Math Reflection

S. Gudder once wisely stated, “The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.” Many people have different views of mathematics and the role it plays in their life. There are some students who believe that learning mathematics is useless and is not a necessity for their major, and there are others who find math, arithmetic, and numbers easier to process. I find Gudder’s thoughts to be true based on my upbringings and recent experience in my Math 110 course. I used to be one of those students who believed that math was difficult, and I couldn’t understand the logic behind certain problems. My perspective on mathematics has completely changed since I have been in enrolled in this course. I understand now how I can use certain lessons I learn in math in

A mathematician and scholar by the name Frenchman Nicole Oresme used the system of rectangular coordinates as well as perhaps the first time-speed-distance graph. He also was the first to use fractional exponents, and also worked on infinite series, being the first to prove that the harmonic series (1⁄1 + 1⁄2 + 1⁄3 + 1⁄4 + 1⁄5.) is a divergent infinite series. Harmonic series helps to understand wavelengths in music, which also relates to physics. Another really great invention that originated and were improved by the Europeans is the invention of the logarithm in the early 17th Century by John Napier. It was later improved by John Napier and Henry Biggs. This invention was a major breakthrough and contribution to the advance of science, astronomy and mathematics by making some difficult calculations relatively easy. It was one of the most pivotal mathematical developments of the age. It also helped physicists like Kepler and Newton who probably could never have never performed such omplex calculations that they really needed for their innovations