Math
Math, or Mathematics, is the term used for the science of numbers, whether just for Math (Pure Mathematics) or to be used in other fields (Applied Mathematics).
Mathematical Symbols
There are some symbols that are utilized in Mathematics that are not found elsewhere, such as:
- = : The equals sign. This symbol means that the values of the numbers on both sides of it are the same.
- + : The plus sign. This means that the values of the numbers on either sides are going to be combined.
- - : The minus sign. This means that the value of one number is going to be removed from the other.
- % : The percent sign. This dictates that the number preceding it is a percentage of something out of 100.
- * or x : The multiplication or "times" sign. This means that the values of the numbers on either sides of it are going to be multiplied together, making a larger value.
- / : The division sign. This means that the value of the numbers are going to be reduced by how many times one number can be put into the other.
Basic Mathematics
Addition
Addition is the act of adding one number to another. One and one is two, or 1+1=2.
Subtraction
Subtraction is the act of removing value from a number. Five taken away from six is one, or 6-5=1.
Multiplication
Multiplication is the act of multiplying one number's value by another, or increasing the value by that many times. Five multiplied by two is ten, or 5*2=10. This is often said as "times", or "five times two", as in "if you take five two times, you have ten".
It is also easily interpreted as repeated addition, using the previous example; 5*2. We can add five, two times: 5+5 = 10, OR we can add two, five times, 2+2+2+2+2= 10.
Division
Division is the act of dividing a number's value by another, or reducing the value to how many times that value can go into it. Ten divided by two is five, or 10/2=5.
A Division Example in Story Form
It is also easily visualized by imagining one is at a meal (bread and cheese), and that each person must receive an equal portion. To achieve this requires division, so you go around the table handing out pieces of bread and cheese one at a time, but suddenly... you have one portion of bread and cheese remaining to distribute to five people, there are two basic options:
- Leave a "Remainder" for the host, letting them keep the extra bread and cheese all to themselves.
- Split the last portion of bread and cheese in five to share evenly, making 1/5 portions (one fifth or 0.2 of a portion).
Advanced Mathematics
Functions
Functions are a part of Mathematics that describe the action(s) preformed on an "input". The result of a function is an "output". Any Mathematical operation done is a form of function, including counting (referred to formally as succession). There are many ways to represent functions, the most common being; Function Notation, Algebraic, Graphical, within a Table, or using Natural Language.
Axioms
Axioms are the most fundamental aspect of Mathematics, being the basic rules that are assumed to be always true. Most separate categories of Math are made distinct by additional or altered axioms being present, the most noticed example being in lower level Physics[1] where additional axioms are added to account for universal Laws and context based simplification.
Constants
Closely related to axioms are the less fundamental constants, simply put these are values that are extremely common to the point that they are assigned a Mathematical/Alphabetical symbol. Common examples include; the ratio of a circle's circumference divided by its diameter: π, the speed of light: c, the imaginary number: ί, Euler's number: e, and the golden ratio: φ.
Mathematical tools
- An abacus is an analog calculator for basic arithmetic.