Mathematics the Truth
Moving Mathematics Teaching into the Age of Quantum Mechanics and Relativity
“Serious, light-hearted, insight.”
“Shakes mathematics teaching icons …”
“Rescues mathematics from a black hole.”
Currently mathematics is taught like a Latin, without motivation, restricted to the period from Euclid in the BC to the Renaissance.
This thinking degrades mathematics which is fundamental. Without mathematics sciences are merely observational nature study, engineering is trial and error, while technology is only training in use of imported stuff anyway.
Mathematics is the great philosophical basis for understanding the universe from the Quantum to Cosmology and Relativity, its history and future. Citizens ought to know what is happening in these subjects, and in experiments probing the structure of the universe, at least in concept.
We must at least note where classical mathematics and physics are in error giving a lead for future understanding of quantum computing, for example, and for many biological and physical phenomena. Reference to the unknown, the un-understood, and the unexpected are the major motivation to understand any subject.
‘Mathematics the Truth’ is popular, real, modern mathematics but not a popularization. It is a book for anyone who wants to put the motivation back into mathematics. Anyone who wants to know the unknown, the un-understood, and the unexpected in mathematics.
‘Mathematics the Truth’ is suitable for use in upper secondary schools, but will be golden to anyone interested in mathematics from the true angle.
You will never look at mathematics in the same way again
Why couldn’t this book and this author been around to teach me math when I was growing up? I struggled GREATLY for years with math and gradually lost interest in even attempting to study math and science subjects because I thought I wasn’t smart enough to learn. Eventually in college when taking algebra was standing between me and my degree I finally found a professor who worked with me, tested me and realized the problem wasn’t that I couldn’t understand numbers it was that my brain processed them differently than the common way of how it’s taught. Once he figured out how I learned math came alive for me and a whole new world opened up.
Now I have a daughter on the Autism spectrum who loves math as much as I did and whose hero is Einstein. She studies math like it’s a game to play with so I wanted to read this book to encourage her love of it and help her so she doesn’t lose her interest and talent with it.
You’re treated to a history of Mathematics which makes Einstein and pals seem personable and full of life. Fun illustrations and soul inspiring anecdotes create visual lessons that make the subject come alive and washes the dust off as it’s brought out from the boring bins of a decaying way of teaching it has been relegated to.
Irrational numbers, square roots, relativity, quantum mechanics, the gravitational wave and the combination of Physics and Mathematics suddenly become easy to comprehend. Cameron writes with this eloquence and ease of understanding so you end up flipping pages like you’re reading a suspense thriller desperate to get to the end so you know all the answers.
Professors need to read this and put it into practice. Elementary and secondary teachers need to do the same so we can encourage a love and understanding of Math the way its founders and admirers meant for it to have. Current generations need to be brought up to appreciate its beauty rather than get lost in a rabbit hole of boredom because even the teachers can’t seem to find an enthusiasm to teach beyond the outmoded lesson plans of yesterday.
Thank you to Netgalley and Australian eBook Publisher for allowing me to review this book.
*synopsis and pic from netgalley.com