We live in a day and age where humans and machines can work together to solve the most complex problems in history and make new discoveries in life. We have the ability the think of an idea or a question and pose that question to machines and computers and work together to learn the answers. Even simple things can be answered with math. Randall Munroe, author of the book " What If ," uses math and science to find answers to the questions that he is asked by his followers, and although he is not exactly a math fanatic, he appreciates that it “lets you take some things that you know, and just by moving symbols around on a piece of paper, find out something that you didn't know that's very surprising.” Math gives us the power to answer these questions with some amount of certainty, whether it is your passion or just something you know the groundwork for.

I know that one does not normally associate mathematics with empathy. After all, we are just a bunch of robots running around calculating people into a series of numbers and funny looking symbols. But did you ever think about how you use perspective in math? Roger Antonsen notes that, when you use an equal sign in math, you are viewing the same thing, but from different viewpoints or perspectives (for example; x+x=x*2). When you tell or learn something from another perspective then you get one step closer to understanding what you are observing. When you view the world from the perspective of others you create empathy by truly understanding what the world looks like from another person’s perspective. Looking at the world through the inquisitive and imaginative mind of a mathematician can help you create an incredibly deep connection between empathy and mathematics.

Math is an incredibly useful tool in our lives but is so underrated and underappreciated because the textbooks and curriculum we receive create impatient problem solving, which does not allow for a true understanding of what mathematics is and how to use math in your everyday lives and more important how to use reasoning in your life. This lack of understanding and interest continues through college and well into adulthood, leading to so many struggling with basic principles and reasoning techniques. We need to focus more of mathematics education and inspiration. Math should be about conversation and using what you know and learning how to use reason and intuition to find the answers to problems. I want people to understand that although it is hard it is worth it, and not just because it affects so much else in the world, but because it is itself a beautiful human structure and should be appreciated as such. I hope this was able to help you see how beautiful, inspiring, and awesomely helpful mathematics can be in every form and place in the world.

Please let me know in the comments how you feel about math, whether you love it or you hate it. How do you think we got to this point of math aversion and do you have any thoughts on how we can shift the stigma?

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19 lessons i'll never forget from growing up in a small town, there have been many lessons learned..

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

1. The importance of traditions.

Sometimes traditions seem like a silly thing, but the fact of it is that it's part of who you are. You grew up this way and, more than likely, so did your parents. It is something that is part of your family history and that is more important than anything.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

No matter how many times they get on your nerves or make you mad, they are the ones who will always be there and you should never take that for granted.

3. How to give back.

When tragedy strikes in a small town, everyone feels obligated to help out because, whether directly or indirectly, it affects you too. It is easy in a bigger city to be able to disconnect from certain problems. But in a small town those problems affect everyone.

4. What the word "community" really means.

Along the same lines as #3, everyone is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand when you need one in a small town and to me that is the true meaning of community. It's working together to build a better atmosphere, being there to raise each other up, build each other up, and pick each other up when someone is in need. A small town community is full of endless support whether it be after a tragedy or at a hometown sports game. Everyone shows up to show their support.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

People say this to others all the time, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a small town. It is true that life is about the journey, but when you're from a small town, you know it's about the journey because the journey probably takes longer than you spend at the destination. Everything is so far away that it is totally normal to spend a couple hours in the car on your way to some form of entertainment. And most of the time, you're gonna have as many, if not more, memories and laughs on the journey than at the destination.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

Word travels fast in a small town, so don't think you're gonna get away with anything. In fact, your parents probably know what you did before you even have a chance to get home and tell them. And forget about being scared of what your teacher, principle, or other authority figure is going to do, you're more afraid of what your parents are gonna do when you get home.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

Everyone deserves a chance. Most people don't have ill-intentions and you can't live your life guarding against every one else just because a few people in your life have betrayed your trust.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

While small towns are not always extremely diverse, they do contain people with a lot of different stories, struggle, and backgrounds. In a small town, it is pretty hard to exclude anyone because of who they are or what they come from because there aren't many people to choose from. A small town teaches you that just because someone isn't the same as you, doesn't mean you can't be great friends.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

In a small town, you learn that it's okay to be who you are and do your own thing. You learn that confidence isn't how beautiful you are or how much money you have, it's who you are on the inside.

10. How to work for what I want.

Nothing comes easy in life. They always say "gardens don't grow overnight" and if you're from a small town you know this both figuratively and literally. You certainly know gardens don't grow overnight because you've worked in a garden or two. But you also know that to get to the place you want to be in life it takes work and effort. It doesn't just happen because you want it to.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

If you're from a small town, you know that you will probably only meet a handful of people in your life who ACTUALLY know where your town is. And forget about the people who accidentally enter into your town because of google maps. You've gotten really good at giving them directions right back to the interstate.

12. How to be humble.

My small town has definitely taught me how to be humble. It isn't always about you, and anyone who grows up in a small town knows that. Everyone gets their moment in the spotlight, and since there's so few of us, we're probably best friends with everyone so we are as excited when they get their moment of fame as we are when we get ours.

13. To be well-rounded.

Going to a small town high school definitely made me well-rounded. There isn't enough kids in the school to fill up all the clubs and sports teams individually so be ready to be a part of them all.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

In a small town, good luck holding a grudge. In a bigger city you can just avoid a person you don't like or who you've had problems with. But not in a small town. You better resolve the issue fast because you're bound to see them at least 5 times a week.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

One of my favorite things about growing up in a rural area was being able to go outside and go exploring and not have to worry about being in danger. There is nothing more exciting then finding a new place somewhere in town or in the woods and just spending time there enjoying the natural beauty around you.

16. To be prepared for anything.

You never know what may happen. If you get a flat tire, you better know how to change it yourself because you never know if you will be able to get ahold of someone else to come fix it. Mechanics might be too busy , or more than likely you won't even have enough cell service to call one.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

It's okay to ask for help. One thing I realized when I moved away from my town for college, was how much my town has taught me that I could ask for help is I needed it. I got into a couple situations outside of my town where I couldn't find anyone to help me and found myself thinking, if I was in my town there would be tons of people ready to help me. And even though I couldn't find anyone to help, you better believe I wasn't afraid to ask.

18. How to be creative.

When you're at least an hour away from normal forms of entertainment such as movie theaters and malls, you learn to get real creative in entertaining yourself. Whether it be a night looking at the stars in the bed of a pickup truck or having a movie marathon in a blanket fort at home, you know how to make your own good time.

19. To brush off gossip.

It's all about knowing the person you are and not letting others influence your opinion of yourself. In small towns, there is plenty of gossip. But as long as you know who you really are, it will always blow over.

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you..

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

You have taught me that you don't always have to strong. You are allowed to break down as long as you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward. When life had you at your worst moments, you allowed your friends to be there for you and to help you. You let them in and they helped pick you up. Even in your darkest hour you showed so much strength. I know that you don't believe in yourself as much as you should but you are unbelievably strong and capable of anything you set your mind to.

Your passion to make a difference in the world is unbelievable. You put your heart and soul into your endeavors and surpass any personal goal you could have set. Watching you do what you love and watching you make a difference in the lives of others is an incredible experience. The way your face lights up when you finally realize what you have accomplished is breathtaking and I hope that one day I can have just as much passion you have.

SEE MORE: A Letter To My Best Friend On Her Birthday

The love you have for your family is outstanding. Watching you interact with loved ones just makes me smile . You are so comfortable and you are yourself. I see the way you smile when you are around family and I wish I could see you smile like this everyday. You love with all your heart and this quality is something I wished I possessed.

You inspire me to be the best version of myself. I look up to you. I feel that more people should strive to have the strength and passion that you exemplify in everyday life.You may be stubborn at points but when you really need help you let others in, which shows strength in itself. I have never been more proud to know someone and to call someone my role model. You have taught me so many things and I want to thank you. Thank you for inspiring me in life. Thank you for making me want to be a better person.

