Category Archives: mathematics

Experiments, Data and Analysis

Posted on October 25, 2019 by

There are many sad stories of students, burning to carry out an experimental project, who end up with a completely unanalysable mishmash of data. They wanted to get on with it and thought that they could leave thoughts of analysis … Continue reading →

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The logician, the mathematician, the physicist, and the engineer

Posted on February 14, 2019 by

The logician, the mathematician, the physicist, and the engineer. “Look at this mathematician,” said the logician. “He observes that the first ninety-nine numbers are less than hundred and infers hence, by what he calls induction, that all numbers are less … Continue reading →

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On mathematics

Posted on February 12, 2019 by

Mathematics is regarded as a demonstrative science. Yet this is only one of its aspects. Finished mathematics presented in a finished form appears as purely demonstrative, consisting of proofs only. Yet mathematics in the making resembles any other human knowledge … Continue reading →

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Unreal and Useless Problems

Posted on January 25, 2019 by

We had previously talked about problem with contexts given in mathematics problems. This is not new, Thorndike in 1926 made similar observations. Unreal and Useless Problems In a previous chapter it was shown that about half of the verbal problems … Continue reading →

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On not learning or con in the context

Posted on December 21, 2018 by

We will, we will, fail you by testing what you do not know… We live in a rather strange world. Or is it that we assume the world to be non-strange in a normative way, but the descriptive world has … Continue reading →

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What is a mathematical proof?

Posted on April 2, 2018 by

A dialogue in The Mathematical Experience by Davis and Hersh on what is mathematical proof and who decides what a proof is? Let’s see how our ideal mathematician (IM) made out with a student who came to him with a strange … Continue reading →

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Mathematical Literacy Goals for Students

Posted on May 19, 2017 by

National Council of Teachers for Mathematics NCTM proposed these five goals to cover the idea of mathematical literacy for students: Learning to value mathematics: Understanding its evolution and its role in society and the sciences. Becoming confident of one’s own … Continue reading →

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Reflections on Liping Ma’s Work

Posted on April 25, 2017 by

Liping Ma’s book Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics has been very influential in Mathematics Education circles. This is a short summary of the book and my reflections on it. Introduction Liping Ma in her work  compares the teaching of mathematics … Continue reading →

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Topological Art

Posted on October 18, 2013 by

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR TOPOLOGY From the book Introduction to Topology by Yu. Borisovich, N. Bliznyakov, Ya. Izrailevich, T. Fomenko. The book was published by Mir Publishers in 1985. ILLUSTRATION TO CHAPTER I The central part of the picture presents the standard … Continue reading →

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