Quarter 3 "What is Mathematics?"
Students, use the following link to read the article, then create a post in the comments section of this page. (I know the page is a little old)
After posting, please wait a couple days/weeks and make a second post, commenting on another student's post
Here is a link to the scoring rubric for your posts:
This response was a little puzzling at first. Math is more than just numbers. It is a series of axioms and theorems. I also loved the chess analogy. I enjoy playing chess, so I can understand the mental processes that occur when playing. If we changed the rules for chess, like adding ghosts, then it would be a completely different game. This applies to math as well. If we said that two lines that are parallel, intersect, then the formulas for that portion of Geometry would be completely different. Thus changing math for the worst. All in all, this article was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteYa, it is very interesting when i talks about two parallel lines intersect. That part is very confusing to me.
DeleteIt is very interesting to think about a few "minor" math rules being changed. Even one definition being changed, such as parallel lines, could change the process of many different areas of math.
DeleteA point that I liked in the article is how he described the actual essence of math like a collaborative game of "what ifs" by mathematicians. The mathematicians make up certain sets of rules and then discover and learn about the consequences of these rules
ReplyDeleteI agree. That point is very good. Mathematicians have always pondered the "what ifs" of the world. If we said that parallel lines intersected, then the consequence would be tremendous.
DeleteI like the article's subject and how it goes on in detail, explaining mathematics and the rules
ReplyDeleteVery nice point, i like this article for the same reason.
DeleteI thought that it was an interesting way to explain math. I like how it talks about how math is like chess. I also liked how it told that math is like asking "what if?"
ReplyDeleteIt was cool how he used different ways of playing games or real life situations into a different way. He mentioned a chess board going out a third dimension and game pieces disappearing. I never thought off it that way and thought of how that could be effected by mathmatics
ReplyDeleteYes, I also don't think that deeply about things. The fact that some people do makes my brain hurt lol:)
DeleteI agree, I never thought about math like a chess board. It was interesting how the author compared making changes to the game of chess to making new discoveries in math.
DeleteI agree. I really like the perspective that the author took in this article!
DeleteI thought it was interesting how this article talked about theorems causing questions which can then cause new discoveries. The simple question, "What If" can change the way we see everything and the things we can create. It is an important question to ask concerning math, because there are always new discoveries to be made. The comparison of math to chess was different to think about, because I have never compared the two. Overall, this was an interesting article to read.
ReplyDeleteI think that comparing math to chess is different like you said too. I haven't thought about it like that either. It gives an odd representation of math. I also agree that the question "What If" can change ways we see things and that those "things", whatever they are, really can be changed. Finally, I like your opinions over this article. They were well written.
DeleteI thought it was really interesting that the writer compared math to a game of chess. He explained that people start with what they know, then add on to it or try to find ways to improve. They make a theory or statement and then test it out in different situations or perspectives.Often times they find things that they hadn't discovered before, just by starting with a simple statement of piece of knowledge. I really enjoyed this article!
ReplyDeleteThat's really true... mathematicians don't always start with the knowledge they need but gain to it and add to it with hard work and diligence
DeleteI agree with you Elly, Often times mathematicians start with not alot of knowledge, but as time goes by they gain more and more knowledge of math
DeleteIt was a great article about how math works and how mathematicians approach it. I believe we could all improve on how well we do in math class if we approach it the way the author does.
ReplyDeleteYa. I liked how the article talked about how there can be numerical sequences that completely change the way games work
DeleteI guess I didn't realize until now that math has more to do with than just numbers. Many of times we overlook everyday occurrences and just focus on the math we learn in math class.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Math is everywhere around us. We just don't take the time to look around and see it. Lots of times I just see math as a class I need to pass in order to do well in life, but it much more than the numbers, as you said.
DeleteYeah I didn't know or really care what math really was. It was always just some numbers to me. Now I see it is much more than that.
DeleteThis artical is just pretty much stating that a mathematician thinks really deeply about things. I found it kind of confusing to be honest.
ReplyDeleteI did to Abby. But it is an interesting way to think about math.
DeleteI thought this article was a little confusing. Although, it ended up making a little more sense with the chess analogy, but still a little challenging to understand.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I still wouldn't recommend the article.
DeleteI agree that the article was a little confusing. I had to read it twice to fully understand it, but the chess analogy was pretty helpful for me. It seemed funny to me how simple the question was and how complex the answer was. In all, the article made me reconsider what math is all about, and that was what I liked about it.
DeleteI kind of liked it. It was pretty boring. a lot of complicated words. not recommended. ...........
