Buy this product here: Math Teacher Pattern Button Hawaiian Shirt
Home page: TAGOTEE SHOP
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Math Teacher Pattern Button Hawaiian Shirt
When did you first realize there was something special about math?
When I was 6 years old, I was in the living room, gazing at the rectangular pattern of holes on a speaker where the sound comes through. I noticed there were 6 rows of 8 holes and, equivalently, 8 columns of 6 holes. I knew that 6 × 8 equals 8 × 6. But at that moment, I grasped that this was a fact about the world, not just a fact from the multiplication tables. Mathematical knowledge, I realized, was something that existed on its own — something you could directly apprehend — and not just something you were taught.
That, for me, offered an early glimmer of the power of mathematical thinking — and the emotional force that comes with it. As teachers, we aspire for every kid to have that kind of experience of mathematical knowledge.
Mathematics is a diverse field. How did you decide to focus on number theory?I went to graduate school not really knowing what I would work on. It was just after Andrew Wiles proved Fermat’s Last Theorem. There was so much energy and enthusiasm about number theory at that time. It seemed to be the most exciting thing going on.
Students often ask me: “How do I figure out what area of math is right for me?” I tell them that it’s all interesting. Every field of research has deep wonderful ideas. You just have to see what you fall into. And wherever you fall, there is excitement to be found.
Of all the possible subjects in math, why did you write a book on geometry, especially when you admit to having a mental block when it comes to visualizing things?
Visit our Social Network: TAGOTEE Pinterest, Twitter , Instagram and Our blog TAGOTEE over-blog, Tagotee blogspot
Comments
Post a Comment