Introduction
Doing math is one of the most important functions of life, since daily it is vital to civilized human living.
From childhood to old age we are concerned with math. The child in school is faced with mathematical problems every day, as are the housewife, the carpenter, the businessman and the space scientist.
– Glenn Doman, educator and specialist in child brain development
It has been argued that math is the only truly universal language - and it’s easy to see why. Mathematics is the language of logic and reasoning; it is the language of pattern and symmetry. Mathematics brings order out of the apparent randomness of life. Mathematics is beautiful. For those of us who have never studied advanced mathematics, popular science books and TV programs provide windows into a world that keeps mathematicians and physicists enthralled their entire lives. |
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Even if we may never experience the elegant intricacies of advanced mathematics, it's easy to appreciate how powerful a deeper understanding of mathematics can be. How do people fly to the moon and back? How does a bridge remain stable, even during the fiercest hurricane or typhoon? How does the heating or air conditioning system know when to shut off and start up again in order to keep the room at a constant temperature? All of these things depend on mathematics. Mathematics is at the heart of everyday life. Whether or not your child becomes comfortable with the subject is not something that should be left to chance. We’re not saying your child should grow up to be a mathematician, physicist or engineer – or even that by teaching your baby math, you will increase the chances of that happening. What we are saying is that it is within your power as a parent to endow your child with a positive attitude to mathematics – as well as the capability to use math to her advantage in everyday life. It may be too late for some of us to ever become truly fluent in the language of math. But for our young children, with their ability to absorb so much, the world of mathematics is their oyster!
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