Bertrand Russell, An Outline of Philosophy:
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Physics is mathematical not because we know so much about the physical world, but because we knowso little: it is only its mathematical properties that we can discover.
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If you don’t mind, I’m going to post my short essay that I wrote on the importance of math. As a warning, it’s not a well written essay, as I wrote it in an hour when I was sick, but I think that the main points are valid.
Mathematics is an important and vital skill. Whether you are constructing a building, or merely making change for a customer, it is an integral part of the world around us. Math is more than the manipulation of numbers. It teaches spatial reasoning and analytical problem solving. Math teaches us that there is more than one way to approach a problem, and often more than one solution. It often teaches us to justify our way of thinking and our results. In our technological society, it is more important than ever. Nearly every field of study requires a good understanding of the mathematical principles behind it. If we are to meet the technological demands in the future, more people have to become proficient in math.
Why should high school students be required to take math courses? Because without them, one would be severely limiting the fields that one could work in. Math is used in everyday situations. Monetary currency, medication dosages, biological studies, taxes, gambling, population and the environment all require a working understanding of math. As someone once noted: “The further you go in Biology, the closer you get to Chemistry. The further you go in Chemistry, the closer you get to Physics. The further you go in Physics, the closer you get to Math.”
The way that mathematics courses are currently set up in our high school system, people have a choice in taking a higher math level geared towards students who are entering a technological field, or lower levels geared towards students for whom math is a lesser part of their ultimate studies. I do generally agree with the way the system is currently set up. It allows some room for individual choice while still ensuring that everyone will be taking some math. Without at least a basic understanding of math, we would be leaving future generations without the skills they need in their daily lives, their future courses and in their careers.
The only suggestion that I have for change in the math curriculum is to combine it more with other classes to which they relate. Physics, for example, is so mathematical that one could certainly extend the length of the course, and teach the math it requires for it as part of the class. People tend to do learn better when the numbers relate to something they can readily envision. I have been told that many people do not truly understand the math concepts taken in earlier levels until it was applied at some point in another course. Math is such an integral part of other courses, that perhaps it could be combined with some of the other courses. For example, trigonometry made a lot more sense to me after it was used in my physics class to determine velocities. The maths and sciences do extend into one another, and the curriculum could be altered to provide more of a whole learning environment, where each class is set up to directly relate to what one is learning in the other.
In order to progress as a society, we must understand the world in which we live. We need to expand our knowledge and understand the physical properties that govern us. Requiring students to take math courses is important to our future.