GED102

WRITING EXERCISE (WE)(CO1)

Name LIA ALLORIE P. MENDOZA Section A1 Date NOVEMBER 29, 2019

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WHAT MATHEMATICS IS ABOUT?

At first, we would think of mathematics as it is all about numbers. It is
true, but numbers and counting are just the tip of the iceberg that we see about
mathematics. Mathematics also tackles about proving, and processes. We do not notice
these things because mathematics is being stereotyped as merely just about numbers.
Mathematicians are the people that gave mathematics its meaning. Their efforts and
frustrations brought us these meaningful and useful solutions to the problems that our
civilization needed. There a lot about mathematics and we must take a glimpse to some
of its related topics.

Numbers are the fundamental elements of mathematics. Law (2012)

believes that as civilization advanced, numbers advanced with it. This is true because
early civilizations developed the first system of counting. It gave them the ease when
counting numbers because before there is no characters or symbols used to represent
the number of certain things that they are counting. They were just using their hands
and fingers to count or scratch it into wood or bone. There were many techniques to
give representation to the quantity of things being counted back then. Then, the
characters of numbers we use today was developed. These are the characters used to
represent certain quantities to avoid confusion with the number of things being
counted. There was also nothing to represent nothingness during the early days of
mathematics. Together with the development of symbols used to denote numbers, the
concept of zero was also developed. It was idealized that there must be something to
represent “nothingness”, and it’s the symbol we use today to represent the absence of
something. Negatives was also conceptualized as to represent the “lack” or “dept”.

Aside from quantifying and numbers, mathematics also covers the idea of
“processes”. Now, Collins dictionary (2019) states that a process is a series of actions
that are performed to attain a desired result. In mathematics, as simple as performing
the fundamental operations, which are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division, can be classified as performing a procedure. In short, doing mathematics is like
a continuous process. Early mathematicians don’t have the set of instructions to follow,
instead, they formulated it themselves to provide us the necessary tools in making
proper solving procedures. Just like in our everyday lives, a process is always taking
place. From buying how much meat to buy for dinner, we are analyzing the factors like
how many will be eating and for how many days it should last. Next will be determining
the quantities that are being assessed, then paying for what had just been bought. This
simple act in our everyday life is an example of a process. Yes, it doesn’t involve
numbers but it’s mathematics since it followed a well-executed process.

Another aspect of mathematics is proving. Primas (2018) suggest that

a mathematical proof shows a proposition to be true using definitions, theorems, and
postulates. Mathematical laws that governs the different branches of itself and science
would not be available today if proving wasn’t developed. Something that someone said
could not be relied on, unless that person provided the proof to his claims. Just like
during the early times, there were no laws to support such claims, so several evidences
must be provided. The thing is this presentation of evidences should be done
systematically, otherwise, it would confuse those persons observing the proponent. As
mathematics develops with the formulation of laws, the sense of proving systematically
also developed because it provided the foundation of mathematics that gave its
integrity. Just like the idea of processes, proving is also done by following a set of
procedure to ensure its credibility and reliability. In the everyday aspect of our lives, we
seek to find the truth by looking for the clues and evidences that hides within the scope
of our understanding. These fragments of hidden information arranged in a specific
systematic way are what making the things we are looking for truthful.

We should realize that mathematics is not just bounded to numbers and

confusing symbols. It is one important thing in our lives that maintains our
understanding and coping with nature. Without this, we could not be understanding the
occurrences happening in our surroundings. Even the decision we are making could be
unsound due to the possibility of lack in ability to weight the value of such actions or
choices. Our society has been long relying to the laws of mathematics which were
formulated by our ancestors. They saw the unseen boundary of mathematics that’s why
they can apply these to their lives and eventually we adapted to it too. For us, we just
must keep our minds open to maintain the development of mathematics.