They were inculcatedd with mathematics at an early age. Drawing and reading nkoaa....If you start them young, apply financial incentives. They will begin to love maths
They were inculcatedd with mathematics at an early age. Drawing and reading nkoaa....If you start them young, apply financial incentives. They will begin to love maths
Tekonline.org 10 years ago
...and make them fun-filled.
...and make them fun-filled.
Joe Turkey 10 years ago
Everybody has his talent. What is very obvious to you is not to obvious everyone.
Everybody has his talent. What is very obvious to you is not to obvious everyone.
Tekonline.org 10 years ago
True, some are real prodigies, and many precocious, but with PRACTICE and proper teaching materials, anybody can be an accomplished mathematician. At least, in the US, this is a known fact.
True, some are real prodigies, and many precocious, but with PRACTICE and proper teaching materials, anybody can be an accomplished mathematician. At least, in the US, this is a known fact.
Kowadis 10 years ago
Tell that to your former VP Dan Quayle!
Tell that to your former VP Dan Quayle!
Kwesi Atta Sakyi 10 years ago
Naana Aba Sakyi, you have done well to write this article. Rote learning in early childhood of multiplication tables and other tables is cardinal for building a solid basis for mathematics. Thereafter, it should the use of lo ... read full comment
Naana Aba Sakyi, you have done well to write this article. Rote learning in early childhood of multiplication tables and other tables is cardinal for building a solid basis for mathematics. Thereafter, it should the use of logic to discover patterns. Early in my childhood more than sixty years ago, I discovered that multiplication is based on addition. I discovered also the basic rules of integration when I was looking at a photo in a Jehovah's Witness book. We had good teachers with passion for maths and they made us love the subject as they did. Maths is all about doggedness, commitment, adventure, not giving up, diligence, and innovation and discovery. It also requires self discipline and a lot of experimentation and encouragement from parents, sibling, teachers, and peers. Fancy when I went to Legon to read Economics, Statistics, and Geography, I had only O Level mathematics, though I had read some higher maths on my own through self tuition. I was one of the best in my Statistics class and my Professor liked me so much. The bottomline is having a solid foundation. Thanks for your short but thought-provoking article.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Prof. Sakyi,
Horaaay! No doubt you are a brilliant, well-read man, Prof. Sakyi. That shows through your articles.
I have enjoyed Patience's article very much and hope she continues with it. Perhaps she should take up th ... read full comment
Prof. Sakyi,
Horaaay! No doubt you are a brilliant, well-read man, Prof. Sakyi. That shows through your articles.
I have enjoyed Patience's article very much and hope she continues with it. Perhaps she should take up the challenge of sharing with us some of the "esoteric" skills she personally acquired via learning mathematics, skills and techniques that have pushed her through the system up to studying mathematics at the university level.
I know this is a herculean task to demand of Patience because mathematics, like other subject, comes in various forms, abstract, computational, cause and effect, philosophical,intuitive, empirical, engineering,etc.
Patience should try reading Bertrand Russell's (if she has not already) work on mathematical philosophy and one of his most works, The Principles of Mathematics. Bot are insightful and show the beauty of mathematics.
On the other hand, the Indian mathematician, statistician, computer scientist, historian, and Einstein scholar Dr. Chandra Kant Raju has developed/invented simpler and more efficient approaches to dealing with/solving mathematics, particularly calucus, without the lumbering trappings of proofs. He has been experimenting his new methodological approaches with students in Malaysia where he has been researching and teaching for sometime now.
Prof. Sakyi, I like to see more girls get into the sciences and mathematics (I think more women than men are getting or are already in(to) the sciences in America,if my memory serves me right). I also hope she becomes your cousin, Dr. Jackson the statistician.
Keep up the good work, Patience.
Take care.
Kwesi Atta Sakyi 10 years ago
One daughter of the Jacksons holds a Phd in Mathematics, just like her aunt. Some of the great mathematicians from Africa are Nigerians resident outside their country. Africans are potentially great mathematicians, except tha ... read full comment
One daughter of the Jacksons holds a Phd in Mathematics, just like her aunt. Some of the great mathematicians from Africa are Nigerians resident outside their country. Africans are potentially great mathematicians, except that we lack conducive environment and incentives. When in my teens, I used to solve maths problems while sleeping at night. My mind had no rest until I had figured out a maths problem. Statistics seems very easy and natural to me.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Prof Sakyi,
Prof. Jackson's daughter, the one with PhD in mathematics in Maryland, taught me at KNUST.
That fair, half-caste-looking lady was not only gorgeous but smart as well and as hell.
Your family is well endo ... read full comment
Prof Sakyi,
Prof. Jackson's daughter, the one with PhD in mathematics in Maryland, taught me at KNUST.