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life..

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Don't freak out

This is a rule you should continue to follow no matter what you do in life, but is especially helpful in this situation.

Email the professor

Around this time, professors are getting flooded with requests from students wanting to get into full classes. This doesn't mean you shouldn't burden them with your email; it means they are expecting interested students to email them. Send a short, concise message telling them that you are interested in the class and ask if there would be any chance for you to get in.

Attend the first class

Often, the advice professors will give you when they reply to your email is to attend the first class. The first class isn't the most important class in terms of what will be taught. However, attending the first class means you are serious about taking the course and aren't going to give up on it.

Keep attending class

Every student is in the same position as you are. They registered for more classes than they want to take and are "shopping." For the first couple of weeks, you can drop or add classes as you please, which means that classes that were once full will have spaces. If you keep attending class and keep up with assignments, odds are that you will have priority. Professors give preference to people who need the class for a major and then from higher to lower class year (senior to freshman).

Have a backup plan

For two weeks, or until I find out whether I get into my waitlisted class, I will be attending more than the usual number of classes. This is so that if I don't get into my waitlisted class, I won't have a credit shortage and I won't have to fall back in my backup class. Chances are that enough people will drop the class, especially if it is very difficult like computer science, and you will have a chance. In popular classes like art and psychology, odds are you probably won't get in, so prepare for that.

Remember that everything works out at the end

Life is full of surprises. So what if you didn't get into the class you wanted? Your life obviously has something else in store for you. It's your job to make sure you make the best out of what you have.

Navigating the Talking Stage: 21 Essential Questions to Ask for Connection

It's mandatory to have these conversations..

Whether you met your new love interest online , through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

1. What do you do for a living?

What someone does for a living can tell a lot about who they are and what they're interested in! Their career reveals a lot more about them than just where they spend their time to make some money.

2. What's your favorite color?

OK, I get it, this seems like something you would ask a Kindergarten class, but I feel like it's always good to know someone's favorite color . You could always send them that Snapchat featuring you in that cute shirt you have that just so happens to be in their favorite color!

3. Do you have any siblings?

This one is actually super important because it's totally true that people grow up with different roles and responsibilities based on where they fall in the order. You can tell a lot about someone just based on this seemingly simple question.

4. What's your favorite television show?

OK, maybe this isn't a super important question, but you have to know ASAP if you can quote Michael Scott or not. If not, he probably isn't the one. Sorry, girl.

5. When is your birthday?

You can then proceed to do the thing that every girl does without admitting it and see how compatible your zodiacs are.

6. What's your biggest goal in life?

If you're like me, you have big goals that you want to reach someday, and you want a man behind you who also has big goals and understands what it's like to chase after a dream. If his biggest goal is to see how quickly he can binge-watch " Grey's Anatomy " on Netflix , you may want to move on.

7. If you had three wishes granted to you by a genie, what would they be?

This is a go-to for an insight into their personality. Based on how they answer, you can tell if they're goofy, serious, or somewhere in between.

8. What's your favorite childhood memory?

For some, this may be a hard question if it involves a family member or friend who has since passed away . For others, it may revolve around a tradition that no longer happens. The answers to this question are almost endless!

9. If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?

We all have parts of our lives and stories that we wish we could change. It's human nature to make mistakes. This question is a little bit more personal but can really build up the trust level.

10. Are you a cat or a dog person?

I mean, duh! If you're a dog person, and he is a cat person, it's not going to work out.

11. Do you believe in a religion or any sort of spiritual power?

Personally, I am a Christian, and as a result, I want to be with someone who shares those same values. I know some people will argue that this question is too much in the talking stage , but why go beyond the talking stage if your personal values will never line up?

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Even homebodies have a must visit place on their bucket list !

13. What is your ideal date night?

Hey, if you're going to go for it... go for it!

14. Who was/is your celebrity crush?

For me, it was hands-down Nick Jonas . This is always a fun question to ask!

15. What's a good way to cheer you up if you're having a bad day?

Let's be real, if you put a label on it, you're not going to see your significant other at their best 24/7.

16. Do you have any tattoos?

This can lead to some really good conversations, especially if they have a tattoo that has a lot of meaning to them!

17. Can you describe yourself in three words?

It's always interesting to see if how the person you're talking to views their personal traits lines ups with the vibes you're getting.

18. What makes you the most nervous in life?

This question can go multiple different directions, and it could also be a launching pad for other conversations.

19. What's the best gift you have ever received?

Admittedly, I have asked this question to friends as well, but it's neat to see what people value.

20. What do you do to relax/have fun?

Work hard, play hard, right?

21. What are your priorities at this phase of your life?

This is always interesting because no matter how compatible your personalities may be, if one of you wants to be serious and the other is looking for something casual, it's just not going to work.

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Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in challah bread or easter bread.

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

A few weeks ago, I was given a loaf of bread called Challah (pronounced like holla), and upon my first bite, I realized it tasted just like Easter Bread. It was so delicious that I just had to make some of my own, which I did.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 1 cup lukewarm water 4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 2 tsp salt 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk (reserve the white for the egg wash) 1/4 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil

Instructions

Combine yeast and a pinch of sugar in small bowl with the water and stir until you see a frothy layer across the top.
Whisk together 4 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour and add in eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Whisk these together to form a slurry, pulling in a little flour from the sides of the bowl.
Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry and mix until difficult to move.
Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes. If the dough seems very sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time until it feels tacky, but no longer like bubblegum. The dough has finished kneading when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Separate the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope roughly 1-inch thick and 16 inches long.
Gather the ropes and squeeze them together at the very top. Braid the pieces in the pattern of over, under, and over again. Pinch the pieces together again at the bottom.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and lift the loaf on top. Sprinkle the loaf with a little flour and drape it with a clean dishcloth. Place the pan somewhere warm and away from drafts and let it rise until puffed and pillowy, about an hour.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the reserved egg white with a tablespoon of water and brush it all over the challah. Be sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf.
Slide the challah on its baking sheet into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking. The challah is done when it is deeply browned.

I kept wondering how these two breads could be so similar in taste. So I decided to look up a recipe for Easter Bread to make a comparison. The two are almost exactly the same! These recipes are similar because they come from religious backgrounds. The Jewish Challah bread is based on kosher dietary laws. The Christian Easter Bread comes from the Jewish tradition but was modified over time because they did not follow kosher dietary laws.

A recipe for Easter bread is as follows:

2 tsp active dry or instant yeast 2/3 cup milk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup white granulated sugar 2 tbs butter 2 large eggs 2 tbs melted butter 1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan; heat until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.
Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal size rounds; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring, leaving spaces for the five colored eggs. Seal the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with melted butter.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Both of these recipes are really easy to make. While you might need to have a day set aside for this activity, you can do things while the dough is rising or in the oven. After only a few hours, you have a delicious loaf of bread that you made from scratch, so the time and effort is really worth it!

Top Creators

1. Brittany Morgan, National Writer's Society 2. Radhi, SUNY Stony Brook 3. Kristen Haddox , Penn State University 4. Jennifer Kustanovich , SUNY Stony Brook 5. Clare Regelbrugge , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Essays About Math: Top 10 Examples and Writing Prompts

Love it or hate it, an understanding of math is said to be crucial to success. So, if you are writing essays about math, read our top essay examples.

Mathematics is the study of numbers, shapes, and space using reason and usually a special system of symbols and rules for organizing them . It can be used for a variety of purposes, from calculating a business’s profit to estimating the mass of a black hole. However, it can be considered “controversial” to an extent.

Most students adore math or regard it as their least favorite. No other core subject has the same infamy as math for generating passionate reactions both for and against it. It has applications in every field, whether basic operations or complex calculus problems. Knowing the basics of math is necessary to do any work properly.

If you are writing essays about Math, we have compiled some essay examples for you to get started.

