Formulae

Why do we have to learn up all the formulae someone once asked.

Well if you can understand the concept behind, you will not really need to learn them, just apply them.

Some people just mug, memorise, learn the times tables...some understand & accept the multiplication  and still memorise some numbers to help them with speed. But the latter are comfortable with this memorising.

Similarly for area of Triangle or Pythagorus, its worth while going thru how these formulae were established. There is loads on this on the internet.

However same may not be simple for the ones involving Pie. For those my suggestion is , how we accept a certain shape to be a number or alphabet , accepting a formula created by Mathematicians should not be so difficult.

Geometry/Math in the living room

When someone says where do you really see, use or apply Maths in life...well just look around...

Tables in shapes : round, square or rectangle
Room itself a cuboid
Windows : Rectangle
Fan forming Isoceles or Equilateral Triangles with its blades.
Each corner has 3 angles there
Some bits around may be cylinders : tumblers, table legs.....
The area of the Floor & Ceiling can be calculated quite simply if you have tiles

The wall surface area is calculated by the folks giving a quote to paint the room
The volume needs to be calculated to decide the air conditioning unit
The length of the fan blades (radius) is choses based on size of room!


Maths, Science & Art surround us ...ALWAYS !

Core subjects

In formal education English, Maths & Science are considered core subjects.

The way I explained to someone was that any language, Maths & Science is the basis of knowledge development. One can probably prepare for a History / Geography exam by studying in the last 2 weeks prior to exam . But can any one do that for Math? or English. These subjects are to be imbibed & practiced. The knowledge of these is built block by block from Kindergarten days.

There is a bit of Science in Geography when they learn about types of rain. And their is Math in History when they speak of army formations. There is Chemistry & Physics in understanding erosion of coastlines. There is loads of mathematical applications in Astronomy. There is a lot of Geometry in Art and the world without languages, we cannot imagine. There is load of scientific principles in learning to swim.

If you want you will see angles & symmetry ( Read Geometry ) in Yoga postures.

You will see statistical patters in warming up, running & cooling down

In PE great emphasis is laid on developing the core muscles, which are used in every kind of workout. (May be that is why they are called CORE)

There is Chemistry in cooking as well as in bathing with a soap.

We are surrounded by Math & Science. We are also surrounded by Art & Music, but they don't provide answers and solutions the way Math & SCiences do 

A language provides a means of communication. Science and Math provide answers to everything else.

Learning or teaching Math or Science would not be possible with a language!

Hierarchy of principles / Golden Rules

In Maths the children are taught the BODMAS / PEMDAS ...Brackets Of divisions, Multiplication, Additions & Subtraction or Parenthesis Multiplication, Division, Additions & Subtraction. These are simple rules to apply to complex long maths sums. ( notice the simple rule is that the multiply / divide has to be done before adding or subtracting!)

Like in English we have some rules like 

"I becomes before E, except after C" or "P is silent when before an S" and few more

Similarly in Chemistry while handling chemicals there are rules.

Rules have been made after years of study, research & evaluation as the simplest, smartest, safest & sure shot method of doing something.

Finding X with humour

In Algebra, we apply maths principles to find out "x" the variable.

It understanding the relation of what is known to the unknown and then finding the unknown.
The fist step of the solution is in the question in Algebra.

And on the lighter side.....

In the above example they are asking us to find x, but they have told us its a right angled triangle and the pythagorus needs to be apllies. Rest is multiplication & addition!  :-)

MATHS : In Acronyms

Just for fun.....

Mad
About
THeorems

Mean
And
Torturous
Hour

Mental
Alertness
To attain
Heights

More
Actions
Towards
Holistic
Santitity

Math Fundamentals

When we teach math we start with simple fundamentals of addition, subtraction , and so on. Initially with very small numbers and then with larger numbers.

So we teach children 2+2=4 and then larger sums. And similarly with other fundamentals of mathematics are added as we grow.

As kids grow further they are given word problems which need application of the fundamentals. As they grow older the word problems get complex and they need to apply more than one fundamental.

But the addition and subtraction and multiplication are used forever even at University or while doing a Research.

 Just like in Language you learn the script, then genders & tenses & then grammar. And then one learns to use it all together.

  

(A+B) square

Please view at youtube...I think its very well explained visually

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49_TJymgXgM

When we study together its (A+B) square = A sq + B sq + 2 AB. So both grow and there is more!!!!

And here is the funny side to it!

How simple is it!

Well I read once that any book is nothing but an arrangement and combination of the 26 letters in the alphabet. (Of course this is referring to English!)

Well I can co-relate this to Jolly Phonics a methodology which teaches reading & writing English. As per that there are 26 alphabets and 42 sounds. So each alphabet has a sound of its own and then there are some blends like 'sh' and 'ch' etc

If I expand on this further into art, there are 3 primary colours and rest all hues we see are a combination!

And in Music its the 7 notes & rest is all a combination of patterns.

Also Wheat, Maize, Millet etc are a handful of grains and the combinations ( Flour, Semolina, Oats, multigrain mixes etc ....)  and the many ways they can be prepared : Pasta, Breads of various forms, Roti, Pancakes, noodles and so on. The list is endless.

So it is normal in all spheres of life to have some fundamentals and then combinations can make it exciting (or create complexity) and this golden rule applies to Math as well.

Think about It :-)