Mathematics as a Resource



What is Mathematics ?3

Was math invented or discovered ?4

Why is mathematics part of the school curriculum?5

History of mathematics being made part of school curriculum7

Ethno-mathematics8

South African Situation9

Personal perspective and Views on the preceding four paragraphs10

References11



Mathematics as a Resource

What is Mathematics ?

Mathematics is a type of science in which studies are out regarding quantity of various types, structure of various elements, space and change. It is due to the solidity of certainty that Mathematics moreover known as math has become a basic necessity of the world today. Without math, it would be difficult to exist as its utilization is a must in nearly every sentence. Mathematics is something that helps us in finding and revealing hidden patterns existing. As compared to when math came on the fore front of our existence, when math was just used for arithmetic and geometry, nowadays math is for various inferential, deduction and proofing studies.

Mathematics is a discipline that is part of science, however it is a bit different to the other types of sciences in the sense that math relies heavily on logic rather than observation. Physics, chemistry, biology, and the other many types depend heavily on observations even if there is some deviation in terms of the logic. Math has into being for the certain needs and wants of the human being, just like every other thing that man has created.

Mathematics is in a variety of fields whether its any type of science such natural or social, however it is in the field of engineering, and to a certain extent medicine. It would be difficult to state the different functions of math. There are various branches of mathematics consisting of computational theory, pure mathematics, applied mathematics and also statistics.

The root of the term mathematics is in the Greek word math-emata, which was used quite generally in early writings to indicate any subject of instruction or study. (Burton, 2007,Pp 4)

Was math invented or discovered ?

As far as the question regarding the fact regarding whether mathematics were invented or discovered. This is pretty debatable topic and has been continuing for a very long time, you can go back as far as when the human being got rational in their living. A very much divided chain of opinions exist in this regard.

There is a certain group of people who think that it was invented, and some think that it was due to the human being's rational thinking that mathematics as a tool were discovered, on the other hand there is a group of people who think it is a combination of both invention and discovery. In this aspect, it is certainly important that we are able to differentiate an invention to a discovery and know the meaning of the two terms. Invention means something that did not exist before until and unless the humans found or created it. Discovery is something that existed well before the humans found it.

This debate is into pro platonic theory and opponents of ...