Topics of this article
- 1 - Mathematics in antiquity
- 2 - Application of mathematics today
- 3 - The teaching of mathematics in Ancient Greece
- 4 - Digital teaching and learning of mathematics today
mathematics in antiquity
The study of mathematics as a discipline in the Western world begins in the 6th century BC. C from the philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras. He and his followers coined the term mathematics from the Greek μάθημα (mathema), meaning "study" or "learning". Over time, the term was modified and applied in the various so-called logical disciplines, such as astronomy, arithmetic, algebra and geometry. Today in the Information Age studying mathematics is much easier and more accessible. You can learn from a math teacher from current methods on online teaching platforms, blogs, social networks, youtube, etc.
While an important discipline for the study of logical reasoning, used in deductions and proofs, mathematics will even be important for philosophical thinking.
In the East, the most notable contribution is astronomical observations and the invention of tools such as the abacus, created more than 5 thousand years ago. Used to do basic calculations, the abacus is one of the first known calculators. In the Americas, the study of mathematics can be seen in civilizations such as the Maya, which was able to create a complex calendar based on astronomical observations, as well as the creation of complex structures in pyramids and channels that would be impossible without knowledge mathematical. Thus mathematics can be seen in different civilizations and different times, becoming a universal discipline.
Applying Mathematics Today
Mathematics and logical thinking is a human trait that can be traced back to ancient times. prehistoric due to the particular capacity of human beings to perceive the passage of time and, above all, to want to count. This mathematical thinking is present in our daily lives and is important to develop different tasks, from the simplest, how to tell time and change at the market, as well as more complex tasks like building houses, bridges and technological equipment. It is also implicitly and explicitly present in a wide range of studies and professions, such as Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, but also in Accounting, Administration and Architecture. Like this, learn math It is important because it leads the individual to:
Understand and transform the world around you
Establish qualitative and quantitative relationships
Solve problem situations
communicate mathematically
Establish connections with other areas of knowledge
develop self confidence
In the current context, learning mathematics can be an important tool for understanding climate phenomena that occur in the environment, thus enabling the fight against global warming global. With the help of mathematics, it is possible to interpret the effects of pollution, deforestation, better manage the use of natural resources and put an end to waste. This is because mathematical procedures can be used to:
Information collection and analysis
Processing and interpretation of statistical data
To formulate hypotheses and calculation
Finally, mathematics can collaborate with several other areas of knowledge, such as technologies and languages, thus contributing to the ever-increasing need to cross knowledge in a globalized world, where solving society's problems is imperative.
Teaching Mathematics in Ancient Greece
Today the teaching of mathematics accompanies us throughout our school life and can be continued in universities thanks to public and universal education. But it was not always so...
The teaching of mathematics to the public begins in Ancient Greece, influenced by philosophers such as Socrates (470 - 399 a. C) and sophists of the 5th century BC. W. These made up an intellectual class specializing in philosophy, rhetoric, music, athletics and mathematics. It was at that time that the principles for thinking about the school as we know it today were based. The so-called γυμνάσιον gymnasiums (gumnásion) were where the Greeks received military training and, later, with the sophist movement, they will also become spaces for learning arts and mathematics. Another Greek influence on teaching is the word Lyceum, from the Greek Λύκειον (Lúkeion), the place where Aristotle established his school and which is still used today. Unlike what we know, at that time teaching took place through dialogues, reflections and problem presentations. This kind of high education was possible only for certain classes. It was therefore a different model of universal and obligatory education as it exists now, which in addition to classrooms can count on private lesson with a teacher, courses and lots of free internet content.
Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)
Digital teaching and learning of mathematics today
Despite the universalization of mathematics teaching, learning the discipline is still seen by many students as a taboo, thus also becoming a challenge for educators who want to teach. This is because schools and universities have had difficulties keeping up with the technological and social changes that have occurred in recent decades. The behavior of an increasingly connected and computerized society has generated new ways of relating, learning and producing. In today's world, educational practices for teaching mathematics need, therefore, to be increasingly supported by methodologies and technological tools, so that they are in accordance with the social, economic and informational.
One of the solutions to overcome learning difficulties is the online teaching of mathematics, which can offer new educational practices for students in difficulty or for those who simply seek to improve their knowledge. Everything within reach of a computer or cell phone, a stable internet connection and the installation of external programs.
Online teaching has seen a tightening recently in the context of the global pandemic, where an increase in demand for these educational models could be seen. Today it is increasingly common to find online learning platforms that offer math classes, where through registration monthly or per hour/class it is possible to learn intuitively, thanks to modern page designs, the use of interactive tools, in addition to the availability of finding private math teachers/tutors who can meet the specific needs of the student. Among the advantages of online teaching, we can list:
Affordable prices
Ease of finding a private teacher
Convenience of being able to study at home
Flexibility of hours and days
Didactic and study materials included
Surely our stargazing ancestors as well as the ancient Greek philosophers would have been surprised how far things have progressed. Arising from logical reasoning, mathematics is natural to human beings. If at first math learning was not accessible to everyone, today this reality is different. Not only because of its universalization in schools and universities, but above all because of its expansion through information technologies, such as computers, cell phones and the internet. It is undoubtedly a fundamental piece in the construction of a better world. And more than that: it's available at the distance of a single click! Did you like it? Let's study math?! Or as the Greeks would say: Let's study Mathema?!
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