Mathematics: Wonder or Nightmare?

So, seeing at how many topics exist about politics, religion or whatever else people like to think as SD, i guess this thread can be a tribute to the “Queen of Sciences”, mathematics.

Basically say how you feel about it, what do you like, what you don’t like, your world view and what role Mathematics play in it. You can also discuss problems.

What’s to discuss?
Ya already established the only thing that really matters….that math is basically indispensable to have the quality of life we have.

Our own personal opinions on it matter very little..
Oh…math in high school was sooooo hard for me.

We now use computers (rather than slide-rulers) and math is fast & easy.

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

What’s to discuss?
Ya already established the only thing that really matters….that math is basically indispensable to have the quality of life we have.

Our own personal opinions on it matter very little..
Oh…math in high school was sooooo hard for me.

We now use computers (rather than slide-rulers) and math is fast & easy.

I don’t think that anyone would argue that we don’t need mathematics anyway so i doubt it was my thing.
And i mostly wanted to see some discussions about something i like and is pretty SD which is not common on those forums. Sadly.

Maybe ya could change the focus…
change the title.
We know math really isn’t much of a “nightmare”….
at least beyond those who “need” to learn it (in school mostly).

Maybe we could discuss the many APPLICATIONS of math that ppl aren’t aware of….
maybe the potential of where math will be applied in the future?

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

Maybe ya could change the focus…
change the title.
We know math really isn’t much of a “nightmare”….
at least beyond those who “need” to learn it (in school mostly).

Maybe we could discuss the many APPLICATIONS of math that ppl aren’t aware of….
maybe the potential of where math will be applied in the future?

We can talk about whetever mathematical, i don’t really mind. Anyone can drop in and give his two cents on the matter. If you want to make it more technical, be my guest. I might do that too if people show interest in the topic.

The problem is, most of us who have a good foundation in math, use it extensively in our working lives. I’m not sure how many would be willing to discuss aspects that haven’t been done to death already.

it’s the language of the cosmos. or at least, it’s our attempt to decipher it. it’s how we measure everything up to everything else, and without it, any idea of reality outside of what we are perceiving through our five senses would be mere guesswork.

Originally posted by OmegaDoom:

it’s the language of the cosmos. or at least, it’s our attempt to decipher it. it’s how we measure everything up to everything else, and without it, any idea of reality outside of what we are perceiving through our five senses would be mere guesswork.

Nicely put.

Even then, the seven core senses are not as reliable as you might hope. It is quite easy to fool them or let them fool themselves.

Math is ok. If you don’t like math it is beacouse you have a bad teacher, also math is pointless without the others scientific discipline, the final goal of the math is to unlock the secret of the universe.

EDIT: Also related to the machines that runs our games..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boolean_algebra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_numeral_system

With out maths, world will be pretty much in chaos.
No way to know time or speed or distance or financials or bits and bytes modern world will pretty much collapse.
hmmmmm something to consider for my master evil plan.

In the context of American public education, nightmare.

In the context of daily life, wonder.

Originally posted by TheAznSensation:

In the context of American public education, nightmare.

In the context of daily life, wonder.

B I N G O

We have the winner !

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

Originally posted by TheAznSensation:

In the context of American public education, nightmare.

In the context of daily life, wonder.

B I N G O

We have the winner !

Hmm do they teach math in such a bad way over there at America?

Originally posted by Dante_Dreiman:

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

Originally posted by TheAznSensation:

In the context of American public education, nightmare.

In the context of daily life, wonder.

B I N G O

We have the winner !

Hmm do they teach math in such a bad way over there at America?

Sadly, IMO…this is pretty much the case.
At least when talking about PUBLIC schools.
Private schools are usually a whole different thing.
Parochial schools usually spend too much time w/ indoctrination.

Most of the reason for pathetic public education is the low pay for the teachers. The best just end up going for better paying jobs….there is only so much luv of educating children that will sustain the horrid viewpoint of our society when it comes to financial support of education.

We put athletics far above mental achievement.

Maths is a nightmare for me…even basic adding, I just block out what numbers I see and go to my happy place.

It doesn’t mean I can’t ‘do’ maths…it’s that I avoid having to do it as much as possible.

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

Originally posted by Dante_Dreiman:

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

Originally posted by TheAznSensation:

In the context of American public education, nightmare.

