The Important Role of Mathematicians in Society

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The Important Role of Mathematicians in Society
Thesis Statement
This report will focus on the professional field of mathematicians. It will highlight some of the history, responsibilities, opportunities, and requirements of this occupation.

Outline
I. Introduction
A. A condensed history of mathematics
B. Famous mathematicians and their accomplishments
II. Body
A. Opportunities for mathematicians
B. Education and training
C. Requirements
D. Earnings
III. Conclusion
A. Good mathematicians are problem solvers

Mathematicians: Making numerous contributions
A mathematician is described as someone who uses logic or theory to solve problems. Mathematicians and their craft have been making milestones in history ever since the Neanderthal man became homo - sapiens and began communicating, with the use of speech.
The first period of time in the history of mathematics is known as the Chinese / Egyptian / Babylonian Period. This era starts in 50,000 B.C., and reaches to 601 B.C. During this primitive age, man used notches in bones, and clay tokens for counting. Sundials were used as a method of telling time and keeping track of the days. The most infamous mathematician from this time was Ahmes of papyrus. Ahmes was the author of the Egyptian scribe “The Rhind papyrus”; it is one of the oldest mathematical documents in existence.
The Greek Period (600B.C. – 499 A.D.) took mathematics far beyond the realm of counting and measuring time. The Greeks brought a variety of great minds to life, including Thales of Miletus, Archimedes, Apollonius, Euclid, and Democritus. They began using logic to explore new mathematical concepts. Pythagoras of Samos was one of the foremost logical minds of this age. He is the inventor of abstract mathematics, and the founder of the “Pythagoras Theorem”. This theorem is still used today, in modern geometric equations
The Hindu / Arabian Period (500A.D. – 1199A.D.), gave us Aryabhata the Elder and Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khowarizmi. Al-Khowarizmi wrote a very important Egyptian book titled “Al-jabr” His book helped to advance the study of algebra, and is re...

... middle of paper ...

... salary for a government mathematician is $62,000; for mathematical statisticians, $65,660
In conclusion, “Good mathematicians do not rush in to apply a formula or an equation. Instead, they try to understand the problem situation; they consider alternative representations and relations among variables. Only when satisfied that they understand the situation and all the variables in a qualitative way do they start to apply the quantification.”

Bibliography
 Mathematics its power and utility Sixth Edition Karl J Smith
 Math & Mathematics The history of Math Discoveries around the World
 Vol. 1&2 Leonard C. Bruno
 Career Discovery Encyclopedia Volume 5 Ferguson Publishing company
 Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance- Eleventh Edition VOL. 1 & 3 Ferguson Publishing Company
&#61656; A History of Mathematics –Midair MacCormaic <http://ai.eecsumich.edu/people/charles/research/math_history.html

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