Simple words were used instead of the notation we know today but the meaning really has remained the same. I sometimes think that the amount things have been abstracted is a detriment to students. Saying the side of a rectangle is "length" is much more clear than "x" and may be the best way to teach students when introducing the idea of unknown quantities. This reinforces the value of incorporating history into Math education because it gives meaning to the notation we use today. I do not agree with the statement that mathematics is all about generalization and abstraction. I think Math is much more artistic than trying to abstract and generalize and often Mathematics has been developed to solve a specific problem. It is "about" creative thinking and answering questions but has been abstracted in order to extend ideas. When thinking about geometries, without algebra there is a greater reliance on images and description. Thinking about multi-variable calculus I cannot imagine studying it without algebra. Here, abstraction was a tool in creative thinking but not the purpose of Math.
No comments:
Post a Comment