In the context of daily life, wonder.

B I N G O

We have the winner !

Hmm do they teach math in such a bad way over there at America?

Sadly, IMO…this is pretty much the case.
At least when talking about PUBLIC schools.
Private schools are usually a whole different thing.
Parochial schools usually spend too much time w/ indoctrination.

Most of the reason for pathetic public education is the low pay for the teachers. The best just end up going for better paying jobs….there is only so much luv of educating children that will sustain the horrid viewpoint of our society when it comes to financial support of education.

We put athletics far above mental achievement.

no child left behind, which basically means all kids forced to retard to the level of the dumbest. of course, private schools are excepted, so, it’s obvious what they’ve done.

the rich people, that make these decisions, they know public school is crap, they’ve fucked it up. it’s so their private school children will have less competition.

and that’s not a conspiracy theory, i’m just adding 1+1.

Originally posted by OmegaDoom:

no child left behind, which basically means all kids forced to retard to the level of the dumbest. of course, private schools are excepted, so, it’s obvious what they’ve done.

the rich people, that make these decisions, they know public school is crap, they’ve fucked it up. it’s so their private school children will have less competition.

and that’s not a conspiracy theory, i’m just adding 1+1.

OH dear,,,,as horrible as the truth is…
YOU are so right.
I wonder if some ppl here are able to see the social implications ya point out?

AND, I’m LMAO at how ya managed to toss in the “pun”.

No Child Left Behind says that schools have to reach a certain standard on testing, or they lose money.
So therefore: American education is very “teach to the test.”
They have students learn the process of accomplishing a test, in the format it’s going to be on the test.
There is no time for conceptual or abstract learning, just rote memorization.

Derivative?
Do this, then that, then that.
Optimization?
Do this, then that, then that. You might see a question like this, so instead you do this, then that, then that.

It doesn’t allow students to discover and learn on their own, which in my opinion is the best way to learn.
It’s teaching kids to grow up in a world where they follow the steps instead of making their own.

It’s teaching kids to grow up in a world where they follow the steps instead of making their own.

And doesn’t it show! Whenever I telephone a company these days, if I can get past the obstacle course sometimes referred to as the automated exchange, I always seem to end up talking to some moron reading his answers from an idiot card. Now I know that cost reduction bears a lot of the blame, but does anyone else think that this kind of monkey sees monkey does education also has a hand in this modern day iniquity which has been thrust upon us?

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

Originally posted by Dante_Dreiman:

Originally posted by karmakoolkid:

Originally posted by TheAznSensation:

In the context of American public education, nightmare.

In the context of daily life, wonder.

B I N G O

We have the winner !

Hmm do they teach math in such a bad way over there at America?

Sadly, IMO…this is pretty much the case.
At least when talking about PUBLIC schools.
Private schools are usually a whole different thing.
Parochial schools usually spend too much time w/ indoctrination.

Most of the reason for pathetic public education is the low pay for the teachers. The best just end up going for better paying jobs….there is only so much luv of educating children that will sustain the horrid viewpoint of our society when it comes to financial support of education.

We put athletics far above mental achievement.

What are you taught in 9 th grade and above?
In 9 th grade we have a choice:-
Science or arts.
Arts has math but simple 2+2 kind, just art worthy.
As for science, its algebra, trignometry, geometry, sets, matrices, basic statistics etc.
then 11th we again have a choice:-
arts, science or commerce.
In arts, usual artsworthy maths.
In science, if biology, no maths, if Engineering, engineering related maths.
If comp.science, computer related maths with statistics.
If commerce, Business maths and statistics.

I never understood why Americans hate pedophiles so much so I guess I will never understand why they hate this ‘math’, whatever it is.

I guess it is just a cultural difference

Originally posted by dd790:

I never understood why Americans hate pedophiles so much so I guess I will never understand why they hate this ‘math’, whatever it is.

I guess it is just a cultural difference

…I love math…

Hmm in my opinion children shouldn’t be given the chance to “skip” mathematics like that. I mean, mathematics do more than just teach you to count, add, substract, etc. They teach you how to think.

Math may be rough for some people while they’re learning it, but without math, we would be stupid, unintelligent, and less advanced compared to life with math. I agree, math is a wonder. While learning it, it could be a nightmare.