Math in Seconds

Why Do We Learn Math?
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Why Do We Learn Math?

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by Kalid Azad · 37 comments
I cringe when hearing "Math teaches you to think".
It's a well-meaning but ineffective appeal that only satisfies existing fans (see:
"Reading takes you anywhere!"). What activity, from crossword puzzles to
memorizing song lyrics, doesn't help you think?
Math seems different, and here's why: it's a specific, powerful vocabulary for
ideas.
Imagine a cook who only knows the terms "yummy" and "yucky". He makes a bad
meal. What's wrong? Hrm. There's no way to describe it! Too mild? Salty? Sweet?
Sour? Cold? These specific critiques become hazy variations of the "yucky"
bucket. He probably wouldn't think "Needs more umami
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami)".
Words are handholds that latch onto thoughts. You (yes, you!) think with extreme
mathematical sophistication. Your common-sense understanding of quantity
includes concepts refined over millenia (zero, decimals, negatives).
What we call "Math" are just the ideas we haven't yet internalized.
Let's explore our idea of quantity. It's a funny notion, and some languages only
have words for one, two and many. They never thought to subdivide "many", and
you never thought to refer
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guugu_Yimithirr_language#Grammar) to your East
and West hands.
http://betterexplained.com/articles/why-do-we-learn-math/ 10/12/2015
Why Do We Learn Math? | BetterExplained Page 2 of 19
Here's how we've refined quantity (http://betterexplained.com/articles/numbers-

and-bases/) over the years:
• We have "number words" for each type of quantity ("one, two, three... five
hundred seventy nine")
• The "number words" can be written with symbols, not regular letters, like
lines in the sand. The unary (tally) system has a line for each object.
• Shortcuts exist for large counts (Roman numerals: V = five, X = ten, C =
hundred)
• We even have a shortcut to represent emptiness: 0
• The position of a symbol is a shortcut for other numbers. 123 means 100 + 20
+ 3.
• Numbers can have incredibly small, fractional differences: 1.1, 1.01, 1.001...
• Numbers can be negative, less than nothing (Wha?). This represents
"opposite" or "reverse", e.g., negative height is underground, negative
savings is debt.
• Numbers can be 2-dimensional
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/a-visual-intuitive-guide-to-imaginary-
numbers/) (or more). This isn't yet commonplace, so it's called "Math" (scary
M).
• Numbers can be undetectably small
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/why-do-we-need-limits-and-
infinitesimals/), yet still not zero. This is also called "Math".
Our concept of numbers shapes our world. Why do ancient years go from BC to
AD? We needed separate labels for "before" and "after", which weren't on a single
scale.
Why did the stock market set prices in increments of 1/8 until 2000 AD? We were
based on centuries-old systems. Ask a modern trader if they'd rather go back.
Why is the decimal system useful for categorization? You can always find room
for a decimal between two other ones, and progressively classify an item (1, 1.3,
1.38, 1.386).
Why do we accept the idea of a vacuum, empty space? Because you understand
the notion of zero. (Maybe true vacuums don't exist, but you get the theory.)
Why is anti-matter or anti-gravity palatable? Because you accept that positives

could have negatives that act in opposite ways.
How could the universe come from nothing? Well, how can 0 be split into 1 and
-1?
Our math vocabulary shapes what we're capable of thinking about. Multiplication
and division, which eluded geniuses a few thousand years ago, are now homework
for grade schoolers. All because we have better ways to think about numbers.
We have decent knowledge of one noun: quantity. Imagine improving our

vocabulary for structure, shape, change, and chance. (Oh, I mean, the important-
sounding Algebra, Geometry, Calculus and Statistics.)
Caveman Chef Og doesn't think he needs more than yummy/yucky. But you know
it'd blow his mind, and his cooking, to understand sweet/sour/salty/spicy/tangy.
We're still cavemen when thinking about new ideas, and that's why we study
math.
Other Posts In This Series