1. Mathematics: Problem Solving and Ideal Math Classroom by Darlene Gregory

2. math essay by prasanna, 3. short essay on the importance of mathematics by jay prakash.

4. Math Anxiety by Elias Wong

5. Why Math Isn’t as Useless as We Think by Murtaza Ali

1. mathematics – do you love or hate it, 2. why do many people despise math, 3. how does math prepare you for the future, 4. is mathematics an essential skill, 5. mathematics in the modern world.

“The trait of the teacher that is being strict is we know that will really help the students to change. But it will give a stress and pressure to students and that is one of the causes why students begin to dislike math. As a student I want a teacher that is not so much strict and giving considerations to his students. A teacher that is not giving loads of things to do and must know how to understand the reasons of his students.”

Gregory discusses the reasons for most students’ hatred of math and how teachers handle the subject in class. She says that math teachers do not explain the topics well, give too much work, and demand nothing less than perfection. To her, the ideal math class would involve teachers being more considerate and giving less work.

You might also be interested in our ordinal number explainer.

“Math is complicated to learn, and one needs to focus and concentrate more. Math is logical sometimes, and the logic needs to be derived out. Maths make our life easier and more straightforward. Math is considered to be challenging because it consists of many formulas that have to be learned, and many symbols and each symbol generally has its significance.”

In her essay, Prasanna gives readers a basic idea of what math is and its importance. She additionally lists down some of the many uses of mathematics in different career paths, namely managing finances, cooking, home modeling and construction, and traveling. Math may seem “useless” and “annoying” to many, but the essay gives readers a clear message: we need math to succeed.

“In this modern age of Science and Technology, emphasis is given on Science such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine and Engineering. Mathematics, which is a Science by any criterion, also is an efficient and necessary tool being employed by all these Sciences. As a matter of fact, all these Sciences progress only with the aid of Mathematics. So it is aptly remarked, ‘Mathematics is a Science of all Sciences and art of all arts.’”

As its title suggests, Prakash’s essay briefly explains why math is vital to human nature. As the world continues to advance and modernize, society emphasizes sciences such as medicine, chemistry, and physics. All sciences employ math; it cannot be studied without math. It also helps us better our reasoning skills and maximizes the human mind. It is not only necessary but beneficial to our everyday lives.

4. Math Anxiety by Elias Wong

“Math anxiety affects different not only students but also people in different ways. It’s important to be familiar with the thoughts you have about yourself and the situation when you encounter math. If you are aware of unrealistic or irrational thoughts you can work to replace those thoughts with more positive and realistic ones.”

Wong writes about the phenomenon known as “math anxiety.” This term is used to describe many people’s hatred or fear of math- they feel that they are incapable of doing it. This anxiety is caused mainly by students’ negative experiences in math class, which makes them believe they cannot do well. Wong explains that some people have brains geared towards math and others do not, but this should not stop people from trying to overcome their math anxiety. Through review and practice of basic mathematical skills, students can overcome them and even excel at math.

“We see that math is not an obscure subject reserved for some pretentious intellectual nobility. Though we may not be aware of it, mathematics is embedded into many different aspects of our lives and our world — and by understanding it deeply, we may just gain a greater understanding of ourselves.”

Similar to some of the previous essays, Ali’s essay explains the importance of math. Interestingly, he tells a story of the life of a person name Kyle. He goes through the typical stages of life and enjoys typical human hobbies, including Rubik’s cube solving. Throughout this “Kyle’s” entire life, he performed the role of a mathematician in various ways. Ali explains that math is much more prevalent in our lives than we think, and by understanding it, we can better understand ourselves.

Writing Prompts on Essays about Math

Math is a controversial subject that many people either passionately adore or despise. In this essay, reflect on your feelings towards math, and state your position on the topic. Then, give insights and reasons as to why you feel this way. Perhaps this subject comes easily to you, or perhaps it’s a subject that you find pretty challenging. For an insightful and compelling essay, you can include personal anecdotes to relate to your argument.

$Essays about Math: Why do many people despise math?$

It is well-known that many people despise math. In this essay, discuss why so many people do not enjoy maths and struggle with this subject in school. For a compelling essay, gather interview data and statistics to support your arguments. You could include different sections correlating to why people do not enjoy this subject.

In this essay, begin by reading articles and essays about the importance of studying math. Then, write about the different ways that having proficient math skills can help you later in life. Next, use real-life examples of where maths is necessary, such as banking, shopping, planning holidays, and more! For an engaging essay, use some anecdotes from your experiences of using math in your daily life.

Many people have said that math is essential for the future and that you shouldn’t take a math class for granted. However, many also say that only a basic understanding of math is essential; the rest depends on one’s career. Is it essential to learn calculus and trigonometry? Choose your position and back up your claim with evidence.

Prasanna’s essay lists down just a few applications math has in our daily lives. For this essay, you can choose any activity, whether running, painting, or playing video games, and explain how math is used there. Then, write about mathematical concepts related to your chosen activity and explain how they are used. Finally, be sure to link it back to the importance of math, as this is essentially the topic around which your essay is based.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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I love Math! by Keith

Keithof Washington's entry into Varsity Tutor's October 2016 scholarship contest

I love Math! by Keith - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

If the roles were reversed, and I was back in junior high or high school as a teacher, I would be most drawn to teaching mathematics. Math is not what I would consider a cool subject, nor is it for the faint of heart. I have always considered math to be one of my most favorite subjects to learn. Why? Because it is all about the formulas!

Plugging numbers into various formulas to reach a solution is so much fun to me! I never really understood why some of my classmates back in school could not understand math concepts like I did. Perhaps I did pretty well in math because I enjoyed it, so, I can totally relate to the fact that students who excel in math are somehow wired that way. I would teach math in a simple and approachable way. I would explain concepts using easy to understand variables with lots of drawings. I would assign online homework since I think it is very crucial to get lots of practice doing various problems.

I would enjoy watching students’ faces light up as they grasped a math concept, or if they did better on an exam than they thought they were going to. I would teach math because I would enjoy it, and hopefully, that would result in my students learning the subject.

Search Search Please fill out this field.
Look at Math Instruction Anew
Scrap Current Math Education

Tie Math to Current Events

Problem Solving Over Memorization

Play Games and Incorporate Media

Foster inclusive classrooms, understand stereotype threat, don’t ignore math anxiety, advocate for struggling students.

Help Students Keep Pursuing Math
Financial Literacy
Financial Literacy Resource Center

How to Inspire a Love of Math

The current standard curriculum is anything but inspired

Amy Fontinelle has more than 15 years of experience covering personal finance, corporate finance and investing.

Thomas J Catalano is a CFP and Registered Investment Adviser with the state of South Carolina, where he launched his own financial advisory firm in 2018. Thomas' experience gives him expertise in a variety of areas including investments, retirement, insurance, and financial planning.

The standard American math curriculum is anything but inspiring. Based on memorization and timed tests, it encourages boredom and anxiety. A lucky few students get the inspiration and motivation required to enjoy and excel in math from a parent or teacher. The rest muddle through, often quitting at the first opportunity. How can we disrupt this depressing state of affairs?

Key Takeaways

The current approach to teaching math in the U.S. is built around memorization and timed tests; it needs an overhaul so that students can feel enthusiastic and inspired, instead of anxious and bored.
Suggestions for improvement include looking at the field through the perspective of other disciplines, tying math to issues that impact students presently, and focusing on problem-solving vs. rote memorization.
Teaching math through playing games and by incorporating media can help students deal with anxiety and counteract boredom.
Being aware of the need for an inclusive classroom and gender and racial biases regarding math and teaching can help students, as can being an advocate for those who are struggling.

Look at Math Instruction Through a Different Lens

By exploring math instruction through the lens of other subjects, we can start to see why the way that it’s usually taught fails to excite most students. What if we taught music the way that we teach math? Students would learn to read and write music on blank sheets of staff paper. They would learn all about music theory but never play an instrument or listen to music. They would miss the joy of making sound or keeping a beat, the emotion of expressing oneself or getting wrapped up in a melody.

