Power of Mathematics

        The surface of mathematics might seem just another ordinary branch of science. For some, it might not hold the importance and weight of medical science. For others, it might be the most unsought science since for them, new theorems might be discovered, the fact still remains - the future of mathematics is in oblivion. One might be able to encounter a new discovery, but the application of these discoveries remains a mystery. The surface of mathematics might seem ordinary but it is also apparent that mathematics has great power attached to it.

This power of mathematics can be seen in the British television series, The Story of Maths, which outlines the history of mathematics. The first instalment of the four part series is entitled “The Language of the Universe”. It was written and produced by the University of Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy. In this segment, Du Sautoy tackles about the importance and fundamental aspect of mathematics not only to lives of early civilization in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece but also to ours now. Du Sautoy also documents the development of mathematics – ideas, theories and practices – through time. (Wikipedia, 2013)

         He embarks, his quest by starting in Egypt, where mathematics was used as an account of measure. The Egyptians did this through the recording of patterns in seasons and in particular, the flooding of the river Nile. Recording these patterns were essential for their economy. Mathematics also helped them solved their taxation problems. The government could not have taxed the people with the right amount without the help of mathematics that determined the area of a land. Du Sautoy finds out that the Egyptian used their body to measure. They also based their decimal system based on the fingers on the hand. (Wikipedia, 2013) They invented new notations that recorded new numbers. They too made use of horus (eye) fraction and ratio in building their pyramids. The Egyptians were also the first to come across the accurate value of a pie circle.

        Then, Du Sautoy journeys to Babylon and found out that their base 60 number system helped influenced the way we tell time today. Because of their number system, we have 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour. (Wikipedia, 2013) According to Du Sautoy, the base 60 was upright because the divisibility of 6 was good for arithmetic. Aside from this, he also notes that the Babylonians used their fingers to count – using the twelve knuckles in one finger and the five fingers on the other. He also recounts the used of quadratic equations in measuring their lands. (Wikipedia, 2013)

         Then, he sails in an expedition to know more about Greek mathematics by coming to Greece. In this place lies the contributing factor for the transformation and development of mathematics from being a tool for counting to being a tool for analytical subject we now have. These great contributions were brought upon by the greatest and well known mathematicians such as Pythagoras, Plato, Euclid, Archimedes and Hippasus. Few examples of their contributions are seen in how Pythagoras found harmonic series by observing musical instruments; He found out that they were always harmonious in whole number intervals. Pythagoras also discovered and proved the properties of a right angle, thus shows in the “Pythagorean Theorem” we have today. His follower, Hippasus was said to have discovered the existence of irrational numbers. (Wikipedia, 2013)

 One could feel epiphany after watching the film. The realization comes like the rushing wind - engulfing us, overwhelming us and igniting our minds with the comprehension of new ideas. These realization we can see are the power that mathematics can actually entail – power to make sense of patterns, power to communicate to the universe and power to influence humanity.

         Power to make sense of patterns. Mathematics manifest power in how it scan make sense of patterns. We have to remember that mathematics became mathematics because we need to make sense of patterns in our lives. Everything has pattern. From the smallest things to the vast galaxy in the universe. And in everything we do, we are always asked for quantification. We are to make sense but we can only do this by finding patterns through the science of patterns, mathematics. And this in turn helps us understand the world in a much more clear perspective. Because of the power it has in making sense of patterns, life has just became easier for us. We do not have to make speculative judgements anymore, we can create better judgements because mathematics have made things simplified though those patterns it made sense.

         Power to communicate to the universe. Patterns are not limited in numbers, there are patterns everywhere. People have patterns in everything from their behaviour to the things they wear. Plants have pattern starting from growing as a seed to wilting as they start to die. The universe has patterns also, from the stars that engulfs us to the different galaxy that neighbours us. The universe is its community. And since codes of symbols and the logical system is what constitute mathematics, mathematics too is a language. This is where its power lies, in every element that constitutes its being a language. We have to remember that we are where we are due to the impact, influence and development that mathematics had greatly imparted upon us. Since, we, the community, had visualize the need to quantify things, we created mathematics. But now in the course of time, mathematics too has dictated us, its community.

         Power to influence humanity. The power of mathematics lies in its power to shift minds. It can influence humanity because of the proof that supports it. According to Du Sautoy, “Proof is what gives mathematics its strength.” Aside from this, the conventional notion of mathematics being just a tool for counting has drastically changed into a tool for analytical thinking. Plato has even considered mathematics as a “bedrock of knowledge”. Mathematics can be used to shape minds of people, to develop thinking by exploring the different possibilities of math and to create better individuals that will constitute to a better society.

          Mathematics maybe disregarded as just an ordinary branch of science, but it is evident that mathematics hold great power. These power is seen on how it make sense of patterns, how it can communicate to the universe and on how it can influence humanity. Possibility and the beauty of math is not limited to the numbers, formulas and theorems, but it ranges from the deepest parts of our mind to the deepest part of our universe. The question is not on how ordinary or on how powerful mathematics is, but on “What other different faces of mathematics have we not seen and explored?” and on “How it can help humanity become better individuals?”

Reference:  The Story of Maths. (2013, July 2). In Wikipedia. Retrieved November 26, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Maths