What Is Mathematics

Mathematics is a vibrant and popular area of study for students across the globe. However, it's quite challenging to define mathematics precisely. A rough definition of Mathematics is that Mathematics is the scientific study of numbers and their interrelations, operations, generalizations, combinations, measurements, transformation, abstractions, configurations, generalizations and their structure. Mathematics as a science has a long history which we will cover in the next post.

Mathematics as a Discipline

Like any other formal field of study, Mathematics tends to be vividly defined by the type of problems it tends to address, the methodology used in addressing such problems and the results that are achieved by those methodologies. Mathematics as a whole can be divided into three distinct categories. They include:

• Mathematics as a human endeavor. To depict this, consider mathematics as a measurement of time such as seasons, days, weeks, years, etc. Think about mathematics as a measurement of different systems of measurements of distances across the globe. Or, you can also think of mathematics in dance, art, and music. Mathematics has a vibrant history of human development in our modern society.
• Mathematics as a discipline. As a student, you are not strange to many academic disciplines such as biology, economics, archeology, psychology, history, sociology, etc. Mathematics is typically a deep and broad discipline that is rapidly growing in depth and breadth. Nowadays, any research dissertation in math is significantly narrowed to focus on definitions, proofs, and theorems that are related to a single problem.
• Mathematics as an interdisciplinary tool and language. Just like writing and reading, mathematics is a vital component that one needs to learn and do in every academic discipline. Mathematics is considered as a useful tool and language that should be done as a "basic" subject in the world's formal education system.

Branches of Mathematics

Like any other science subject, mathematics has distinct branches which are vital to our daily lives. The branches include:

• Arithmetic

  Arithmetic is the most elementary and oldest branch of mathematics that is used by everyone ranging from everyday counting to advanced business and science calculations. This branch of mathematics involves quantity study by use of traditional operations of addition, multiplication, subtraction and division.

• Geometry

  Geometry is a Greek word that means Earth- Measuring. This branch of mathematics is concerned with questions involving size, relative position of figures, shapes and other properties related to space. Geometry is a body of practical knowledge that is concerned with areas, lengths and volumes. The set of standards used today were put into an axiomatic form (Euclidean geometry) by Euclid. A mathematician who is well versed or works in this field of geometry is known as a geometer. Today, geometry is used in the field of astronomy to map the planets and stars' positions on the celestial sphere.

• Trigonometry

  This is a branch of mathematics that deals with the study of triangles, especially the right angles .Knowledge of trigonometry helps to deal with the relationships between angles and sides of triangle. Mathematicians have used trigonometry to understand the motion of light and sound waves.