I still remember the realization in college at Flinders University in Australia that mathematics was not just an abstract game of symbols but could be used as a tool to analyze and understand the modern world.
Terence TaoRead
I recall being fascinated by numbers even at age three and viewed their manipulation as a kind of game.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the early fascination and playful engagement with numbers, emphasizing the joy in learning and exploration.
In this quote, Terence Tao reflects on his childhood curiosity and enthusiasm for numbers, suggesting that the process of learning can be enjoyable and engaging, much like a game. This perspective emphasizes the importance of fostering a love for learning from an early age, making education a more enjoyable experience.
Themes
NumbersEducationLearningCuriosityPlayfulness
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about educational methods, one might say, 'As Terence Tao said, being fascinated by numbers even at a young age makes learning feel like a game.'
More from Terence Tao
All quotes →Most students who take math classes aren't going to be mathematicians. They're going to be engineers, statisticians - in many ways, that's the more important mission of math education.
Terence TaoRead
For me, I guess the main motivation is the satisfaction of finally understanding some tricky mathematical concept or phenomenon and then explaining it to others.
Terence TaoRead
One can think of any given axiom system as being like a computer with a certain limited amount of memory or processing power. One could switch to a computer with even more storage, but no matter how large an amount of storage space the computer has, there will still exist some tasks that are beyond its ability.
Terence TaoRead
Talent is important, but how one develops and nurtures it is even more so.
Terence TaoRead
When I was growing up, I knew I wanted to be a mathematician, but I had no idea what that entailed.
Terence TaoRead
Similar quotes
In many professions, what used to matter most were abilities associated with the left side of the brain: linear, sequential, spreadsheet kind of faculties. Those still matter, but they're not enough.
Daniel H. PinkRead
Intelligence and proper education will give you independence of spirit.
Charlotte BronteRead
Lack of homework shows up in the marketplace as well as in the classroom.
Jim RohnRead
There is no reason why an American scholar cannot by himself or herself develop an adequate understanding of another culture. And I don't find any reason to suppose that the birth within a culture automatically confers understanding.
Martha NussbaumRead
To be taught to read—what is the use of that, if you know not whether what you read is false or true? To be taught to write or to speak—but what is the use of speaking, if you have nothing to say? To be taught to think—nay, what is the use of being able to think, if you have nothing to think of? But to be taught to see is to gain word and thought at once, and both true.
John RuskinRead
Books are slow, books are quiet. The Internet is fast and loud.
Jonathan Safran FoerRead