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Mathematics and Life - 3 What does it mean to know maths ?

 What does it mean to know maths ?


Different people have different perception of what does it mean to be good at mathematics ?

Some popular perceptions wide spread among school going students, parents and even teachers about what does it mean to be good at maths ? (without being judgemental of one being better than the others, I am just listing)

  • The ability to do long calculations in short time like solving 4538 x 3659 orally in few seconds (or neno seconds) this is the skill taught in the courses running under different names with prefix, suffix Abacus. 
  • The ability to score very high in each and every test, examination
  • The ability to recall, use tables upto 30 or more
  • The ability to create or memorise and reproduce tables of quarters, two thirds etc
  • The ability to tell answers even if the question is just finished (By memorising all questions through practice)
  • I even saw a girl, not good to name publicly, who told the question when I told the answer.
  • Feel free to add more in your comments ........
Depending upon their perception of being "good at maths", students, parents even teachers start comparing own children, students one against other causing deep anxiety and stress. More often than not early public insult, in class or at home is the starting point of chain reaction leading to developing fear for maths at early stage of sschool. Do not know of maths concepts being formed, but unfortunately misconception about maths is formed. And continues to haunt. Beyond Abacus offers a service GIM - Guaranteed Improvement in Maths that helps to overcome these issues. It is clinical service where the learning problems are diagnosed and are treated within a time frame.

At research level too there have been numerous attempts to define what does it mean to know or be good at maths ? Beyond Abacus believes in the broad based definition - mathematics is the ability to understand, appreciate, recognise and create patterns in daily life, society, business, sciences.....

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