What if we taught art the way that we teach math? Instead of allowing students to paint, they would learn color theory, the ins and outs of different paintbrushes and types of paint, and the names and accomplishments of a few great—but dead—artists. They would learn how to paint by numbers in high school, but they would never be encouraged to express themselves through painting on a blank canvas—or even scribbling with crayons on printer paper—until graduate school. Most students don’t make it that far.

“Sadly, our present system of mathematics education is precisely this kind of nightmare,” writes Paul Lockhart in his essay “A Mathematician’s Lament.” “In fact, if I had to design a mechanism for the express purpose of destroying a child’s natural curiosity and love of pattern-making, I couldn’t possibly do as good a job as is currently being done—I simply wouldn’t have the imagination to come up with the kind of senseless, soul-crushing ideas that constitute contemporary mathematics education.”

Fortunately, Lockhart and other math teachers have some ideas about how to change things.

Don’t Try to Reform Math Education—Scrap It

A common refrain is that kids don’t get interested in math because they don’t see the point in learning it. The solution, then, must be to show them how math will help them in their careers and adult lives. Lockhart disagrees. He thinks it is the wrong approach because kids don’t care about calculating compound interest.

How Do We Learn?

“We learn things because they interest us now, not because they might be useful later. But this is exactly what we are asking children to do with math.” — Paul Lockhart, “A Mathematician’s Lament”

So what might make math interesting? One idea is to treat it as an art form. The American Mathematical Society’s web page on mathematical imagery is a good source of inspiration that showcases the beauty of infinite loops, the geometry of nature, even the whimsy of fractal pancakes. Math comics and graphic novels are two other ways to combine math with art to make the subject more fun and less intimidating.

Ask students about the topics they would like to explore, then design math lessons around their interests. For instance, teachers can show pupils how to apply math to social justice problems.

An Advanced Placement high school statistics course can explore wealth inequality and immigration. Algebra 2 and precalculus lessons can be applied to the impact of fundraising on a political candidate’s vote tally. Teachers can consult the best-selling book "High School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice," the website SkewTheScript.org, and the Math and Social Justice wiki for ideas.

Emphasize Problem Solving Over Memorization

An after-school K–12 math program called the Russian School of Mathematics teaches students to solve math problems by thinking through the logic, not by memorizing and regurgitating formulas and proofs. Students develop narratives to describe how to solve equations. Given a few numbers, they create their own stories and explanations. The approach is designed to instill an excitement about math that keeps students engaged and helps them learn the material, as reported in The Atlantic .

Math is fundamentally about wondering, imagining, and playing, Lockhart writes. It’s about “asking simple and elegant questions about our imaginary creations, and crafting satisfying and beautiful explanations.” Depending on whom you ask, it might also be about memorizing multiplication tables, but math education shouldn’t rely so heavily on rote tasks.

Instead, allow mathematics to be about play. “Play is part of what makes inquiry-based learning and other forms of active learning so effective,” said mathematician Francis Su, in his 2017 farewell speech as outgoing president of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). “There’s overwhelming evidence that students learn better with active learning.”

Su believes that by allowing mathematics education to be playful, it can build hopefulness, perseverance, community, and rigorous thinking.

Lockhart suggests doing puzzles and teaching students to play games that require deductive reasoning skills, such as chess, Go, Hex, backgammon, Sprouts, and Nim.

For other ideas, check out the National Math Festival’s collection of suggested puzzles, games, books, and videos for ages 2 through 18+. Participate in the National Math Festival’s online events. Explore the interactive experiences at the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City. Right now, it offers many programs online, including virtual field trips for K–12 classes and YouTube videos.

The “math as play” teaching technique even works at the college level: Check out the inquiry-based learning math books, downloadable as free PDFs, from Discovering the Art of Mathematics, a math approach geared toward liberal arts students.

What does an inclusive math classroom look like? In many ways, it’s similar to an inclusive classroom in any other subject, where the instructor makes sure to use students’ preferred names and pronouns regardless of what’s listed on the course roster. It’s one that roots out microaggressions and implicit bias from both the instructor and the students. And it’s one where students with different physical abilities are able to access all the course materials.

An inclusive classroom is also one where students learn about contributors to the field from all backgrounds, so they can see themselves as the type of person who could be good at math. In the math classroom, fostering inclusion might mean teaching students about standout mathematicians who are not White men.

For example, former NFL player John Urschel, a doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is proof that two groups stereotyped as not being good at math—athletes and Black men—can excel in the field, as reported by The Associated Press. (He even co-wrote a book about his experiences, titled "Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football.") Such instruction can help offset what is known as “stereotype threat.”

Stereotype threat—in which a reputation for underperformance by members of a certain group actually causes them to underperform—seems to affect women’s and minorities’ outcomes in math. Stereotyped groups may have untapped potential that their teachers can draw out if they learn how to fight back against the threat. Teaching students that math ability is not innate but acquired through effort is another way to reduce the threat.

Also important is not giving an inferior math education to groups that researchers have identified as underperforming. When teachers constantly hear that Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students perform worse than Asian and White students in math, they may lower their expectations and simplify their lessons for those students, which can prevent these students from ever reaching their potential, as reported in The Atlantic .

Two-thirds of math teachers in a representative 2020 survey told the Education Week Research Center that their students experience math anxiety, a challenge that can cause students to avoid math and underperform. They can pick it up from elementary school teachers or parents who themselves suffer from math anxiety.

A pilot program called StoryStrong in Maryland’s Howard County asks eighth-grade students to explore their emotions surrounding math, from the experiences that have shaped their relationship with the subject to their insights on how they can succeed. It’s meant to give students the psychological support that they need to develop a positive “math identity.” As it’s so new, how well it works is not known, but it seems to hold promise.

Frustrated teachers sometimes write off students who are struggling and tell them that they aren’t cut out for math. Instead, teachers should advocate for them, MAA’s Su urges. Likewise, be aware that we all hold biases about the gender, race, and socioeconomic status of those who we expect to be good or bad at math.

What Does a Mathematician Look Like?

“The demographics of the mathematical community does not look like the demographics of America. We have left whole segments out of the benefits of the flourishing available in our profession.” — Francis Su, “Mathematics for Human Flourishing”

Push back when a student says they aren’t a math person. Let them know that even if they struggle with one aspect of math, they might enjoy another type. Emphasize that, as stated above, math ability is not innate and must be acquired. Students who appear to be gifted may just be better educated. Perhaps they got a head start from math-fluent parents. They shouldn’t be the metric against which other students judge themselves.

Help Students Pursue Extracurricular Math

Struggling or not, students can benefit from math classes and programs outside of school that take a different approach than the typical curriculum and engage pupils in activities that make math fun. Math camps, math circles, and math competitions can provide the spark that a child or teenager needs to increase their math self-esteem and develop an interest in the subject. Financial aid may be available for families who can’t afford the fees.

In the battle against stereotype threat, math anxiety, and mind-numbing curricula, teachers have many weapons to fight back. With a little creativity—and, admittedly, enough flexibility to do anything other than teach students how to pass their next standardized test—instructors can employ art, play, current events, and psychology to inspire a love of math in more students .

How Can You Motivate Children to Learn Math?

Motivating a child to learn math is similar to motivating a child to learn any number of subjects. Praising the effort rather than the ability of the child learning, being patient and consistent, and finding ways to make learning more interactive can help.

Why Is Math So Difficult for Many Students?

Traditional math instruction involves rote memorization, frequent testing, and using a multi-step approach to solving problems. All of these factors can make it harder for some students to learn than many other subjects. There are also societal and economic biases that play a role in math and math education that add to the difficulty level for some children.

What Triggers Math Anxiety?

Math is a difficult subject for many children, starting from the way it has been traditionally taught. When it's taught in a way that stresses memorization, testing, and the correct solving of problems above all else, it can create distress for students.

