What is math? The term math is a very difficult term to define. There are both technical and philosophical definitions of math. Because of the many applications of math, math has different definitions based on these different applications. No one definition is incorrect yet no one definition seems complete.
The official definition of math is the study of quantities and relations through the use of numbers and symbols. This definition applies to the progressive areas of math. Arithmetic deals with quantities expressed by numbers. Algebra uses quantities and relations expressed by symbols. Geometry involves quantities and figures in space, such as length or area, and the relationship between these quantities and figures in space. Trigonometry is the measurement of angles and related fields. The list goes on and on.
However, math is so much more than just figures, quantities, and numbers. Math is a part of the universe that can never be removed because it is so prevalent-it is everywhere! A person runs into math everywhere they turn. It is found in nature prevalently. For example, much of nature is related to Fibonacci’s Sequence. Pine cones have spirals, which are numbered by Fibonacci’s Sequence. Bees are born in to families following a pattern of Fibonacci’s Sequence. Petals of flowers and branches of plants have this same connection to math.
In history, Pythagoras coined the phrase “All is Number.” He was trying to make the students see that everything around us is a part of math. Most people see the connection between math and nature. The arc of a rainbow, the shape of a trees’ limbs, the number of petals found on a flower are all aspects of math in nature. Pythagoras saw this. His students saw this. Math is everything. Math has a role in every part of life. Even the simple act of skipping stones into a river is part of math. Amazing. So, next time you walk outside, look very closely at the plant. It could reveal the secret world of math in one small leave. |
