Philosophy of math
Mathematics is not just the calculation of numbers. Mathematics is composed of many different aspects that make it such a fascinating subject to study. It includes problem solving, critical thinking, analytic thinking and the most important aspect – it is used in our everyday lives. There are some people that tend to cringe at the thought of having to complete math problems in school, but unbeknownst to them, they solve math problems all the time during their daily activities. These problems may not always be solved using operations with numbers, but use critical thinking to solve it.
My favorite part of math growing up was problem solving. I would be given an excerpt of a problem and asked to figure out a solution using only the numbers given to me, if any, and the knowledge I already had. The best part was not finding a solution, because I already knew that every problem of course had a solution. The best part was the steps I took to arrive at the solution. Math challenged my mind to think outside of the box and come up with ways to solve a problem I didn’t even know I had. Some people become frustrated with math because the correct answer is not always given to them on a silver platter. Instead they have to think harder and have more patience during the process of solving. As Seneca said, “difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” An important aspect of math is that you learn from your mistakes. I believe the word ‘fail’ does not exist in the world of math because with each mistake comes knowledge, not a failure. You learn what not to do and figure out alternative routes to arrive at the correct answer. So whether you are making mistakes or forming correct answers, you are leaning how to get through difficulties and therefore strengthening the mind. Your mind is then ready to face new and exciting challenges.
Society is filled with math problems disguised by the masks of bill payments, time management, recipes, retirement saving, home decorating, and the list goes on and on. The better you prepare your mind for these problems earlier in life, the easier it will be to solve them later in life. While history and sciences are changing and evolving every day, math continues to remain constant. For our ancestors, 1+1 was equal to 2 and it will continue to equal 2 when our grandchildren attend school. The matter in which the problem will be solved might change from person to person, or generation to generation, but the result will always be the same.
Being a math major does not only show people that I am good at number operations. It shows them that I am a critical thinker and a problem solver. These were not skills that only helped me pass the math courses I took throughout my schooling, but they are skills that will help through the daily struggles of life and be an advantage in the workplace. With math, we have endless possibilities and reassurance that there is a solution to every problem thrown our way.
My favorite part of math growing up was problem solving. I would be given an excerpt of a problem and asked to figure out a solution using only the numbers given to me, if any, and the knowledge I already had. The best part was not finding a solution, because I already knew that every problem of course had a solution. The best part was the steps I took to arrive at the solution. Math challenged my mind to think outside of the box and come up with ways to solve a problem I didn’t even know I had. Some people become frustrated with math because the correct answer is not always given to them on a silver platter. Instead they have to think harder and have more patience during the process of solving. As Seneca said, “difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” An important aspect of math is that you learn from your mistakes. I believe the word ‘fail’ does not exist in the world of math because with each mistake comes knowledge, not a failure. You learn what not to do and figure out alternative routes to arrive at the correct answer. So whether you are making mistakes or forming correct answers, you are leaning how to get through difficulties and therefore strengthening the mind. Your mind is then ready to face new and exciting challenges.
Society is filled with math problems disguised by the masks of bill payments, time management, recipes, retirement saving, home decorating, and the list goes on and on. The better you prepare your mind for these problems earlier in life, the easier it will be to solve them later in life. While history and sciences are changing and evolving every day, math continues to remain constant. For our ancestors, 1+1 was equal to 2 and it will continue to equal 2 when our grandchildren attend school. The matter in which the problem will be solved might change from person to person, or generation to generation, but the result will always be the same.
Being a math major does not only show people that I am good at number operations. It shows them that I am a critical thinker and a problem solver. These were not skills that only helped me pass the math courses I took throughout my schooling, but they are skills that will help through the daily struggles of life and be an advantage in the workplace. With math, we have endless possibilities and reassurance that there is a solution to every problem thrown our way.