1. How to Develop a Mindset for Math
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/how-to-develop-a-mindset-for-math/)
2. Developing Your Intuition For Math
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/developing-your-intuition-for-math/)
3. Learn Difficult Concepts with the ADEPT Method
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/adept-method/)
4. Brevity Is Beautiful (http://betterexplained.com/articles/brevity-is-

beautiful/)
5. Learning To Learn: Embrace Analogies
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/learning-to-learn-embrace-analogies/)
6. Learning To Learn: Pencil, Then Ink
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/learning-to-learn-pencil-then-ink/)
7. Intuition, Details and the Bow/Arrow Metaphor
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/intuition-details-and-the-bowarrow-
metaphor/)
8. Finding Unity in the Math Wars
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/finding-unity-in-the-math-wars/)
9. Why Do We Learn Math?
10. Math As Language: Understanding the Equals Sign
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/math-as-language-understanding-the-
equals-sign/)
11. Learning math? Think like a cartoonist.
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/math-cartoonist/)
12. Learning To Learn: Intuition Isn't Optional
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/intuition-isnt-optional/)
Posted in Math (http://betterexplained.com/articles/category/math/)
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37 comments
1. Harish Dobhal says:
Nice one.
Maths is the most fundamental science in the actual meaning of the word
‘science’ – the knowledge. It is this fundamental nature of mathematics that
makes us ‘math aware’ and you have described this in a nice way.
The energy-mass relation found by Einstein or the anti-particle discovery by
Dirac’s solutions are examples of how maths is far ahead of our ideas and if we
truly respect the fundamental nature of maths we can explore the vast
information however non-intuitive it may seem to be.
Happy Math
2. kalid says:
Thanks Harish. Yep, math is pretty fundamental to the world. Is math an
approximation of reality, or is reality an approximation of math?
3. mark ptak (http://www.we4dkids.com) says:

How could the universe come from nothing? Well, how can 0 be split into 1 and
-1?
As usual … so insightful. This one line will probably occupy my week.
My mind flashes back to a conversation where a 6th grade teacher was
bemoaning her students apparent inability to get the concept of “number”
place. And yet the “gamers” in class I presume had already moved on to
interpreting the various effects of changing entries within a matrix the started
to delve into the Xbox infused space time continuum (infinite lives).
4. kalid says:
@mark: Heh, awesome :). Yeah, I was really surprised by that “something from
nothing” relation [0 = 1 + (-1)]. I think there may be a difference between true
“nothingness” and “no net difference” (i.e., two forces which are there, yet
cancel).

Good one Kalid. I would go for the latter one – reality might be an
approximation of math!
As for Mark’s comment on nothing, let us think about the Big Bang. The theory
goes that there was nothing – no space, no matter and no energy before the
event. If it was ‘something’ then it has to be ‘nothing’! And everything that is
today is out of that ‘nothing’. Even the word ‘before’ can’t be defined in the
context, its like zero time (as is zero Kelvin). So, the universe came out of
‘nothing’ as 1 and -1 come out of zero! Wow! satisfying example of ‘reality
being an approximation of math’
6. kalid says:
Thanks Harish. Yeah, I love thinking about these types of things — and math
gives us the tools to do it. Would anyone ever consider that something could
come from nothing without the 0 = 1 + (-1) example as a starting point?
7. Kevin Greaney says:

I’m trying to understand part 3.7 – 3.8 on measuring distance in Maths Better
Explained, the one about Rambo, Bambi and Seinfeld. I just can’t figure how
you arrived at 6.7 and 13.34 respectively out of those other figures you gave.
Could you please help me out
8. kalid says:
Hi Kevin! For that example, we want the 3d-distance, which is sqrt(x^2 + y^2 +
z^2). I put the numbers into this calculator:
http://instacalc.com/5199 (http://instacalc.com/5199)
Hope this helps!
9. Methaya Sirichit says:

I like this article’s presentation about the function of mathematics. I think it’s
an interesting way of using an analogy of how we thinks with words and more
words. But I also think that mathematical ideas were shape by our intuitive
sense of direction and space as well. Zero is a math idea; but “emptiness”
probably had existed before zero were discovered.
Words have layers of meaning. Some meanings are lay terms but the same
word may also be assigned to specialized meanings as well – this means that
some words or meanings are more on the side of abstraction. And this is
probably also true for math idea. Lawyers are the worst students of
mathematics (I’m a lawyer), but even they use fancy terms like “denominator”
when they want to borrow the idea of division (just want to sound smarter).
But most mathematical terms goes to the side of more abstraction – at least I
thinks mathematicians want to keep them that way. In the end, very little
math will become intuitive enough to be internalized. What I think is the
problem with math is that math is always taught in school – not as a concept
of thinking – but as a problem solving science/art. Most people are not
problem solving geniuses so they fall apart and hate math. These same people
don’t actually hate abstract thinking; they can be very intelligent individuals.
But for them, learn to think in abstract with words is easier and more
accessible. Whenever one turns to maths, one faces problem-solving
challenges.
I think this is what turn people away from math – and lose its benefit as a tool
for abstract thought.
10. sfx says:

Your insights and intuitions that underscore mathematics are a joy to read!
However, I can’t say I concur with the analogy that the universe coming into
being from nothing might be likened to splitting 1 and -1. This may work for
abstract objects but we should be rightfully suspicious when transposing such
a notion across to physical reality. True nothingness has no properties, not
even abstract ones, and as such cannot undergird a formula let alone anything
tangible. It would seem then that the Lucretian principle of “ex nihilo nihil fit”
still holds true… Out of nothing, nothing comes.
11. Maths student says:
Whilst I’d never say “maths teaches you to think”, I think it is entirely true
(and apposite) to say “maths teaches you to *reason*”: after your first
undergraduate analysis course you never again make unwarranted
generalisations or assume properties that can’t be proved; you learn to make
clear, structured arguments that are logically sound; you learn how to proceed
where intuition fails.
In fact, I suspect that once the “think” to “reason” refinement is made, the rest
of your article becomes redundant!
12. Anonymous says:

where are the references of the text
13. Anonymous says:

The references are you understanding that kalid is a bright individual. If you
want “worse explained” then go to http://www.wikipedia.org
(http://www.wikipedia.org).
14. gunsa (http://www.umkm-online.com) says:

your explanation is still complecated and hard to understand. Can you give a
simple concept of matematics that could inspired and give motivation for
childern and adults. Why people should learn matematics, what is the direct
benefit for living, for small business and for house wife to save the money.
Make it simple and factual.

@gunsa
Mathematics is first and life is next. It rules not only our lives but even that of
animals. Its right there before we opened our eyes, not in the analytical sense
but in the basic sense. A child calculates how much to cry for food, and then
how much to cry when in pain. Even an illiterate person has to know price of
goods if he wants to survive (even if he barters). Now think about animals.
Even they have to know how to count! A bird has to figure out how many days
will it take to build its nest, if it doesn’t then it will not survive. A predator
must have a sense of how many steps it should be behind its prey and how
much force it needs to apply on the ground so that it can catch its prey.
Instinct? yes, but its just another name of built in analytical engine inside
living things.
Even non living things are ruled by mathematics. If you look around and see
nature itself shows how important mathematical equations are. We throw a
stone and its governed by the equation of parabola! And who does not know
the amazing occurrence of Fibonacci series in nature!
16. Erin says:

Kalid…I have been teaching Developmental Math at the community college
level for 13 years. My approach has always been to teach from a viewpoint that
math is a language. ALL of my presentations springboard from the vocabulary
used in that topic. What a delight to read this article written by YOU, Kalid!
Thank you!
17. kalid says:

Hi Erin, you’re more than welcome, that’s awesome to hear! I really think the
“math is language” metaphor works — we need to focus on the message being
communicated, not the grammar rules! Of course grammar is necessary — but
it’s not the focus, what’s the big idea?
18. Brian says:

Math is such a lonely subject. How do you deal with that feeling?
19. Brian says:

Sometimes, Math makes you feel small, either that, or mathematical
knowledge feels so insignifigant or unimportant that you’d wonder, “have I
been wasting my time doing it”
That is probably why I think it’s a lonely subject.
20. kalid says:

Hi Brian, I think it depends on your perspective. I actually like feeling small
and insignificant compared to the ideas, the same feeling you might get when
looking at the stars or a sunset. It’s something cool to be experienced! (And
therefore rarely a waste of time :)).
21. Brian says:

Thanks, and I do like the sunset metaphor. (I consider seeing the sunset to be
eternal gratification just because it’s so relaxing and calming and you can look
at almost like forever if that’s even possible)
PS: Even number theory, E = mc^2 and fermat’s last theorem have hidden
signifigance?
If you tell me that

profit = revenue – expense
and
profitability = profit / expense
and stuff like that, I can see how useful they are but for something as abstract
as H’s uncertainty principle, I don’t see it’s use.
22. Kumar shashi ranjan says:
Mathematics is very important subject in our life.Math makes you feel small,
either that, or mathematical knowledge feels so insignifigant or unimportant
that you’d wonder, “have I been wasting my time doing it”.Good one Kalid. I
would go for the latter one – reality might be an approximation of math!
As for Mark’s comment on nothing, let us think about the Big Bang. The theory
goes that there was nothing – no space, no matter and no energy before the
event. If it was ‘something’ then it has to be ‘nothing’! And everything that is
today is out of that ‘nothing’. Even the word ‘before’ can’t be defined in the
context, its like zero time (as is zero Kelvin). So, the universe came out of
‘nothing’ as 1 and -1 come out of zero! Wow! satisfying example of ‘reality
being an approximation of math’ :)Even non living things are ruled by
mathematics. If you look around and see nature itself shows how important
mathematical equations are. We throw a stone and its governed by the
equation of parabola! And who does not know the amazing occurrence of
Fibonacci series in nature!
23. Blasphemous Aesthete says:

I understand that there are things which we don’t understand yet, we call them
noise, because we cannot process them. It is such a wonderful thought that
we’ve not yet known and bred in our bone what the concept is, but I wish we
could be reminded of it every time we balk on finding a contradiction instead
of vehemently denying it.
For example, when you said that ‘How could the universe come from nothing?
Well, how can 0 be split into 1 and -1?’, I was like, ‘aha! There’s the catch, WE
made up zero to represent nothingness and -1 and 1 as quantities for
something, maybe matter and anti-matter. It is a mathematical manipulation,
a convenient one albeit’.
It doesn’t strike me in the first instance when my instincts are reacting that
maybe somewhere someone just just the same thing with universe, which we
don’t understand. Until we find out, I guess we’ll never know. But yes, maths is
not to be feared, for it is a tool to express things that we observe.
Cheers,
Blasphemous Aesthete (http://aestheticblasphemy.com/blog)
24. Anonymous says:

What would have happened if we had not studied mathematics?
25. Robert Clarke says:

As a thinker and a math teacher, so glad I ran across this article and blog.
26. T. K. Prasad says:

Very nice articles!
27. W E-G says:

Thanks so much for sharing this article, and this website. Your idea of sharing
mathematical ideas through assessing their basic relation to human intuition
is the style of learning that I’ve been looking for all my life. I’ve never really
been satisfied with building upon principles I don’t understand: finally a
website that makes intuitive sense! Thanks Kaled!
28. kalid says:

Thanks W E-G, glad the approach resonates!
29. Jonski says:

If only you were my math teacher all those years back in school!
30. ilikemesomemath says:

Very neat post!
The something from nothing comment made me wonder. If that’s the case
then an infinite number of worlds exist because ie -2 and 2 or -0.7 and 0.7 etc
come from nothing. However it doesn’t seem to make sense since we cannot
have a true infinite number of things in the material sense, otherwise it would
be countable?
Secondly I’d love to hear your thoughts on: Is Math a Feature of the Universe
or a Feature of…: http://youtu.be/TbNymweHW4E
(http://youtu.be/TbNymweHW4E)
31. Paranthaman Rajasekkar says:

Excellent explanation
Now i started to love math
32. KevinG says:

Hi Kalid, I just put my figures together into your calculator and they worked,
but now I have got plenty of theory to get me up to scratch. So thanks for
everything, KevinG
33. Roger Josh says:

Your insights and intuitive explanations are phenomenal. You’re truly a
philomath. Thank you!
34. Tia says:

Thanks for this great website – I plan to send undergraduate students in a
community health class here to help them become familiar with “basics”
before they begin applying them to understand how our physical environments
shape our health. Thank you!
35. kalid says:

@Paranthaman, @KevinG: Thanks!
@Roger: Ha — yep, I love it.
@Tia: Awesome, glad to hear it’s helping!
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In This Series
1. How to Develop a Mindset for Math (http://betterexplained.com/articles/how-to-
develop-a-mindset-for-math/)
2. Developing Your Intuition For Math (http://betterexplained.com/articles/developing-

your-intuition-for-math/)
3. Learn Difficult Concepts with the ADEPT Method
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/adept-method/)
4. Brevity Is Beautiful (http://betterexplained.com/articles/brevity-is-beautiful/)
5. Learning To Learn: Embrace Analogies (http://betterexplained.com/articles/learning-
to-learn-embrace-analogies/)
6. Learning To Learn: Pencil, Then Ink (http://betterexplained.com/articles/learning-to-
learn-pencil-then-ink/)
7. Intuition, Details and the Bow/Arrow Metaphor
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/intuition-details-and-the-bowarrow-metaphor/)
8. Finding Unity in the Math Wars (http://betterexplained.com/articles/finding-unity-in-
the-math-wars/)
9. Why Do We Learn Math?
10. Math As Language: Understanding the Equals Sign
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/math-as-language-understanding-the-equals-
sign/)
11. Learning math? Think like a cartoonist. (http://betterexplained.com/articles/math-
cartoonist/)
12. Learning To Learn: Intuition Isn't Optional
(http://betterexplained.com/articles/intuition-isnt-optional/)
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Why Do We Learn Math?

Why Do We Learn Math?

I cringe when hearing "Math teaches you to think".

Here's how we've refined quantity (http://betterexplained.com/articles/numbers-

Why is anti-matter or anti-gravity palatable? Because you accept that positives

We have decent knowledge of one noun: quantity. Imagine improving our

Other Posts In This Series

4. Brevity Is Beautiful (http://betterexplained.com/articles/brevity-is-

Posted in Math (http://betterexplained.com/articles/category/math/)

Join Over 250k Monthly Readers

Join For Free Lessons

Questions & Contributions

Ask a Question Contribute an Insight

Have a question? Ask away.

3. mark ptak (http://www.we4dkids.com) says:

5. Harish Dobhal says:

7. Kevin Greaney says:

Hope this helps!

9. Methaya Sirichit says:

10. sfx says:

11. Maths student says:

12. Anonymous says:

13. Anonymous says:

14. gunsa (http://www.umkm-online.com) says:

15. Harish Dobhal says:

16. Erin says:

17. kalid says:

18. Brian says:

19. Brian says:

That is probably why I think it’s a lonely subject.

20. kalid says:

21. Brian says:

If you tell me that

22. Kumar shashi ranjan says:

23. Blasphemous Aesthete says:

24. Anonymous says:

25. Robert Clarke says:

26. T. K. Prasad says:

27. W E-G says:

28. kalid says:

29. Jonski says:

30. ilikemesomemath says:

31. Paranthaman Rajasekkar says:

32. KevinG says:

33. Roger Josh says:

34. Tia says:

35. kalid says:

@Roger: Ha — yep, I love it.

@Tia: Awesome, glad to hear it’s helping!

Your feedback is welcome -- leave a reply!

Send me followup comments by e-mail. Or, subscribe

(http://betterexplained.com/articles/comment-subscriptions?srp=2689&sra=s) without commenting.

2. Developing Your Intuition For Math (http://betterexplained.com/articles/developing-

About The Site

Calculus insights within minutes. Free to read online (/calculus).

Math, Better Explained

(/ebook/math) A dozen math essentials (/ebook/math). Amazon bestseller.

About (/about/) Privacy (/privacy/) Contact (/contact/)

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