Help with Mathematical Concepts, Not Arithmetic

Band on the Run

My math background is embarassing. My public education was very sad. Although I received good grades in college track math courses, I never understood the underlying ideas or motivations. Math was always rote for me. Most women my age were repeatedly told that girls can't excel in math or science. My father told me ona daily basis how hard it was. I think now that he was referring to math.

I taught myself percentages to take professional school application tests.

My summer reading this year is finishing The Girl with The Dragon Tatoo series. The author refers to a classic math text. Despite two years of Algebra, Geometry, and Trig, I have no clue what he mentions in the text as examples.

Basically, I want to understood what the equation means beyond doing a calculaton. Advanced mathemticians seem so excited about their work. They strike me as extremely passionate.

I don't have time to make up for my poor education. All I want is a pragmatic understanding that can help with real life. Something simple and readable.

Thanks.

james_woods

The most important equations are not really about solving math problems - they are a language in themselves which reveal important truths about the laws of science.

Typically - the most famous: E = MC^2. It is a statement of the equivalence of energy and mass, revealing the immense power tied up in massive particles.

It can, of course, be used to calculate the power released by the conversion of small amounts of mass to energy in reactions - but really, it is a statement of a physical principle in concise language.

Quendi

@ Band on the Run: I'm a mathematician with a degree from the University of Colorado and I absolutely, positively, LOVE mathematics. It is a fantastic discipline and its study has rewarded me in countless ways. I also taught the subject in high school and was able to get some of my students who initially told me how much they hated math to change their minds.

Unfortunately, math is very poorly taught in many American schools. There are a lot of math teachers who hate and fear it, having never really studied it in college, and they communicate their feelings about it to their students. When I taught or tutored others, whether they were still in school or adults, they couldn't believe just how fascinating the subject could be and how capable they were of grasping its basic concepts. And as for women's abilities in this, let me say that some of my best students in high school and fellow students at CU were young women.

I haven't read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, but I'd be happy to explain the math it contains. Please send me a PM and we can talk about this backstage.

Quendi

Fernando

Personally I believe there is limited opportunity to change and improve the world or ones life through knowledge of maths alone. I have done 5th year tertiary maths (the beginnings of "rocket science").

Personally my biggest gains have come from finding and knowing my maker, and rejecting his nemesis - the god of religion.

james_woods

Fernando, with due respect, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

BOTR - it just occurred to me that a very good popular book on one aspect of math is "The Golden Ratio" by Mario Livio. There are not many equations in it, but it is a very complete and interesting discussion of the mathematical constant ratio "phi" and its profound influence on many subjects - ranging all the way from the biology of living things to geometry, architecture, and the fine arts.

Very profound, and yet completely accessible to anyone who has had high school level math and arithmetic.

skeeter1

Different people need & use different segments of mathematics. Calculus is used by engineers, scientists, and actuaries. This is a small segment of the population.

But, such "calculus branch math" is totally not much use for everyday managers and people, who need to understand graphs, relationships, basic algebra and more "accounting/finance" type math. This is a large segment of the population.

Our education system glorifies the calculus branch, making everyone else feel inept math. But, what is needed and used on a daily basis is what people should know, but is unforunately not taught in primary school. So, people don't know calculus, mistified by advanced algebra, and don't know basic financial equations (last, because they were not taught it).

I have an "almost" math undergraduate degree. I have long forgotten much of it, as I just don't use it. Analytical geometry is one course where you "see" the relationships between an equation and real life as parabolas and other objects are graphed. And, in the standard 4 calculus classes where you begin to see the rate of change, volume, area, and how these concepts affected those equations from the lower classes (algebra & geometry). The equations of pi times radius squared and 2 times pi times radius are based in calculus. As the old saying goes, you don't understand addition until you've seen algebra, and you don't understand algebra until you've done calculus. And, all of it is misunderstood until you get to real statistics and matrix theory. But, most people don't need upper level math in their everyday life survival. It is fascinating, for some geeks.

Checkbooks, accounting, finance terms, reading management reports, understanding "math" in contracts (like a mortgage interest amortization schedule) . . . that is what needs to be emphasized to 90% of our population. Unfortunately, our education is focused on classical math.

And, girls can do math. I think that's hogwash.

Skeeter

breakfast of champions

QUENDI - do you know any first-order logic? My homework is killing me!

Quendi

@ breakfast of champions: I understand the basic ground rules of logic--the construction of truth tables and such--but if your homework is anything beyond that, I'm afraid I won't be much help to you. PM me if you think I can be of assistance.

@ james_woods: Any of the ...For Dummies books on the various branches of mathematics are infinitely superior to Livio's book on the Golden Ratio which dwells a lot on number theory and "true" arithmetic. Livio's book is very good, don't get me wrong, but for someone like BOTR it would be putting the cart before the horse. Another series I strongly recommend is the ...Demystified books. Like the ...Dummies books, they are excellent for independent study of a subject or as supplements to any classroom instruction.

@ skeeter: Perhaps math(s) education where you live in the Commonwealth is based on "classical" math, whatever that is, but such is not the case in the United States. Math education in this country is subject to all kinds of fads and psychobabble and not on sound pedagogy. Basic arithmetic and algebra have been neglected for a long time, leaving students woefully innumerate. As for the teaching of geometry, students aren't required to learn the basic axiomatic method. This dumbed down approach is even taken in advanced placement classes here. The result is that even the best students are wholly unacquainted with definitions, axioms and theorems, the basic building blocks to studying mathematics on the college level.

I'd also advise going to the Khan Academy website. Many mathematical courses are taught there in great detail and depth and I've recommended its use to more than one student and math geek.

Quendi

00DAD

Love The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, especially the first and third. I thought the translation of the second book wasn't as smooth.

If you want to see the movies, watch the Swedish ones. They are SOOOOO much better than the American remake.

I recommend watching it with the original Swedish dialogue and English subtitles. The American voice-over dubs are lame, no emotion compared to the original actors.

I don't remember the math reference in the books. Can you refresh my memory? What was it? Which book? Chapter?

BTW, do you know the back story about the author and the publication of the books? It's really interesting, especially how the third/final book was completed after he died.

Quendi

Another book I'd recommend for a quick and enjoyable synopsis is Math In Your Pocket: Over 2,000 facts, figures, and equations by Mark Frary.

Quendi

Help with Mathematical Concepts, Not Arithmetic

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