why do mathematics

8/13/2019 Why Do Mathematics

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July 2009 WHY DO MATHEMATICS? 1

Why do Mathematics?

SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS



Feb 2011 WHY DO MATHEMATICS? 2

WY IS

MATHEMATICSIMPORTANT?

Mathematics is the language

of physical sciences, economics

and finance.

Statistics pervades all

sciences and commerce.




Why is Mathematics Important?

All the great civilizations of the past rose because of Mathematics.

Every great scientific discovery was preceded by a corresponding breakthroughin Mathematics – look up the history ofEinstein’s theory of relativity, the LorentzTransformation and Minokowski’s unifiedspace-time model.




Many discoveries in Physics

were predicted by

Mathematics before they were observed

experimentally.

Mathematics is Fascinating!!




Radio Waves, Big Bang Theory,

General Theory of Relativity, Planck’s

quanta, Black Holes, Antimatter,Quarks,…

Ref: Mathematics as a Sixth Sense, Stephane Durand

http://www.math.ecnu.edu.cn/earcome3/poster/EARCOME3_Durand_Stephane_Poster.doc

Examples

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/mesoscale_winds/

http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/tropic.html




CAREERS IN

MATHEMATICS ANDSTATISTICS

All quantitative disciplines

need Mathematics!




Skill shortage is not in taxi drivers,

managers, real estate agents, parcel

deliverers, bakers, bank tellers, checkout personnel,….

IT IS IN PEOPLE WITH TECHNICAL

SKILLS! AND THESE CAREERSNEED MATHEMATICS!

Skill Shortage!!




• Business: economics, finance, actuarialstudies, management.

Financial Analyst, Risk Analyst,Insurance, Investment Banking,Economics and Commerce, SoftwareEngineers, Database Managers, ….

Mathematics and Statistics are

needed in:




• Biological sciences: bio-statistics, bio-

informatics, bio-metrics, psychological

measurement, medical statistics,medical imaging,

medical engineering, exercise science,

bio-mechanics, ecology

social statistics.

And




• Some career paths need mathematics and or

statistics (engineering, physics).

• Others (such as financial or biological) areenhanced by selected knowledge in

mathematics and particularly statistics.

• Someone with high level training in M&S has

all quantitative careers open to them.

Mathematics and Statistics




Technical skills are enhanced with

higher level of Mathematics and

Statistics. We in Australia are laggingbehind the world, whereas we can be

world leaders in science and

technology!!

Do More Mathematics!!

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.trader-china.com/ancient-china/ancient-china-img/wall-snake.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.trader-china.com/ancient-china/china-great-wall/&h=350&w=300&sz=38&tbnid=tU0VEeyxCzNE3M:&tbnh=116&tbnw=99&hl=en&start=6&prev=/images%3Fq%3DGreat%2Bwall%2Bof%2BChina%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/t/images/theatr_sydney.opera.lg.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/t/theater.html&h=512&w=788&sz=116&tbnid=jgvLsC-BZDINCM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=141&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSydney%2Bopera%2Bhouse%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN




We all use the telephone, television, internet,

transport, fridges, computer games, satellitesfor communications and weather forecasting,

computers, electricity, transport (cars, planes,),

mobile devices,….

NONE OF THESE WOULD BE POSSIBLE

WITHOUT MATHEMATICS!!




Applications of Mathematics

The following posters illustrate the vastapplication of Mathematics in everyday life.




Weather

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/march/wmy2k03predicts025f.jpg




Global Warming

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/april/wmy2k04cool025f.jpg




Aerodynamics

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/august/wmy2k08takesoff025f.jpg




Gene Research

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/september/wmy2k09vital025f.jpg




Coding and Security

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/october/wmy2k10code025f.jpg




Tsunamis

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/november/wmy2k11waves025f.jpg




Hurricanes

http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/february/wmy2k02stirs025f.jpg




Blockages

Why don’t more people do Mathematics?




Mathematics is hard!

Yes it is! But it is also very rewar ding,

and is no moreharder than learning to skate or tennis!It takes time to understand new ideasand concepts.

In any endeavour you need to dosomething hard to excel!

Blockages

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/space-shuttle-launch3a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.howstuffworks.com/space-shuttle.htm&h=427&w=389&sz=16&tbnid=YXM72oNbzt4ULM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dspace&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/space-shuttle-launch3a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.howstuffworks.com/space-shuttle.htm&h=427&w=389&sz=16&tbnid=YXM72oNbzt4ULM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dspace&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3




I don’t need a lot of Mathematics forscience!

Wrong! A higher level of Mathematicalskill will make you a better Scientist andEngineer.

Great discoveries and higher levelperformance in physics andengineering innovation requires highlevel Mathematics.

Blockages




Rewards of doing Mathematics

• Problem solving skills that will help you in

every aspect of your life.

• Good organisational skills.

• Logical, clearer thinking.

• A very interesting, satisfying life full of

challenges and achievements!




1. https://www.maths.uwa.edu.au

2. http://www.austms.org.au/Jobs/Job_listings.html

3. http://www.statsci.org/index.html

4. http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/wmy2kposters/

Web Sites

ftp://ftp.seds.org/pub/images/planets/earth/earth_vapor.gif

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wallpaper.net.au/wallpaper/space/Space%2520Fiction%2520Close%2520Comet%25201%2520-%2520800x600.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wallpaper.net.au/wallpaper_space1.php&h=600&w=800&sz=58&tbnid=4l7mV0lQj9nBgM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=142&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dspace&start=1&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=1

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