Of course, I'm talking about "Mathematics!"

>> And it obviously isn't boring or nerdy but rather "cool"

(Article by: Pranesh Pyara Shrestha)

      "Mathematics takes us into the region of absolute necessity, to which not only the actual word, but every possible word, must conform."   
                                                    - Bertrand Russell


             "If I were again beginning my studies, I would follow the advice of Plato and start with mathematics."
                                            - Galileo Galilei

I am a mathematics tutor and my students often ask, "Why is mathematics important??" or "Why do you find maths so interesting?" Then I don't say much but I reply them with the simple alluring aspects of some of the infamous mathematical constants like the "Pi" and "Golden Ratio(phi)." Whenever I tell them that golden ratio is everywhere in nature from the petals of the flowers to the facial structures of human beings to the widely popular painting by Leonardo da Vinci i.e. Monalisa and finally to the arms of spiral galaxies, they are often awe-inspired!

       >>Why do I prefer mathematics over other subjects??

To me, mathematics is the epitome or as the title of this article goes "The Grand Daddy" of all subjects. It's not that I hate other subjects but mathematics has taken over my spare time since I was a child. As a child, I was quite fascinated by the magic squares. I used to solve the magic squares whenever I was free which "took over" my interest in mathematics and pivoted my interest in maths. While it may seem like math problems like the ones above have no real use in life, this couldn’t be farther from the truth! Math is incredibly important in our lives and, without realizing it, we use mathematical concepts, as well as the skills we learn from doing math problems every day. The laws of mathematics govern everything around us, and without a good understanding of them, one can encounter significant difficulties in life. From basic maths calculation to the gigantic calculus problems, maths had always fascinated me, is fascinating and always will fascinate me. Period.

    WHY call it the "Grand Daddy"??

Quite frankly, every career or every subjects needs mathematics in one way or other. To live in a mathematically-driven world and not know math is like walking through an art museum with your eyes closed. Learning and appreciating math can help you appreciate things that you would not otherwise notice about the world. In reality, math is everywhere! Don’t believe me? ........ You will regret for not learning it!! Many of the modern "scientific" subjects like Physics, Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Astrophysics,.... only the name of few, directly or indirectly rely on Mathematics. Ergo, if there was no advancement in mathematics then, the other subjects would have faced the repercussions. Period. Like, we all know that physics and maths are closely related or allied. Physics without mathematics is like a cell without nucleus . Mathematics makes physics a "well oiled machine."

Obviously, mathematicians and scientists rely on mathematical principles to do the most basic aspects of their work, such as test hypotheses. While scientific careers famously involve math, they are not the only careers to do so. Even operating a cash register requires that one understands basic arithmetic. People working in a factory must be able to do mental arithmetic to keep track of the parts on the assembly line and must, in some cases, manipulate fabrication software utilizing geometric properties (such as the dimensions of a part) in order to build their products. Really, any job requires math because you must know how to interpret your paycheck and balance your budget. So calling mathematics a "Grand Daddy" is not a sin but it is truly just that.

    "Cool" Mathematics around us !

I have already mentioned that "pi" is a cool number. Actually its not just a number but the main basis for major engineering calculations too. The number pi can also be observed all around us. Pi is a cool number with many unique properties. Pi is approximately 3.14, but in reality, it is greater than 3.14, with an infinite string of numbers after the decimal point. Because pi is, in reality, an infinitely long number, it is expressed as the Greek letter pi (π). It cannot be expressed as a fraction; numbers that cannot be expressed as fractions(meaning it obviously isn't 22/7) are said to be irrational. Pi is also transcendental, which means that it is non-algebraic; this means that pi cannot be the solution of single-variable polynomial equations whose coefficients are all integers. (By definition, all transcendental numbers are also irrational.)

The number pi can be observed in the shapes of rivers. The ratio of a river’s length to the distance from the source to its mouth is called the “meandering ratio.” The average meandering ratio of rivers approaches the number pi. It makes sense that the average meandering ratio of rivers approaches pi, because rivers tend to bend into loops, which are circular in nature. The ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter is also equal to pi.

Math is a universal language!!

Sure, it’s mostly equations, numbers, and some Greek letters, but math is understood the same virtually all over the world (and who knows, maybe all over the universe)! A math equation doesn’t need to be translated to another language to be understood by someone on the other side of the planet. A mathematical law doesn’t change because someone has a different religion than you or speaks a different language from you. 2 + 2 = 4 in every single place on God's Green Earth. Pretty cool! The universality of math is one of the many things that makes it such a powerful tool and, indeed, essential life skill.

In summary, math is not only important for success in life; it is all around us. The laws of mathematics are evident throughout the world, including in nature, and the problem-solving skills obtained from completing math homework can help us tackle problems in other areas of life. While many may complain that math is boring or complicated, the truth is that a life devoid of math means that we go around experiencing the world on a much less interesting level than we could.

     Summary

So before calling it a nerdy or boring subject, better think twice. Mathematics is in its own way, an eccentric subject with cool applications in wide variety of subjects. So, its quite fitting to call it "The Grand Daddy" of all subjects.

Hope you guys like the article! :)

         By: Pranesh Pyara Shrestha