Difference between revisions of "Mathematics"

Revision as of 07:14, 17 March 2016

Mathematics (from Greek μάθημα máthēma, "knowledge, study, learning") is the study of topics such as quantity (numbers), structure, space, time, motion, change, and measurement.

See:

• Mathematics glossary
• VNR Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics
• Category: Mathematics

Definition

There is a range of views among mathematicians and philosophers as to the exact scope and definition of mathematics.

Patterns and conjectures

Mathematicians seek out patterns and use them to formulate new conjectures.

Mathematical proof

Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proof.

Physics

When mathematical structures are good models of real phenomena, then mathematical reasoning can provide insight or predictions about nature.

See Physics.

Fundamental principles

Through the use of abstraction and logic, mathematics developed from:

• Counting
• Calculation
• Measurement
• The systematic study of the shapes and motions of physical objects

History

Practical mathematics has been a human activity for as far back as written records exist.

Effort required

The research required to solve mathematical problems can take years or even centuries of sustained inquiry.

See also

• Mathematics glossary

And:

• Abstraction (mathematics)
• Algebra
• Algorithm
• Approximation
• Arithmetic
• Axiom
• Binomial
• Boolean algebra
• Calculus
• Computation
• Conjecture
• Constant (mathematics)
• Element (mathematics)
• Engineering
• Equation
• Expression (mathematics)
• Formal language
• Formal system
• Formula (mathematics)
• Foundations of mathematics
• Fractal
• Function (mathematics)
• Geometry
• How to Solve It
• Integer
• Logic
• Logarithm
• Mandelbrot set
• Mathematical analysis
• Mathematical constant
• Mathematical logic
• Mathematical notation
• Mathematical object
• Mathematical proof
• Mathematician
• Music theory
• Natural number
• Number
• Number system
• Number theory
• Numeral system
• Numerical analysis
• Operand
• Operation (mathematics)
• Permutation
• Philosophy of mathematics
• Pi
• Polar coordinate system
• Power of two
• Quantity
• Radix
• Real number
• Recursion
• Rounding
• Scaling (geometry)
• Self-reference
• Signal
• Solution space
• The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences
• Topology
• Truth value
• Turing machine
• Value (mathematics)
• Variable (mathematics)
• Zero

External links

• Mathematics @ Wikipedia

• How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking @ YouTube
• The Math Mystery: Mathematics in Nature and Universe