What Are Some Fun Ways to Learn Math?

A math curriculum can become more enjoyable when it involves media and technology elements, including video, gaming, and other visual media. Any creative or lighter approach that gets students away from strict memorization and testing can also help with the fun element.

The Hechinger Report. " COLUMN: How Can We Improve Math Education in America? Help Us Count the Ways ."

Mathematical Association of America. “ A Mathematician’s Lament .” Page 2.

Mathematical Association of America. “ A Mathematician’s Lament .” Page 9.

Mathematical Association of America. “ A Mathematician’s Lament .” Page 12.

American Mathematical Society. “ Mathematical Imagery .”

Robert Q. Berry III, Basil M. Conway IV, Brian R. Lawler, John W. Staley. " High School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice ." Corwin, 2020.

Russian School of Mathematics. “ Approach .”

The Atlantic. " The Math Revolution ."

Mathematical Association of America. “ A Mathematician’s Lament .” Page 4.

The Mathematical Yawp by Francis Su. “ Mathematics for Human Flourishing .”

American Mathematical Society. “ Inclusive Classrooms .”

The Associated Press. " It All Adds Up: Lineman John Urschel Loves His Post-NFL Life ."

Education Week. “ Who’s Afraid of Math? Turns Out, Lots of Students .”

Los Angeles Times. “ Opinion: Math Scares Your Child’s Elementary School Teacher — And That Should Frighten You .”

StoryStrong. “ My Math Story and Identity .”

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Proceedings of the 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education pp 63–77 Cite as

“What is Mathematics?” and why we should ask, where one should experience and learn that, and how to teach it

Günter M. Ziegler 3 &
Andreas Loos 4
Conference paper
Open Access
First Online: 02 November 2017

110k Accesses

9 Citations

3 Altmetric

Part of the book series: ICME-13 Monographs ((ICME13Mo))

“What is Mathematics?” [with a question mark!] is the title of a famous book by Courant and Robbins, first published in 1941, which does not answer the question. The question is, however, essential: The public image of the subject (of the science, and of the profession) is not only relevant for the support and funding it can get, but it is also crucial for the talent it manages to attract—and thus ultimately determines what mathematics can achieve, as a science, as a part of human culture, but also as a substantial component of economy and technology. In this lecture we thus

discuss the image of mathematics (where “image” might be taken literally!),

sketch a multi-facetted answer to the question “What is Mathematics?,”

stress the importance of learning “What is Mathematics” in view of Klein’s “double discontinuity” in mathematics teacher education,

present the “Panorama project” as our response to this challenge,

stress the importance of telling stories in addition to teaching mathematics, and finally,

suggest that the mathematics curricula at schools and at universities should correspondingly have space and time for at least three different subjects called Mathematics.

This paper is a slightly updated reprint of: Günter M. Ziegler and Andreas Loos, Learning and Teaching “ What is Mathematics ”, Proc. International Congress of Mathematicians, Seoul 2014, pp. 1201–1215; reprinted with kind permission by Prof. Hyungju Park, the chairman of ICM 2014 Organizing Committee.

You have full access to this open access chapter, Download conference paper PDF

What Is Mathematics?

Defining mathematics. According to Wikipedia in English, in the March 2014 version, the answer to “What is Mathematics?” is

Mathematics is the abstract study of topics such as quantity (numbers), [2] structure, [3] space, [2] and change. [4][5][6] There is a range of views among mathematicians and philosophers as to the exact scope and definition of mathematics. [7][8] Mathematicians seek out patterns (Highland & Highland, 1961 , 1963 ) and use them to formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proof. When mathematical structures are good models of real phenomena, then mathematical reasoning can provide insight or predictions about nature. Through the use of abstraction and logic, mathematics developed from counting, calculation, measurement, and the systematic study of the shapes and motions of physical objects. Practical mathematics has been a human activity for as far back as written records exist. The research required to solve mathematical problems can take years or even centuries of sustained inquiry.

None of this is entirely wrong, but it is also not satisfactory. Let us just point out that the fact that there is no agreement about the definition of mathematics, given as part of a definition of mathematics, puts us into logical difficulties that might have made Gödel smile. Footnote 1

The answer given by Wikipedia in the current German version, reads (in our translation):

Mathematics […] is a science that developed from the investigation of geometric figures and the computing with numbers. For mathematics , there is no commonly accepted definition; today it is usually described as a science that investigates abstract structures that it created itself by logical definitions using logic for their properties and patterns.

This is much worse, as it portrays mathematics as a subject without any contact to, or interest from, a real world.

The borders of mathematics. Is mathematics “stand-alone”? Could it be defined without reference to “neighboring” subjects, such as physics (which does appear in the English Wikipedia description)? Indeed, one possibility to characterize mathematics describes the borders/boundaries that separate it from its neighbors. Even humorous versions of such “distinguishing statements” such as

“Mathematics is the part of physics where the experiments are cheap.”

“Mathematics is the part of philosophy where (some) statements are true—without debate or discussion.”

“Mathematics is computer science without electricity.” (So “Computer science is mathematics with electricity.”)

contain a lot of truth and possibly tell us a lot of “characteristics” of our subject. None of these is, of course, completely true or completely false, but they present opportunities for discussion.

What we do in mathematics . We could also try to define mathematics by “what we do in mathematics”: This is much more diverse and much more interesting than the Wikipedia descriptions! Could/should we describe mathematics not only as a research discipline and as a subject taught and learned at school, but also as a playground for pupils, amateurs, and professionals, as a subject that presents challenges (not only for pupils, but also for professionals as well as for amateurs), as an arena for competitions, as a source of problems, small and large, including some of the hardest problems that science has to offer, at all levels from elementary school to the millennium problems (Csicsery, 2008 ; Ziegler, 2011 )?

What we teach in mathematics classes . Education bureaucrats might (and probably should) believe that the question “What is Mathematics?” is answered by high school curricula. But what answers do these give?

This takes us back to the nineteenth century controversies about what mathematics should be taught at school and at the Universities. In the German version this was a fierce debate. On the one side it saw the classical educational ideal as formulated by Wilhelm von Humboldt (who was involved in the concept for and the foundation 1806 of the Berlin University, now named Humboldt Universität, and to a certain amount shaped the modern concept of a university); here mathematics had a central role, but this was the classical “Greek” mathematics, starting from Euclid’s axiomatic development of geometry, the theory of conics, and the algebra of solving polynomial equations, not only as cultural heritage, but also as a training arena for logical thinking and problem solving. On the other side of the fight were the proponents of “Realbildung”: Realgymnasien and the technical universities that were started at that time tried to teach what was needed in commerce and industry: calculation and accounting, as well as the mathematics that could be useful for mechanical and electrical engineering—second rate education in the view of the classical German Gymnasium.

This nineteenth century debate rests on an unnatural separation into the classical, pure mathematics, and the useful, applied mathematics; a division that should have been overcome a long time ago (perhaps since the times of Archimedes), as it is unnatural as a classification tool and it is also a major obstacle to progress both in theory and in practice. Nevertheless the division into “classical” and “current” material might be useful in discussing curriculum contents—and the question for what purpose it should be taught; see our discussion in the Section “ Three Times Mathematics at School? ”.

The Courant–Robbins answer . The title of the present paper is, of course, borrowed from the famous and very successful book by Richard Courant and Herbert Robbins. However, this title is a question—what is Courant and Robbins’ answer? Indeed, the book does not give an explicit definition of “What is Mathematics,” but the reader is supposed to get an idea from the presentation of a diverse collection of mathematical investigations. Mathematics is much bigger and much more diverse than the picture given by the Courant–Robbins exposition. The presentation in this section was also meant to demonstrate that we need a multi-facetted picture of mathematics: One answer is not enough, we need many.

Why Should We Care?

The question “What is Mathematics?” probably does not need to be answered to motivate why mathematics should be taught, as long as we agree that mathematics is important.

