Is Mathematics interesting?

Question

I am in highschool and one of the questions that really bother me is this one. Most people say that Maths is interesting and you can enjoy it, but to tell the truth I really don't see it. It's confusing, complicated, and I have to be honest really boring. If you find Math's interesting what made you like it so much, and how can I gain that feeling cuz I think that it is a must in seniour highschool.

Answer 1

As someone who teaches Business Math on the college level, among other subjects, I can say that I often have to overcome student lack of interest in the subject.

Is Math interesting? To some, yes; to others, no. But there's no dispute that math is useful and valuable!

What I personally do to make math more interesting to my students is to make it "real." I bring in news events and interesting articles to show how math is really used out there.

I've always found that the more a student can personally relate to the subject, the more interesting it will be. For example, you may not like algebra. But business algebra and math algebra are different.

For example, in business, we calculate Profit by subtracting Cost from Income.

In math, the formula would be something like P = I - C. BORING!

But it business, it can be something like Net Income = Revenue - Cost. More exciting because you see this all over the news!

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Yes, I find math interesting, but also hard. You know what? EVERYONE finds math challenging no matter what age you are. It's also hard to keep the math skills with you throughout your life. You ask some adults what 20% of 20 is, how many do you think can answer that? It's a fairly simple question that comes out to be a whole number (4). But so many will be stumped my that problem. It's hard to do the math. It's hard to remember how you did it. However, the challenge is one part that make math interesting.

I'm taking math classes that I don't really need. People think I'm crazy taking high level math when it's really not part of my major (I'm in college by the way). Think of all you can do with that knowledge though. First, you can know more than other people about math :). Second, it gives you the ability to calculate and figure so you can solve practical problems better. Third, math is applied in so many places (all of the sciences). It's useful! The basic math is the most essential. You'll probably need to figure ratios (which you do in basic math) more often than you'll need to use integration to find the area under a curve.

Is math fun? Not all the time. But once you grasp the concepts, everything gets clear. Math is one of those subjects that when you start out, the topic is vague and complicated, but once you grasp the idea, it's easy.

One piece of advice. No matter how hard or complicated it seems, stick with it! Math is NOT something you want to fall behind in becuase every new topic is based on the previous topic. Therefore, if you don't understand Unit 1, you might not understand Unit 2. Good luck!

And if you have any particular math problems, put them on Yahoo Answers. Someone might be able to help you. Good luck! :)

Answer 4

I find mathematics interesting because I am continually running into results that just blow my mind, where I first think, "how can that possibly be true?" , and then, "how did anyone think of that?" With results like that, utility is not an issue. The problem is that nobody teaches things like that in high school -- they teach towards tests, and the tests have boring questions. For instance, the first time that I saw Pascal's triangle, it seemed to work like magic. Say you want to multiply out (a + b)^n. In high school, all you would learn unless you had a very good teacher would be that you should write down (a+b)(a+b)(a+b)...(a+b) and foil it all out. If n is say, above 3, this would be so pointless and tedious that nobody would do it. However, it turns out that there is an interesting triangle:
1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
etc.
where the next row is created by writing a one at the beginning at the end, and each number in the middle is the sum of the two in the row above it. For instance, the 6 above is the sum of the two 3 's above it. Then if you want to work out (a+b)^4, you go to the row 4 above (i.e., the one starting 1 4 ...), and you read off the coefficients of the terms when you expand out (a+b)^4:
(a+b)^4 = 1*a^4 + 4*a^3b + 6*a^2b^2 + 4*ab^3 + b^4.

It seems to work like magic -- how could a triangle constructed with such a simple rule end up given the solution to a seemingly unrelated problem?

I have been lucky in my life that I have had several teachers who have gone out of their way to show me wild results like this instead of just having me write out 30 step proofs of dumb geometric congruences or drawing the pictures of 20 different parabolas.

Another example -- my high school teacher showed me a figure where it has a finite area inside but an infinite perimeter -- another result that just blows my mind. How is that possible?

There will still be plenty of people who look at my above examples and say, "who cares?", but you asked what makes ME find math interesting, and that is the kind of thing.

Answer 5

Mathematics interests people for several reasons. First is the power it gives you to understand and manipulate the physical world -- the ability to design and build. Most of the cool stuff in the world that we enjoy required a great deal of math to create -- and being a creator of something cool is a great feeling.

Mathematics is also fun for many people that like to think and solve puzzles.

Let x = 1

Then x^2 = x
(x^2 mean x-squared)

Subtract one from each side to get:

x^2-1 = x-1

Factor the left-hand side:

(x+1)(x-1) = (x-1)

Cancel the (x-1) from both sides:
(x+1)=1

Substitute back in the original value (x=1):

2=1

Now figure out what went wrong... :-)

Math is fun and useful. You just have to get far enough into it to be able to play with it or do something constructive with it.

Answer 6

For some people it is, and for some it isn't, and for some it totally isn't.

For me it is interesting, because I like the abstract way in which Math represents the world, the simplicity and pureness of the models, the precision. But then, Math has been easy for me since before I can remember, and that may explain that. But if you don't like Math, that's OK. I think it's a natural inclination, and it also needs a good teacher to make it work for you. Without either, it's just not fun.

