why should we learn about history of mathematics????

Before we talk further about that, actually mathematics is also like the other lessons. It’s not only interesting from the material but also from the background. Yah… actually I have known that a lesson like mathematics also has a history^^,. How interesting is it???

LET’s GO to THE REASONS

Ok that's about the reasons why i should learn about the history of mathematic. Emmm don’t you know that learning about something it’s much better if we know everything about that’s thing, for example yah about the background itself. By learning the background of that’s thing, we will more know and more understand how important that’s thing to learn and in our daily life.

And also when we learn about mathematics, it’s much better if we also learn about the history of mathematics. By learning the history we will know the progress of mathematics in the world since a hundred year old before until now, from that we can get the main point of how important mathematics in our daily life and for us. Not only that, by learning mathematics’ history, our knowledge also will be increasing, we don’t only know about the material but also the history, the backgrounds of each material in mathematics. Moreover we are a teacher to be, so of course by having this knowledge or knowledge about mathematics’ history we can create or modify our learning methods then. May be to get the students’ attention and also the students’ interesting we can also use our knowledge about history of mathematics in the opening of our lessons. It also can increase our students’ motivation to learn about mathematics.

not only that, but also in fact there are so many advantages for us who want to know more and learn about history of mathematics, such as:

Advantages of mathematicians learning history of math 

• Better communication with non-mathematicians

• enables them to see themselves as part of the general cultural and social processes and not to feel “out of the world”

• Additional understanding of problems pupils and students has in comprehending some mathematical notions and facts

• If mathematicians have fun with their discipline it will be felt by others; history of math provides lots of fun examples and interesting facts

and especially for us who are teacher to be in the future time, it really really important like my statement before:

History of math for school teachers

• plenty of interesting and fun examples to enliven the classroom math presentation

• use of historic versions of problems can make them more appealing and understandable

• additional insights in already known topics

• no-nonsense examples – historical are perfect because they are real!

• serious themes presented from the historical perspective are usually more appealing and often easier to explain

• connections to other scientific disciplines

• better understanding of problems pupils have and thus better response to errors

 

•making problems more interesting

•visually stimulating

•proofs without words

•giving some side-comments can enliven the class even when (or exactly because) it’s not requested to learn... e.g. when a math symbol was introduced

•making pupils understand that mathematics is not a closed subject and not a finished set of knowledge, it is cummulative (everything that was once proven is still valid)

•creativity – ideas for leading pupils to ask questions (e.g. we know how to double a sqare, but can we double a cube -> Greeks)

•showing there are things that cannot be done

• history of mathematics can improve the understanding of learning difficulties; e.g. the use of negative numbers and the rules for doing arithmetic with negative numbers were far from easy in their introducing (first appearance in India, but Arabs don’t use them; even A. De Morgan in the 19^th century considers them inconceavable; though begginings of their use in Europe date from rennaisance – Cardano – full use starts as late as the 19^th century)

• math is not dry and mathematicians are human beeings with emotions à anecdotes, quotes and biographies

• improving teaching à following the natural process of creation (the basic idea, then the proof)

 

•for smaller children: using the development of notions

•for older pupils: approach by specific historical topics

•in any case, teaching history helps learning how to develop ideas and improves the understanding of the subject

•it is good for giving a broad outline or overview of the topic, either when introducing it or when reviewing it

i can give you an example:

Example 1: Completing a square / solving a quadratic equation

al-khwarizmi completed the square^^,

al-Khwarizmi (ca. 780-850) 

 

x² + 10 x = 39

 

x² + 10 x + 4·²⁵/4 = 39+25

(x+5)² = 64

x + 5 = 8

x = 3

cr: http://www.worldofteaching.com/mathspowerpoints.html

What is Your Strategy to Increase Your Students' Motivation??? firstly suggest you are as a teacher!!!!

As a teacher, of course we not only know more about the concept, the main point and also the material itself. But also we have to know more about the history of that’s material, the situation, the condition and even more about the character of each students in a class. It’s so important for us, because by knowing that’s all we (as a teacher) can arrange and also create a kind of amazing, interesting and also great method to get their interest and attention. But how is about their motivation?? What kinds of method that can we use if in fact they really not so interested in our lesson or may be in our material????

Ah…..ya of course, we will face that’s kind of situation too. When our students aren’t so interested in our explanation about our material, then here is our knowledge of mathematics’ history turn. With that’s knowledge, we can get their motivation again to learn more about our material. But like what I said before, firstly you have to know and more understand enough with the situation and condition of our class and of course the condition or character of our students at that’s time too.

For example: suggest we are a mathematics teacher of junior high school in a city. Almost people who are still in this level are still like an elementary school’s students. They will be more interested in an activity that’s so fun, like “GAME”. Ya….almost of them prefer an enjoyable and joyful situation to monotone situation (like conventional of teaching method in past time: the teacher who always explain the material in front of the classroom, just explain it). The concrete example is like that, when we (as a teacher) would like to explain more about “Numbers”, we can also use numbers’ history. We can prepare and bring many kinds of media which relates with the history of number itself. After we explain about the material, then about the media that we bring we can go to the unique game. Ya we should divide our students in 3 big groups, 18^th century, 19^th century and the last modern era. After that we can ask them to show us the right symbol of the number that we mentioned before with the media that we gave to them.

But for senior high school level, because they are more mature than junior high school’s students. So of course we should change our methods to explain and get their motivation. Emm may be because they prefer watch the cinema or drama to others, then we can use it to be our method to get their interest and of course their motivation^^,.

Generally, when they look so tired and also so bored with our explanation or may be with our material, we can also give them a kind of funny and interesting video that tell us about mathematics’ history especially of course about our material itself. Remember we not Only Give Them a history of mathematics’ video, but also a kind of Funny and Interesting video (may be the design of that’s video looks like a cartoon movie and etc.). So let’s try this and enjoy it^^,.