However, a one-sided answer to the question leads to one-sided concepts of what mathematics should be taught.

At the same time a one-dimensional picture of “What is Mathematics” will fail to motivate kids at school to do mathematics, it will fail to motivate enough pupils to study mathematics, or even to think about mathematics studies as a possible career choice, and it will fail to motivate the right students to go into mathematics studies, or into mathematics teaching. If the answer to the question “What is Mathematics”, or the implicit answer given by the public/prevailing image of the subject, is not attractive, then it will be very difficult to motivate why mathematics should be learned—and it will lead to the wrong offers and the wrong choices as to what mathematics should be learned.

Indeed, would anyone consider a science that studies “abstract” structures that it created itself (see the German Wikipedia definition quoted above) interesting? Could it be relevant? If this is what mathematics is, why would or should anyone want to study this, get into this for a career? Could it be interesting and meaningful and satisfying to teach this?

Also in view of the diversity of the students’ expectations and talents, we believe that one answer is plainly not enough. Some students might be motivated to learn mathematics because it is beautiful, because it is so logical, because it is sometimes surprising. Or because it is part of our cultural heritage. Others might be motivated, and not deterred, by the fact that mathematics is difficult. Others might be motivated by the fact that mathematics is useful, it is needed—in everyday life, for technology and commerce, etc. But indeed, it is not true that “the same” mathematics is needed in everyday life, for university studies, or in commerce and industry. To other students, the motivation that “it is useful” or “it is needed” will not be sufficient. All these motivations are valid, and good—and it is also totally valid and acceptable that no single one of these possible types of arguments will reach and motivate all these students.

Why do so many pupils and students fail in mathematics, both at school and at universities? There are certainly many reasons, but we believe that motivation is a key factor. Mathematics is hard. It is abstract (that is, most of it is not directly connected to everyday-life experiences). It is not considered worth-while. But a lot of the insufficient motivation comes from the fact that students and their teachers do not know “What is Mathematics.”

Thus a multi-facetted image of mathematics as a coherent subject, all of whose many aspects are well connected, is important for a successful teaching of mathematics to students with diverse (possible) motivations.

This leads, in turn, to two crucial aspects, to be discussed here next: What image do students have of mathematics? And then, what should teachers answer when asked “What is Mathematics”? And where and how and when could they learn that?

The Image of Mathematics

A 2008 study by Mendick, Epstein, and Moreau ( 2008 ), which was based on an extensive survey among British students, was summarized as follows:

Many students and undergraduates seem to think of mathematicians as old, white, middle-class men who are obsessed with their subject, lack social skills and have no personal life outside maths. The student’s views of maths itself included narrow and inaccurate images that are often limited to numbers and basic arithmetic.

The students’ image of what mathematicians are like is very relevant and turns out to be a massive problem, as it defines possible (anti-)role models, which are crucial for any decision in the direction of “I want to be a mathematician.” If the typical mathematician is viewed as an “old, white, male, middle-class nerd,” then why should a gifted 16-year old girl come to think “that’s what I want to be when I grow up”? Mathematics as a science, and as a profession, looses (or fails to attract) a lot of talent this way! However, this is not the topic of this presentation.

On the other hand the first and the second diagnosis of the quote from Mendick et al. ( 2008 ) belong together: The mathematicians are part of “What is Mathematics”!

And indeed, looking at the second diagnosis, if for the key word “mathematics” the images that spring to mind don’t go beyond a per se meaningless “ $ a^{2} + b^{2} = c^{2} $ ” scribbled in chalk on a blackboard—then again, why should mathematics be attractive, as a subject, as a science, or as a profession?

We think that we have to look for, and work on, multi-facetted and attractive representations of mathematics by images. This could be many different, separate images, but this could also be images for “mathematics as a whole.”

Four Images for “What Is Mathematics?”

Striking pictorial representations of mathematics as a whole (as well as of other sciences!) and of their change over time can be seen on the covers of the German “Was ist was” books. The history of these books starts with the series of “How and why” Wonder books published by Grosset and Dunlop, New York, since 1961, which was to present interesting subjects (starting with “Dinosaurs,” “Weather,” and “Electricity”) to children and younger teenagers. The series was published in the US and in Great Britain in the 1960s and 1970s, but it was and is much more successful in Germany, where it was published (first in translation, then in volumes written in German) by Ragnar Tessloff since 1961. Volume 18 in the US/UK version and Volume 12 in the German version treats “Mathematics”, first published in 1963 (Highland & Highland, 1963 ), but then republished with the same title but a new author and contents in 2001 (Blum, 2001 ). While it is worthwhile to study the contents and presentation of mathematics in these volumes, we here focus on the cover illustrations (see Fig. 1 ), which for the German edition exist in four entirely different versions, the first one being an adaption of the original US cover of (Highland & Highland, 1961 ).

The four covers of “Was ist was. Band 12: Mathematik” (Highland & Highland, 1963 ; Blum, 2001 )

All four covers represent a view of “What is Mathematics” in a collage mode, where the first one represents mathematics as a mostly historical discipline (starting with the ancient Egyptians), while the others all contain a historical allusion (such as pyramids, Gauß, etc.) alongside with objects of mathematics (such as prime numbers or $ \pi $ , dices to illustrate probability, geometric shapes). One notable object is the oddly “two-colored” Möbius band on the 1983 cover, which was changed to an entirely green version in a later reprint.

One can discuss these covers with respect to their contents and their styles, and in particular in terms of attractiveness to the intended buyers/readers. What is over-emphasized? What is missing? It seems more important to us to

think of our own images/representations for “What is Mathematics”,

think about how to present a multi-facetted image of “What is Mathematics” when we teach.

Indeed, the topics on the covers of the “Was ist was” volumes of course represent interesting (?) topics and items discussed in the books. But what do they add up to? We should compare this to the image of mathematics as represented by school curricula, or by the university curricula for teacher students.

In the context of mathematics images, let us mention two substantial initiatives to collect and provide images from current mathematics research, and make them available on internet platforms, thus providing fascinating, multi-facetted images of mathematics as a whole discipline:

Guy Métivier et al.: “Image des Maths. La recherche mathématique en mots et en images” [“Images of Maths. Mathematical research in words and images”], CNRS, France, at images.math.cnrs.fr (texts in French)

Andreas D. Matt, Gert-Martin Greuel et al.: “IMAGINARY. open mathematics,” Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach, at imaginary.org (texts in German, English, and Spanish).

The latter has developed from a very successful travelling exhibition of mathematics images, “IMAGINARY—through the eyes of mathematics,” originally created on occasion of and for the German national science year 2008 “Jahr der Mathematik. Alles was zählt” [“Year of Mathematics 2008. Everything that counts”], see www.jahr-der-mathematik.de , which was highly successful in communicating a current, attractive image of mathematics to the German public—where initiatives such as the IMAGINARY exhibition had a great part in the success.

Teaching “What Is Mathematics” to Teachers

More than 100 years ago, in 1908, Felix Klein analyzed the education of teachers. In the introduction to the first volume of his “Elementary Mathematics from a Higher Standpoint” he wrote (our translation):

At the beginning of his university studies, the young student is confronted with problems that do not remind him at all of what he has dealt with up to then, and of course, he forgets all these things immediately and thoroughly. When after graduation he becomes a teacher, he has to teach exactly this traditional elementary mathematics, and since he can hardly link it with his university mathematics, he soon readopts the former teaching tradition and his studies at the university become a more or less pleasant reminiscence which has no influence on his teaching (Klein, 1908 ).

This phenomenon—which Klein calls the double discontinuity —can still be observed. In effect, the teacher students “tunnel” through university: They study at university in order to get a degree, but nevertheless they afterwards teach the mathematics that they had learned in school, and possibly with the didactics they remember from their own school education. This problem observed and characterized by Klein gets even worse in a situation (which we currently observe in Germany) where there is a grave shortage of Mathematics teachers, so university students are invited to teach at high school long before graduating from university, so they have much less university education to tunnel at the time when they start to teach in school. It may also strengthen their conviction that University Mathematics is not needed in order to teach.

