Scribd
Upload
89 views2 pages

Why Math Matters: A Student's Perspective

1) Ada argues that math is important for three key reasons: it is everywhere in everyday life and careers, it teaches important skills like patience and curiosity that children need, and God created both the universe and math. 2) She provides examples of how math is used in various careers and how it brings order to the world. Math also cultivates important virtues in children and allows them to understand more about God's creation. 3) While some say only basic math is needed, Ada disagrees and says we cannot live well without more advanced math concepts, as it connects all areas of life and allows for continued learning, as God intended.

Uploaded by

Lenchie Gayramon
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
89 views2 pages

Why Math Matters: A Student's Perspective

1) Ada argues that math is important for three key reasons: it is everywhere in everyday life and careers, it teaches important skills like patience and curiosity that children need, and God created both the universe and math. 2) She provides examples of how math is used in various careers and how it brings order to the world. Math also cultivates important virtues in children and allows them to understand more about God's creation. 3) While some say only basic math is needed, Ada disagrees and says we cannot live well without more advanced math concepts, as it connects all areas of life and allows for continued learning, as God intended.

Uploaded by

Lenchie Gayramon
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Why Math Is Important: The Student View

by Ada Bianco

Introduction by Matt Bianco:

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my son to write an extra essay for a project we were working on for the
Classical Conversations practicum. I allowed him to work on that essay instead of his math lesson for the
day. Suddenly, my daughter, Ada, did not want to do her math lesson for the day. I explained that my
son was writing an essay instead and she asked to be allowed to do the same. I thought, “Hmm. . . This is
a good time for my daughter to think about why math is important and come up with her own reasons
for studying this subject.” She wrote the following essay and we thought it might help parents and
students to read Ada’s thoughts.

________________

“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.”

– Albert Einstein

Everyone agrees that learning math can be difficult, but some people believe math is important and
some people believe math is not important. Math is important for three reasons: math is everywhere,
children need math, and God created math.

The first reason math is important is math is everywhere. Math is used in everyday life; it is useful, but it
is more than just useful. Math is there to help us, to keep us well ordered, to help us learn new things,
and to help us teach new things. Students will become adults who will use math in their jobs. All kinds of
careers use math; for example, musicians, accountants, fashion designers, and mothers use math.
However, math is not only used for things you do. It also brings order to everything around you; the
world is organized essentially because it was made with math.

The second reason math is important is children need math. Now, as we all know, children are as chaotic
as a volcanic eruption, but children, as they grow, need to learn patience. Patience is precisely what
math teaches us. It also teaches us curiosity; for example, why is this rule used here? Why would that
number be negative? Why is that equation set up like that? These are questions they will learn to ask if
they are taught math. The parents’ job is to help their children grow up to become good people who are
patient and wise, who want to learn even more about anything and everything. Their future depends on
what they have learned and if they have learned mathematics, then they will be able to do many
different things—maybe even anything—when they are adults.

The third reason math is important is God created it. This is a reason most adults use to convince their
children that math is not boring and unimportant, so it may seem unoriginal. I believe, however, it is
something that needs to be stated. God created the universe as well as math. The universe is full of
math and it is orderly because of math. The sun is a certain distance from the earth; everything is
organized in such a way that no matter what has happened we have always been safe. We need math.
From this, you should be able to see how much we really do use and need math. We would not be able
to process or even do everyday things without it. Math, in addition to these things, helps us to know
God. God gave us math to live well and to serve Him. With everything we learn using math in science,
we learn more about the world, which can help draw us closer to God.

Some people say math is unimportant because you don’t need math other than basic math principles—
you can live without more complicated math. They say, if you need it, then simply use a calculator and
leave the more complicated math to people who like math, the mathematicians. This, however, is not
correct; you need math and could not live well without math, even including more complicated math
concepts. God made us with a sense of curiosity so we can learn, do, and think about all sorts of things.
Math is that thing that connects everything together, everything people love to do: music, cooking,
painting, and everything else. Math is important.

Math is important because math is everywhere, children need math, and God created math. This
matters to me and other children because math determines our future and how we choose to live.

Common questions

Powered by AI

The document justifies the necessity of math for an orderly and functional society by describing how it brings order to everyday activities and professional tasks, facilitating organization and the safe functioning of human constructs. By mathematically organizing natural phenomena and human activities, it fosters a well-ordered society .

The author connects math to understanding more about God and the world by suggesting that as we learn mathematical concepts, we gain a deeper appreciation for the universe's order, which is seen as a reflection of divine creation. This implies that studying math is a way of engaging with God's work, thereby deepening our spiritual and scientific understanding of the world .

Mathematics helps children develop patience by requiring them to engage with complex problems and persist through challenges. It fosters curiosity by prompting them to ask questions such as why certain rules apply or why certain equations are structured in particular ways .

The text presents the belief that mathematics helps in understanding the universe's order by emphasizing its role in organizing natural phenomena. It asserts that God's creation of the universe included math, which explains the orderly arrangement of elements, such as the sun's distance from the earth, ensuring safety and harmony. This order allows humans to discern laws of nature and feels mathematically assured .

Math enriches activities people are passionate about by providing a foundational structure that underpins disciplines like music, cooking, and painting. It connects various hobbies and professions, facilitating creative and practical processes that enhance the pursuit and appreciation of these crafts .

The text addresses the claim that non-basic mathematics can be replaced by calculators and specialists by arguing that relying solely on technology neglects the personal development benefits that come from understanding math, such as curiosity and critical thinking. This understanding is necessary for engaging with all aspects contemporary life involves .

The philosophical reasoning given is that math is fundamental not just for passive use but for allowing children to cultivate critical skills necessary for life, such as patience, curiosity, and structured thinking. The ability to question why math rules apply or how equations are constructed is seen as vital for intellectual development and future adaptability in their lives .

The document suggests math is integral to various careers by highlighting its universal application in different fields. For instance, musicians, accountants, fashion designers, and mothers all use math. This demonstrates its broad relevance and essential role in organizing and facilitating professional tasks across diverse job types .

The philosophical view that God created math influences educational attitudes by framing mathematical study as a pursuit of divine understanding and alignment with God's ordered creation. This perspective may encourage a deeper appreciation and engagement with math as a meaningful and spiritually significant activity, countering the perception of math as mundane or purely technical .

The argument against the perception that advanced mathematics is unnecessary for everyday life is that math is not only about basic principles but also more complex concepts that are integral to living well. The text argues that even though some people believe complex math can be left to mathematicians, understanding it enriches our life and curiosity, connecting us with various activities like music and science .

You might also like