Mat Questions
by Angel, on June 9th, 2012
How is math beautiful?
In my perspective, math is most beautiful when the answer is simple or the formula to find the answer is very simple. For example a simple formula can capture a whole idea or concept in just a few symbols because it shows how even though we think elements in nature are complicated but in fact are simpler than we realize. The beauty in the formula is that the simplistic nature of the formula and answer contrasts with the many different types of complicated ways to work out the answer in math.
Is math a language?
In our groups we had discussed about whether math was a language or not. the conclusion that we came up with was that there are two ‘types of language.’ The one we take as a subject in school, English, Chinese, etc… and the type of language that we use to express out thoughts and feelings. Math is the a little bit of both. I think that because it has the concrete rules of subject language but at the same time seems to be constantly evolving in the way the second type of language mentioned is. So math is a language but only if we define it in a certain way.
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About This Blog Until June 2011, this TOK blog was managed solely by Eric MacKnight. Beginning in the fall of 2011, its name changed to "DCSZ TOK Class Blog", and since then it has been used by all TOK students at Dulwich College Suzhou. The lead teacher is Julie Connah, assisted by Alan Connah and Eric MacKnight. Content posted before August 2011 was written by Eric MacKnight and his students at Suzhou Singapore International School. In August 2012 John Fitzgerald replaced Alan Connah in the DCSZ TOK team.
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Hello ^_^
What do you mean by “The one we take as a subject in school” specifically. I think what we learn in school is also a mathematical language. So…I don’t know.. tell me!
It’s like a subject that we actually learn as a “language”. We learn English as a language and Chinese or Korean as a language, but we don’t learn math as a language. One type of language as a way of talking, possibly (from most places we know) as being letters or symbols and words and sounds. Where math doesn’t have all of this. So although it may be a way of communication, it might not necessarily be a “language”.
Well, I mean languages that represent a country or a culture. I mean when people ask you, do you speak a second language, you usually don’t say “Yes, I do! Math!.” They will just say well at least I know your first language isn’t english?!. So I mean a language that represents a culture. I think that math has symbols, letters and sounds though.