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
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mathematics is a practical tool for understanding the world rather than just a theoretical concept.
In this quote, Terence Tao reflects on his transformative realization during his college years that mathematics should not merely be viewed as a collection of abstract symbols and rules. Instead, he emphasizes its profound applicability, showcasing how mathematical concepts serve as powerful tools that can be harnessed to analyze, interpret, and better understand the complexities of the modern world, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications.
Themes
MathematicsUnderstandingApplicationKnowledgeAnalysis
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a presentation about the importance of mathematics in everyday life.
More from Terence Tao
All quotes →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
I recall being fascinated by numbers even at age three and viewed their manipulation as a kind of game.
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
If you step up the self-education curve, you will come up with more answers than you can use.
Jim RohnRead
Knowledge without follow-through is worse than no knowledge.
Charles BukowskiRead
In teaching, the other main problem related to type is the students’ interest. Intuitives and sensing types differ greatly in what they find interesting in any subject even if they like, that is, are interested in, the same subjects. Intuitives like the principle, the theory, the why. Sensing types like the practical application, the what and the how.
Isabel Briggs MyersRead
In my work as a historian and in my relationships as a friend, teacher, wife, and mother, I have come to think that the most useful way to understand the past and make it work for you is to look at the trade-offs and contradictions that, however deeply buried, can be uncovered in every memory, good or bad.
Stephanie CoontzRead
What we are learning around the world is that if women are healthy and educated, their families will flourish. If women are free from violence, their families will flourish. If women have a chance to work and earn as full and equal partners in society, their families will flourish. And when families flourish, communities and nations do as well.
Hillary ClintonRead
Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on.
John SteinbeckRead