Hello everyone who’s interested in mathematics and those who think they’re not! Maths is a subject that has always divided people (pun intended) – it’s like Marmite! Love it or hate it, it’s been around for a very long time and it’s definitely here to stay.
Over the years I’ve been teaching and tutoring GCSE and A-Level maths, further maths and physics, students (and parents) have often asked me what’s the point of doing maths? It’s a tricky question to answer and will be different for everyone. For me, I love the elegance and beauty of solving problems using algebra, geometry and, dare I say it, calculus! I’ve used maths when designing DIY projects, programming computers, mountain biking, astronomy, and everything in between. What I’m trying to say, if you know how to look, maths is everywhere!
I’ve studied STEM subjects my entire life from pure maths, physics, astronomy, and computing. Having done so has provided me with the knowledge and insight to see how all STEM disciplines are connected, and it’s fascinating!
From ancient Greek curiosity and their incredible ability to “measure” the universe with basic equipment and the inventive use of trigonometry, to Newton’s genius “inventing” calculus to help him solve problems in classical physics, mathematics has developed with humanity as an aid to progression.
For thousands of years, from counting sheep in a field using the natural numbers 1,2,3.. and so on, to describing the quantum world in the complex plane, to predicting the ultimate fate of the universe, mathematics has kept pace with the human race, allowing our curiosity to break through barriers. Mathematics isn’t just a subject at school, it’s the toolkit for the Universe and we are still uncovering its secrets even now. Did the Universe create mathematics, or did mathematics shape the Universe?
