SUBJECT NATURE AND

SUBJECT HISTORY OF
MATHEMATICS
Meaning
• From Greek word ‘Methema’ means ‘that which is learnt’
• ‘Mathiano’ – ‘to learn’

• Mathematics is the science of numbers, words, signs etc. with which

we can know about magnitude, direction and space.
Definitions
• Oxford Dictionary: Mathematics is the science of measurement, quantity
and magnitude.
• Aristotle : Mathematics is the study of quantity.
• Galileo: Mathematics is the language in which God has written the
universe.
• Locke: Mathematics is a way to settle in the mind of children a habit of
reasoning.
• Bacon: Mathematics is the gateway and key to all sciences.
• Gauss : Mathematics is the queen of sciences and arithmetic is the queen
of all mathematics.
Nature of Mathematics
1. Mathematics is a science of space, number, magnitude and measurement.

2 Mathematics has its own language.

3. Mathematics involves conversion of abstract concepts into concrete forms.

4. It is the science of logical reasoning.

5. It does not leave any doubts in the mind of learner about theories,
principles, concepts etc..
6. Mathematics helps to develop self confidence, self reliance, sense of
appreciation and scientific attitudes among children.

7. It provides training of scientific method.

8. It gives accurate and reliable knowledge which is based on sense organs.

9. Mathematical knowledge is exact, systematic, logical and clear.

10. Mathematical rules, laws and formulae are universal and that can be
verified at any place and times.
11. Mathematical language is well defined, useful and clear and it is applied in the study of
science and its different branches. It also helps in its progress and organisation.

12. It develops the ability of Induction, deduction and generalisation.

13. It draws numerical inferences on the basis of given information and data.

14. Mathematics is a science of precision and accuracy.

15. Mathematics is a science of discovery of relationships and the expression of those

relationships in symbolic form in words, in numbers, in letters, by diagrams or by graphs.
16. Mathematics is an intellectual game with its own rules and without any relation to
external criteria.

17. Mathematics is an art of drawing right conclusions and inferences.

18. Mathematics is a tool subject having wide applicability.

19. Mathematics is a system of logical process whereby conclusions are deduced from
certain fundamental assumptions and definitions that have been hypothesized.

20. Mathematics is an intuitive method which involves concretization of an idea not

yet stated in the form of some sort of operations or examples.
 Logical

Nature of Seeks
Aims at precision
abstraction
mathematics

Systematic
Importance of the History of Mathematics
• -Developing insights into the entire human knowledge.
• -Source of interest and pleasure to students.

• 1. Mathematics can be presented as a dynamic and progressive

subject, relevant to human development.
• 2. It will be instructive and interesting; it will remind us of a
glorious past and also teach us how to increase our store of
knowledge.
• 3. It warns the learner against making hasty conclusions.
• 4. Many mathematical topics can be better introduced in the
class by linking them with their development.
• 5. It can reveal the contribution of mathematics to the
history of human civilization. Mathematical and physical
researches have a reliable record of intellectual progress. It is
one among the large windows through which the philosophic
eye looks into the past ages and traces the line of intellectual
and cultural development.
• 6. It reveals, that, at every stage, major or significant
development of mathematics was conditioned by human
needs.
• 7. Most of the terms, concepts and conventions can be
properly understood only with reference to their historical
background.
• 8. If the teacher reveals his knowledge of the history of
mathematics to the leaners they will form a good impression
about the teachers' scholarship. This helps him to command
respect.
• 9. Gradation of the content of mathematics, correlation of
the subject with other areas of knowledge and the
psychological and logical order of the subject matter all these
can be maintained with the help of history.
• 10. The history shows that mathematics is a man made
science. It will thus encourage the learners to contribute
something to its development.
• 11. It reveals that all the branches of mathematics were
developed in relation to one another. So it guards the learner
against compartmentalization.
• 12. Some related stories and events, narrated occasionally,
can diminish the monotony of the classroom work.
• 13. It gives the impression that mathematics has an intimate
connection with other branches of knowledge and hence it
should not be treated as an isolated subject.
• 14. It makes students appreciate the progress of man over
the ages. They would like to read and hear how the old
mathematicians discovered mathematical facts and tried out
their experiments.
• 15. Interesting anecdotes chosen from the history of
mathematical development can make learning interesting.