Hardly anyone will disagree that Mathematics is important but much of why we believe in this idea is because it is a general thought that various institutions have ingrained in our minds since our early days, not because we ourselves are inclined to believe it. Consequently, it is unsurprising that a vast majority of people hold a grudge against Math, seeing it as nothing more than a difficult subject in school that has no actual impact on life later on. From this foundational misunderstanding and forced perspective on the use of Math stems a blindness to why this field truly matters which is because it appears almost everywhere we look and it is capable of explaining countless phenomena, even the ones we regard as most mundane.
Keith Devlin (2000) argues, and I agree, that although the definition of Mathematics has changed dramatically since the beginning of time, the most accurate way to describe the subject is as the study of patterns. If so, looking through this lens makes it more evident that nearly everything under the bright sun touches on and can be characterized by Math in one way or another. Whether we recognize it or not, both our day-to-day activities and nature itself are composed of patterns from things as big as the trend in population growth or the number of people who ride the train everyday to things as minute as the beautiful unique patterns that adorn snowflakes and the number of petals on a specific flower (Aufmann, Lockwood, Nation, Clegg, & Epp, 2018). It is clear then, especially in this age where information is accessed more easily than water, that Math is something the world cannot do without. Its reach is far too wide and its ability to provide structured and exact explanations for a plethora of occurrences is too unique for it to be replaceable. Given all these, as Devlin put it best, Math is essentially the study of humanity and a strong reflection of the workings of the human mind; how far we have gone and how deep we still can go with Mathematics as an instrument to understand the world around us better and to predict what happens next, whether perfectly or not, are living and thriving testaments to the power and privilege gifted to those who appreciate Math not only by understanding the field, but more so by experiencing it.
On one hand, the knowledge that we gain from Math or the hard skills that we learn such as how to solve a quadratic equation and how to utilize a logarithmic function are important tools that we must learn to maximize in order to explain nature more clearly. Going back to the definition of Mathematics as the study of patterns, it is easy to connect that these patterns can be further structured and described through various ratios, formulae, and theories. A simple entry into an online search engine would immediately output hundreds if not thousands of well-known ideas that are used to summarize the understanding and the prediction of various natural phenomena. Among these are the famous Fibonacci sequence and its partner, the Golden Ratio (phi) which is the ratio of successive Fibonacci numbers, that various professionals from across all fields use to model their work into mathematically and aesthetically pleasing pieces (Aufmann et al., 2018). In addition to this, Vila (2010) puts forth the idea that while Mathematics is beautiful in its abstract form, much of it can also be found in the physical world we live in. Concepts such as the Golden Rectangle which deals with proportion seen in many ancient works of man and the Golden Angle (around 137.5 degrees) which is evident in the arrangement of the seeds in a flower are two of the most direct applications of Math that we often overlook. Furthermore, Vila cites the Voronoi tessellation and the Delaunay triangulation, although arguably less known than the Fibonacci sequence and its Golden derivatives, as highlighted in the wings of a dragonfly and similar insects.
Through these concrete examples of using Math to model certain things in the natural world, it becomes increasingly crystal that we can understand many happenings when we represent them through numbers, symbols, and formulae. More than that, these examples undoubtedly support the claim that almost everything, if not everything, can be reduced to a pattern, studied, and explained. Just from combing carefully through two main sources, I was able to gather quite a handful of information on how Math helps us gain a more solid perspective on why particular behaviors or appearances occur around us, patterns that without Math would seem random and without meaning. I can only imagine the universe more of direct applications that awaits discovery upon further research. Drawing from the deeper understanding that is provided by this field, we are also blessed with the ability to use this information to predict what the next part of the pattern will present. For example, through the Voronoi tessellation and Delaunay triangulation, we are able to posit that almost any dragonfly’s wings will follow the same arrangement roughly. In a more practical sense, Math can help us model real-life and pressing issues in symbols and equations such as the trend of climate change and the quickly dwindling number of forests that are alive. In many ways, a deep understanding of Math allows us to look at nature as an amalgamation of patterns disguised as numbers, graphs, people, and animals, and then take all that information and summarize it in one short statement or theory to give structure and uniformity to humanity’s knowledge or prediction of certain phenomena.