How to avoid the double discontinuity is, of course, a major challenge for the design of university curricula for mathematics teachers. One important aspect however, is tied to the question of “What is Mathematics?”: A very common highschool image/concept of mathematics, as represented by curricula, is that mathematics consists of the subjects presented by highschool curricula, that is, (elementary) geometry, algebra (in the form of arithmetic, and perhaps polynomials), plus perhaps elementary probability, calculus (differentiation and integration) in one variable—that’s the mathematics highschool students get to see, so they might think that this is all of it! Could their teachers present them a broader picture? The teachers after their highschool experience studied at university, where they probably took courses in calculus/analysis, linear algebra, classical algebra, plus some discrete mathematics, stochastics/probability, and/or numerical analysis/differential equations, perhaps a programming or “computer-oriented mathematics” course. Altogether they have seen a scope of university mathematics where no current research becomes visible, and where most of the contents is from the nineteenth century, at best. The ideal is, of course, that every teacher student at university has at least once experienced how “doing research on your own” feels like, but realistically this rarely happens. Indeed, teacher students would have to work and study and struggle a lot to see the fascination of mathematics on their own by doing mathematics; in reality they often do not even seriously start the tour and certainly most of them never see the “glimpse of heaven.” So even if the teacher student seriously immerges into all the mathematics on the university curriculum, he/she will not get any broader image of “What is Mathematics?”. Thus, even if he/she does not tunnel his university studies due to the double discontinuity, he/she will not come back to school with a concept that is much broader than that he/she originally gained from his/her highschool times.

Our experience is that many students (teacher students as well as classical mathematics majors) cannot name a single open problem in mathematics when graduating the university. They have no idea of what “doing mathematics” means—for example, that part of this is a struggle to find and shape the “right” concepts/definitions and in posing/developing the “right” questions and problems.

And, moreover, also the impressions and experiences from university times will get old and outdated some day: a teacher might be active at a school for several decades—while mathematics changes! Whatever is proved in mathematics does stay true, of course, and indeed standards of rigor don’t change any more as much as they did in the nineteenth century, say. However, styles of proof do change (see: computer-assisted proofs, computer-checkable proofs, etc.). Also, it would be good if a teacher could name “current research focus topics”: These do change over ten or twenty years. Moreover, the relevance of mathematics in “real life” has changed dramatically over the last thirty years.

The Panorama Project

For several years, the present authors have been working on developing a course [and eventually a book (Loos & Ziegler, 2017 )] called “Panorama der Mathematik” [“Panorama of Mathematics”]. It primarily addresses mathematics teacher students, and is trying to give them a panoramic view on mathematics: We try to teach an overview of the subject, how mathematics is done, who has been and is doing it, including a sketch of main developments over the last few centuries up to the present—altogether this is supposed to amount to a comprehensive (but not very detailed) outline of “What is Mathematics.” This, of course, turns out to be not an easy task, since it often tends to feel like reading/teaching poetry without mastering the language. However, the approach of Panorama is complementing mathematics education in an orthogonal direction to the classic university courses, as we do not teach mathematics but present (and encourage to explore ); according to the response we get from students they seem to feel themselves that this is valuable.

Our course has many different components and facets, which we here cast into questions about mathematics. All these questions (even the ones that “sound funny”) should and can be taken seriously, and answered as well as possible. For each of them, let us here just provide at most one line with key words for answers:

When did mathematics start?

Numbers and geometric figures start in stone age; the science starts with Euclid?

How large is mathematics? How many Mathematicians are there?

The Mathematics Genealogy Project had 178854 records as of 12 April 2014.

How is mathematics done, what is doing research like?

Collect (auto)biographical evidence! Recent examples: Frenkel ( 2013 ) , Villani ( 2012 ).

What does mathematics research do today? What are the Grand Challenges?

The Clay Millennium problems might serve as a starting point.

What and how many subjects and subdisciplines are there in mathematics?

See the Mathematics Subject Classification for an overview!

Why is there no “Mathematical Industry”, as there is e.g. Chemical Industry?

There is! See e.g. Telecommunications, Financial Industry, etc.

What are the “key concepts” in mathematics? Do they still “drive research”?

Numbers, shapes, dimensions, infinity, change, abstraction, …; they do.

What is mathematics “good for”?

It is a basis for understanding the world, but also for technological progress.

Where do we do mathematics in everyday life?

Not only where we compute, but also where we read maps, plan trips, etc.

Where do we see mathematics in everyday life?

There is more maths in every smart phone than anyone learns in school.

What are the greatest achievements of mathematics through history?

Make your own list!

An additional question is how to make university mathematics more “sticky” for the tunneling teacher students, how to encourage or how to force them to really connect to the subject as a science. Certainly there is no single, simple, answer for this!

Telling Stories About Mathematics

How can mathematics be made more concrete? How can we help students to connect to the subject? How can mathematics be connected to the so-called real world?

Showing applications of mathematics is a good way (and a quite beaten path). Real applications can be very difficult to teach since in most advanced, realistic situation a lot of different mathematical disciplines, theories and types of expertise have to come together. Nevertheless, applications give the opportunity to demonstrate the relevance and importance of mathematics. Here we want to emphasize the difference between teaching a topic and telling about it. To name a few concrete topics, the mathematics behind weather reports and climate modelling is extremely difficult and complex and advanced, but the “basic ideas” and simplified models can profitably be demonstrated in highschool, and made plausible in highschool level mathematical terms. Also success stories like the formula for the Google patent for PageRank (Page, 2001 ), see Langville and Meyer ( 2006 ), the race for the solution of larger and larger instances of the Travelling Salesman Problem (Cook, 2011 ), or the mathematics of chip design lend themselves to “telling the story” and “showing some of the maths” at a highschool level; these are among the topics presented in the first author’s recent book (Ziegler, 2013b ), where he takes 24 images as the starting points for telling stories—and thus developing a broader multi-facetted picture of mathematics.

Another way to bring maths in contact with non-mathematicians is the human level. Telling stories about how maths is done and by whom is a tricky way, as can be seen from the sometimes harsh reactions on www.mathoverflow.net to postings that try to excavate the truth behind anecdotes and legends. Most mathematicians see mathematics as completely independent from the persons who explored it. History of mathematics has the tendency to become gossip , as Gian-Carlo Rota once put it (Rota, 1996 ). The idea seems to be: As mathematics stands for itself, it has also to be taught that way.

This may be true for higher mathematics. However, for pupils (and therefore, also for teachers), transforming mathematicians into humans can make science more tangible, it can make research interesting as a process (and a job?), and it can be a starting/entry point for real mathematics. Therefore, stories can make mathematics more sticky. Stories cannot replace the classical approaches to teaching mathematics. But they can enhance it.

Stories are the way by which knowledge has been transferred between humans for thousands of years. (Even mathematical work can be seen as a very abstract form of storytelling from a structuralist point of view.) Why don’t we try to tell more stories about mathematics, both at university and in school—not legends, not fairy tales, but meta-information on mathematics—in order to transport mathematics itself? See (Ziegler, 2013a ) for an attempt by the first author in this direction.

By stories, we do not only mean something like biographies, but also the way of how mathematics is created or discovered: Jack Edmonds’ account (Edmonds, 1991 ) of how he found the blossom shrink algorithm is a great story about how mathematics is actually done . Think of Thomas Harriot’s problem about stacking cannon balls into a storage space and what Kepler made out of it: the genesis of a mathematical problem. Sometimes scientists even wrap their work into stories by their own: see e.g. Leslie Lamport’s Byzantine Generals (Lamport, Shostak, & Pease, 1982 ).