ReplyDeleteDrew, I strongly disagree with you!!! I thought that this man thought a lot about this article, and that it was very good.
DeleteI liked how it told about the chess pieces and compared them to math problems.
ReplyDeleteThis was a fun read, and I recommend it.
The article was showing that math is just more than numbers. I also liked how the author compared it with chess. It made much more sence after he did so.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this article's perspective. It's hard to define math, as many of us see it as a confusing jumble of numbers. I've never really stopped to consider how it all got figured out. The analogy to chess was very helpful in seeing the process of figuring out all the parts of math. The author did a very good job on putting a difficult concept into words.
ReplyDeleteI agree, math is a generally confusing subject for most people. Even when someone goes into depth to try and explain a certain part of math, you still might be left with some questions, if not a completely new set of questions. The author did an excellent job describing the main concept of what mathematicians do.
DeleteI think it's interesting that people can ask all different kinds of questions and based on the principles of math known to be true, there will be an answer. This article makes math seem like more of a game or puzzle rather than a confusing subject in school which makes the whole concept of math more appealing.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting article. I liked the description they gave of math. It said that math was just a series of games of "what if" being played. Even though the article wasn't very fun to read, it was still intriguing and made me think.
ReplyDeleteyeah it was also interesting the questions he asked about chess and made me think what would that sort of question would be like mathematically
DeleteYeah I never thought of math as a bunch of "games". I always thought it was a bunch of smart people just sitting around doing smart stuff. It puts things in a different perspective.
DeleteBefore reading this article I had never though about math super-deeply I agree it wasn't very fun to read but I think I will learn from it.
DeleteI like how this article alluded math to playing a game of chess. It made it more like a game rather than the concept that is taught in classes. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI agree, most of the time people think of math as something that is begrudglingly learned in classrooms for no apparent reason. But the comparision to chess made math seem like something deeper and more intriguing to learn about.
DeleteI like how this article proves that we use math in multiple things we do. Like how some television shows uses math to solve crimes even though it is fiction, it really makes you think.
ReplyDeleteI like i this article talks about the essence of mathematics. Also how it makes the point that we began to form questions and invent new solutions and problems.
ReplyDeleteI like how it said " mathematicians are interested not only in what happens
ReplyDeletewhen you adopt a particular set of rules, but also in what happens
when you change the rules." it changes the perspective we should have on math and changes the way we should see math.
that came out weird
DeleteI agree. everything is changeing continuasly. so the rules have to change too. In math new things are being disovored like inthe article calculus and so on but some things have to stay the same like 2x2=4=2+2
DeleteWhen i think about the definiton of Mathematics, many things come to mind. Most of those things are numbers and equations and graphs etc. But it was intersesting to think about how math was made, by a few men sitting aroud pondering about the rules of different things. Math is much more complicated than people assume it to be.
ReplyDeleteYou are right! Most people don't really care about math and think its just numbers, equations, and graphs when really its more than that
DeleteI liked this article and how it related and gave examples like playing chess. It changed my perspective on math how its not just numbers but a lot of knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI liked how the author didn't just give a simple definition for math, but gave a definition then explained what it meant and gave a parallel to compare it to. He provided a good way to think about math.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this article and thought it was very well written. I also liked how it explained very well what mathematics is.
ReplyDeleteI was very intrigued and puzzles reading this article but it made me think and I realized just how math really works in our lives as david said math is just games... Overall, I liked it
ReplyDeleteThis article was nice. I liked how Doctor Ian used chess as an example of how mathematicians think. His perspective on math had a puzzling touch to it that I liked as well. Math can be very complex and I'm glad humans have been able to figure it out over the years.
ReplyDeletei liked this article. It had alot of time put into the article. he made multiple Q,s and A,s like whot if parts of the board disapear and so on.it was very thaought out.
ReplyDeleteyeah i agree it was very thought out
DeleteThis article really made me reconsider what math is all about. I've always wondered how mathematicians figured out many of the common rules and theories we use in math today. Now I realize that they just totally think outside the box and ask those " What if " questions. I did have to re-read the article, because it was a bit confusing at first. Now I understand it. I also found it funny how simple the question was, and how detailed and complicated the answer was.
ReplyDeleteThis article really challenged me to actually THINK practically about stuff even when I'm not forced too. It seems like only the stereotypical "smart" people actually think deeply about real life stuff. It was really interesting to hear what math really is, I feel like I have more respect for people who enjoy math now =]
ReplyDeletesorry, I'm Kelly but Im on my sister's account
DeleteYeah i totally agree and i really liked this article. it was very interesting.
ReplyDelete