On the other hand, and in my opinion more importantly, the soft skills we learn from practicing and effectively using Math such as problem solving, critical and logical thinking, and inferencing are what truly give the subject such high levels of power and relevance. More than the way we need Math to crunch numbers and model an occurrence, we unconsciously need it in order to develop certain skills that could otherwise become weaknesses but with Math become integral to the way we process what we experience from nature on a daily basis. Various studies and sources show that Mathematics affects the brain itself (Digitale, 2011) and education or training in this field significantly develops brain function (Radford, 2001) so much that it can be a predictor of later success (Mongeau, 2013). These bits of information are proof enough that Mathematics as a subject but above that, as a collection of all the other skills we gain from it, has an impact on all of our lives whether or not we choose to go into a career that regularly uses it.
Being able to efficiently and effectively apply these softer skills everyday lends great advantages to how we see the world. Suddenly, the functions and symbols that scientists and mathematicians use to define a phenomenon make sense when it is put in the context of everyday living. Concretely, a model of the effects of climate change hardly has any use when it is on a piece of paper flying limply around some far-flung laboratory. However, a person who can both know Math and put problem solving and logical reasoning skills to good use will see this model as a way to inference what could happen if no immediate action is taken. A fundamental mistake of many of us is that we look at Math as merely a set of numbers used to describe or predict something. However, the true understanding of Math requires more than the memorization of how formulas work to explain what is around us. It calls for the ability to recognize, though not everybody can, how these numbers come into play in a universe that is not nearly as abstract as mathematical solutions, an Earth that is very much real in many ways.
While the connection between knowing Math and being able to apply the skills learned from it does matter heavily, I believe that the most important idea to know about Mathematics is that it is above everything else, a call to action. The culmination of everything in this field is the answer to the question “How can we make the world a better place?” and we, as a human race, have been taking small steps towards addressing this everyday. Math should not end on a blackboard in school or an essay detailing why Math is important but it should continue as an art, as a science that brings to life many abstract things we cannot put into words yet know to be true, and in so doing, craft a reality that is beneficial to everybody. Yes, Mathematics is relevant and is of great value because it is a way for us to gain a better understanding of our world and eventually to predict the future however blurry it may be. However, more than anything, Math is a poignant reminder of what Devlin mentioned, that it is the study of humanity and that the human mind can do so much when it is encouraged and pushed to. Our minds are powerful creatures and that implies that we, too, are innately powerful. We can change nature as we predict it and that is where the truest and purest beauty of Math lies; we are challenged to look far beyond the metaphorical number line and to use what we know to better what we find. If Math as an instrument is already granted a great capability to explain, predict, and by extension, change the world, what more can be said of us, the people who make Mathematics possible, the people who Mathematics was made for?
References:
Vila, C. (2010, March). Nature by Numbers. Retrieved from https://
etereaestudios.com/works/nature-by-numbers/
Digitale, E. (2011, June 6). Adding it up: Research shows how early math lessons change
children's brains. Retrieved from https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/
2011/06/adding-it-up-research-shows-how-early-math-lessons-change-childrens
brains.html
Mongeau, L. (2013, December 1). Early math matters: Top researcher discusses his work.
Retrieved from https://edsource.org/2013/early-math-matters-top-researcher discusses
his-work/50061
Radford, T. (2001, August 28). Maths builds brain muscles. Retrieved from https://
www.theguardian.com/education/2001/aug/28/schools.highereducation
Devlin, K. (2000). The language of mathematics: making the invisible visible. New York: W.H.
Freeman, Henry Holt and Co.
Aufmann, R., Lockwood, J., Nation, R., Clegg, D., & Epp, S. (2018). Mathematics in the modern
world. Quezon City, Philippines: Rex Book Store, Inc.
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