Telling how research is done opens another issue. At school, mathematics is traditionally taught as a closed science. Even touching open questions from research is out of question, for many good and mainly pedagogical reasons. However, this fosters the image of a perfect science where all results are available and all problems are solved—which is of course completely wrong (and moreover also a source for a faulty image of mathematics among undergraduates).

Of course, working with open questions in school is a difficult task. None of the big open questions can be solved with an elementary mathematical toolbox; many of them are not even accessible as questions. So the big fear of discouraging pupils is well justified. On the other hand, why not explore mathematics by showing how questions often pop up on the way? Posing questions in and about mathematics could lead to interesting answers—in particular to the question of “What is Mathematics, Really?”

Three Times Mathematics at School?

So, what is mathematics? With school education in mind, the first author has argued in Ziegler ( 2012 ) that we are trying cover three aspects the same time, which one should consider separately and to a certain extent also teach separately:

A collection of basic tools, part of everyone’s survival kit for modern-day life—this includes everything, but actually not much more than, what was covered by Adam Ries’ “Rechenbüchlein” [“Little Book on Computing”] first published in 1522, nearly 500 years ago;

A field of knowledge with a long history, which is a part of our culture and an art, but also a very productive basis (indeed a production factor) for all modern key technologies. This is a “story-telling” subject.

An introduction to mathematics as a science—an important, highly developed, active, huge research field.

Looking at current highschool instruction, there is still a huge emphasis on Mathematics I, with a rather mechanical instruction on arithmetic, “how to compute correctly,” and basic problem solving, plus a rather formal way of teaching Mathematics III as a preparation for possible university studies in mathematics, sciences or engineering. Mathematics II, which should provide a major component of teaching “What is Mathematics,” is largely missing. However, this part also could and must provide motivation for studying Mathematics I or III!

What Is Mathematics, Really?

There are many, and many different, valid answers to the Courant-Robbins question “What is Mathematics?”

A more philosophical one is given by Reuben Hersh’s book “What is Mathematics, Really?” Hersh ( 1997 ), and there are more psychological ones, on the working level. Classics include Jacques Hadamard’s “Essay on the Psychology of Invention in the Mathematical Field” and Henri Poincaré’s essays on methodology; a more recent approach is Devlin’s “Introduction to Mathematical Thinking” Devlin ( 2012 ), or Villani’s book ( 2012 ).

And there have been many attempts to describe mathematics in encyclopedic form over the last few centuries. Probably the most recent one is the gargantuan “Princeton Companion to Mathematics”, edited by Gowers et al. ( 2008 ), which indeed is a “Princeton Companion to Pure Mathematics.”

However, at a time where ZBMath counts more than 100,000 papers and books per year, and 29,953 submissions to the math and math-ph sections of arXiv.org in 2016, it is hopeless to give a compact and simple description of what mathematics really is, even if we had only the “current research discipline” in mind. The discussions about the classification of mathematics show how difficult it is to cut the science into slices, and it is even debatable whether there is any meaningful way to separate applied research from pure mathematics.

Probably the most diplomatic way is to acknowledge that there are “many mathematics.” Some years ago Tao ( 2007 ) gave an open list of mathematics that is/are good for different purposes—from “problem-solving mathematics” and “useful mathematics” to “definitive mathematics”, and wrote:

As the above list demonstrates, the concept of mathematical quality is a high-dimensional one, and lacks an obvious canonical total ordering. I believe this is because mathematics is itself complex and high-dimensional, and evolves in unexpected and adaptive ways; each of the above qualities represents a different way in which we as a community improve our understanding and usage of the subject.

In this sense, many answers to “What is Mathematics?” probably show as much about the persons who give the answers as they manage to characterize the subject.

According to Wikipedia , the same version, the answer to “Who is Mathematics” should be:

Mathematics , also known as Allah Mathematics , (born: Ronald Maurice Bean [1] ) is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan and its solo and affiliate projects. This is not the mathematics we deal with here.

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Acknowledgment

The authors’ work has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC grant agreement no. 247029, the DFG Research Center Matheon, and the the DFG Collaborative Research Center TRR 109 “Discretization in Geometry and Dynamics”.

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Ziegler, G.M., Loos, A. (2017). “What is Mathematics?” and why we should ask, where one should experience and learn that, and how to teach it. In: Kaiser, G. (eds) Proceedings of the 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education. ICME-13 Monographs. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62597-3_5

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Why I Actually Enjoy Studying Math

22-year-old college senior

Right now, I am currently double majoring in communication and math. I never pictured myself as a math major. But back in the beginning of my freshman year of college, I met with an adviser who spent all of 10 minutes convincing me to pick up a math major. (Note: this is exhibit A of how I might just be the most easily swayed person ever.) Sometimes, I still don't really see myself as a "math person." Sometimes, I get stressed out when I have to spend hours on just one problem or constantly go to as many office hours and tutoring sessions as possible. Despite the stress and frustration (and loads of homework) that comes with every math course, I really and truly enjoy studying math.

Like I mentioned before, my math classes do take up a good amount of my time and tend to frustrate me. I've definitely thought of how much easier it would be to drop all my math classes. But every time I think I'm done, I decide that my math classes are worth the lengthy homework assignments, the hours spent in the library, and the late-night frustration when solving a difficult problem. Studying math has taught me what it means to really love something. What it means to do something because I really want to, not just because I'm good at it or because I have to. What it means to decide that the hard work is truly worth it.

Last semester, I took a vector calc problem session class where we would do very challenging problems in groups. Now, I know that vector calc problems aren't really relevant to the general public. But in this course, I did not just learn more integration techniques or how to find volumes of weird-shaped figures using multiple integrals at once. I mean, I did learn these things (or at least I tried to), but more importantly, I realized why it can pay off to trust in a crazy idea and to go as far as to see it through. When trying to solve a problem, my group members would always come up with some method that I doubted because I assumed it would be too complex and far-fetched to work. But honestly, their crazy methods were right about 90 percent of the time. In the beginning of the course, I was skeptical whenever someone would throw out an idea that seemed too long or too complicated to give the right solution. But as the course progressed and as I noticed how taking a risk and doing something not according to the rules paid off, I decided to embrace their suggestions and ideas. Taking this course made me realize a lesson that applies to more than just math: it's important to take a risk and not be stuck on this idea of having only one set method of doing things.

Another life lesson that I've learned from studying math is that it is perfectly okay to ask for help. Math is hard. Like, really hard. Sometimes, it's easy to get so caught up in how difficult the work is that you forget that there's always a way to get help. All the professors and TAs I've had are intent on helping the students as much as they can. Sometimes I get caught up in my pride, finding it hard to admit that I am struggling to understand a concept or keep up with the homework. And sometimes, it seems intimidating to go to office hours and talk to your professor one on one. But every time I've gone to ask for help it has paid off. Studying math reminds me of a truth that I tend to forget: You can ask others for help.

Now, I'm not saying that everyone should go and pick up a math major right now. (You all probably aren't as easily persuaded as I am so you would need more than 10 minutes worth of convincing.) But I think everyone should try to study a subject that really challenges them and sometimes even frustrates them. A subject that they may not be naturally talented in but allows them to realize how hard they can work. A subject that actually makes them grow as a person and a student. Because as difficult and frustrating as it can be at times, studying something that you love is truly rewarding in every sense of the word.

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Why I Love Math: [Essay Example], 542 words GradesFixer
The Power of Problem Solving. Another reason why I love math is the sense of satisfaction that comes from solving a challenging problem. The process of breaking down a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts and then systematically working through each step to arrive at a solution is immensely rewarding.
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Despite the stress and frustration (and loads of homework) that comes with every math course, I really and truly enjoy studying math. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.
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Those are great things‚ but there's more to being the one country that I love the most. We are amazing because of our cultural diversity. We are amazing because we have the world's number one source of freshwater. I could go on and on‚ but this essay would be too long‚ so I will stick to what I love most about Canada.