Answer 7

Just try it....................... maths is gr8!!!!!!!!

Here i am sending you a secret to know your life partner's name.It is 100% correct, i have tested it myself. People who are already married can obtain that experince by going through this number based system to know your life partner. But please give full concentration while going through this step bcoz it is a question of your life and future. So,leave your work for sometime and give time to your life partner.

FOLLOWING IS THE PROCEDURE

Something for u to try out.....An ancient numerological procedure that

ACTUALLY works!!! (obviously it works !).If u dont Believe It then why Dont u try it out for yourself.

HERE IT GOES!!!!!

I am sure everybody is curious to know

1."Who will be his/her life partner ? "

2." How will she/he look ? "

3." When she/he will meet ? "

And many others

I dont have the answer for the last two.But certainly for the firstone.So if you want to know the name of ur life partner continue.To my surprise, I have found that the results are accurate.

WARNING :

1.Already married people dont try this,Coz u will be upset if she is not already ur life partner.You got the wrong one.

2.This is only for unmarried GUYS/GIRLS.

So UNMARRIED GUYS /GIRLS proceed ...........

Suggestion : Since I am breaking the law of nature(I am telling u the future),please follow the instructions carefully and stepwise. Dont be in a hurry to jump further.Otherwise u may get wrong results.Also it involves a little bit of mathematical computation,whoever Are not so good at Maths, Please keep a calculator Along With U You can get that, Afterall you are going to get a TRUTH So trying a littl! e Hard is OK.


FIRST STEP :

Write down your full name on a plane paper (Only real name not containing the initials and last names,no nick names,no short sweet names )

Now you have written down ur name.

MAGIC_LETTER1_TABLE

A=9.5

B=66.5

C=114

D=161.5

E=209

F=19

G=76

H=123.5

I=171

J=218.5

K=28.5

L=85.5

M=133

N=180.5

O=228

P=38

Q=95

R=142.5

S=190

T=237.5

U=47.5

V=104.5

W=152

X=199.5

Y=247

Z=57



SECOND STEP :

Next by looking to the above magic-letter1-table , write down the corresponding numbers.(Encrypt your name by those numbers. Following are not the exact numbers from magic table) for eg : M A N J U 10 20 30 40 50 Now you have written down t he numbers below the corresponding Letters


THIRD STEP:

Multiply all the numbers you by 13. (some people believe 13 is bad omen.But after this,they will not) Now you got the product.Write them below the corresponding letters (all should be written down like a table. Following are not the exact numbers from magic table) for eg : M A N J U 10 20 30 40 50 130 260 390 520 650 and so on Got it?


FORTH STEP:

Girls Write down these 2 MAGIC NUMBERS before the numbers you got.

They are 1729 1852.5

for eg: 1729 1852.5 130 260 390 520 650

Boys Write down these 3 MAGIC NUMBERS before the numbers you got.

They are 1729 1852.5 2470

for eg: 1729 1852.5 2470 130 260 390 520 650


FIFTH STEP:

Now add 17 to all these numbers (including magic numbers) for eg: 1746 1869.5 137 267 397 527 657


SIXTH STEP

Now the next step divide all these numbers by simple 4.



SEVENTH STEP:

Now comes the most crucial step.Decrypt the answer using the below MAGIC_LETTER2_TABLE and know the name of ur life partner.

A=35.125

B=220.375

C=374.75

D=529.125

E=683.5

F=66

G=251.25

H=405.625

I=560

J=714.375

K=96875

L=282.125

M=436.5

N=590.875

O=745.25

P=127.75

Q=313

R=467.375

S=621.75

T=776.125

U=158.625

V=343.875

W=498.25

X=652.625

Y=807

Z=189.5

Answer 8

will mathematics are intersting indeed.

you look at it as it is just a school material but it is not true

imagine that everything you study in mathematics exists in the real life .

for example : if you don't know mathematics how (when you are older ) can calculate your income and your payouts and payin with your balance .

another thing : when you ar traveling with the car , you know the distance which you will take so you can use mathematics to make estimation for the time of the trip .

I hope i helped you

Answer 9

am in highschool too. senior and 15. math is my least favorite subjects before but i love math now, though math doesn't love so much. i like geometry and calculus the best, i got a teacher from a prestigious college university who teach real good and so math became interesting for me, and now i keep it as a challege. maybe it was your teacher who is boring or maybe you just don't take math as something important so it seem boring, or else you don't understand the subject well that's why you always think it's boring. try to take it as a challenge and focus on it, ask the help of others, tutors maybe.
remember, if you are weak in math, do your best to overcome that weakness asan- as soon as now. it might cause your downfall in the end.

Answer 10

look at the way that mathematics affects your everyday life and really lok for interesting ways to apply what you know in your daily experiences. pick a topic such as fractions and see how many times you use fractions in a day. gradually work through the different topics and eventually arrive at the calculus. Calculus in everyday life? surely not? you'd be surprised! its Fun and also helps with remembering for exams. Practical experience better than staring at a page of numbers!