That fair, half-caste-looking lady was not only gorgeous but smart as well and as hell.
Your family is well endowed, Prof. Sakyi. We know you as one of the most well-read writers on Ghanaweb.
Thanks.
FOYOOSIS 10 years ago
Greetings from the other side of the globe,Egya Atta Sakyi!
What has become of your eloquent cousin Paa kwesi Mintah? We haven't heard much from him lately and i hope he's just doing great.
Tell him his absence is felt ... read full comment
Greetings from the other side of the globe,Egya Atta Sakyi!
What has become of your eloquent cousin Paa kwesi Mintah? We haven't heard much from him lately and i hope he's just doing great.
Tell him his absence is felt on Ghanaweb and that he should bounce back quickly.
Kwesi Atta Sakyi 10 years ago
Neenyi Paa Kwesi Mintah once intimated to me he has sight problems. Besides, being a Medic, I presume he has taken a break maybe to work on some great academic project. Oh he has concluded that his intellect is too high for m ... read full comment
Neenyi Paa Kwesi Mintah once intimated to me he has sight problems. Besides, being a Medic, I presume he has taken a break maybe to work on some great academic project. Oh he has concluded that his intellect is too high for majority of us on ghanaweb forum so he has withdrawn. Maybe he comes out under another moniker, sobriquet, or pseudonym. Who knows? I miss him dearly and terribly. I shall keep you posted if I sight him or have a whiff of him. I shall beat the drums and organise Tuafo No. 1 and Dentsefo No 2 Asafo stalwarts to search for him all over the globe, especially around Sylvia Restaurant in NYNY in Big Apple where he sometimes hobnobs with Noble Laureates from Havard and the Ivy League.
FOYOOSIS 10 years ago
Lol, that sounds funny, at the same time pathetic. I hope you will keep your low-profile attitude and humbleness in addressing issues here on Ghanaweb, irrespective of academic laurels.
Thanks for the feed-back. Have a hea ... read full comment
Lol, that sounds funny, at the same time pathetic. I hope you will keep your low-profile attitude and humbleness in addressing issues here on Ghanaweb, irrespective of academic laurels.
Thanks for the feed-back. Have a healthy weekend and do enjoy your "Zambian brewed pilsner".
Great 10 years ago
Thanks, good piece. Are you ready to go and teach at Mprugu yoyo....or Nyapanduri SSS
Thanks, good piece. Are you ready to go and teach at Mprugu yoyo....or Nyapanduri SSS
Tekonline.org 10 years ago
Good job, Patience.
As the world gets more and more immersed in the Digital Age, it becomes even more important that we emphasize effective mathematics education.
Main problem is the manner of teaching maths, right from ... read full comment
Good job, Patience.
As the world gets more and more immersed in the Digital Age, it becomes even more important that we emphasize effective mathematics education.
Main problem is the manner of teaching maths, right from Kindergarten.
I had to grow up into a very adult age to be told that mathematics is all about PATTERNS and their RELATIONSHIPS. Today, you would find books written for the very young, exposing patterns in life in mathematical terms. We are surrounded by so much mathematics in nature, from sea-shells to leaf arrangement, yet one would be hard pressed to find a teacher who would reveal such connections.
The fun factor is also important. Some accomplished mathematicians had attributed their love and profound understanding of mathematical concepts to the simple act of playing mathematical games early on.
And we have had many of these in our households: "Ludu", "Ampe", "Tu-Ma-Tu", "Dam", etc. And more should be created, at least for children, using traditional materials.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Teonline.org,
How are you?
"Ludu," "Ampe," draught, "Tu-Ma-Tu," etc., fall under the area of game theory and probability theory. Even culinary science (recipe and all) is mathematical!
Mathematics is all around us. ... read full comment
Teonline.org,
How are you?
"Ludu," "Ampe," draught, "Tu-Ma-Tu," etc., fall under the area of game theory and probability theory. Even culinary science (recipe and all) is mathematical!
Mathematics is all around us. In that case we can start from the little things around us.
Thanks for your insights.
Tekonline.org 10 years ago
...and on a side note, culinary science can be used to teach computer programming:
(for Francis' Valentine Day joloff)
a. Measure 3 cups of water
b. Measure 1 cup of rice
c. Add a to b.
d. Put c in the oven (microwave) ... read full comment
...and on a side note, culinary science can be used to teach computer programming:
(for Francis' Valentine Day joloff)
a. Measure 3 cups of water
b. Measure 1 cup of rice
c. Add a to b.
d. Put c in the oven (microwave)
e. Start oven
f. let run for 15 minutes
g. check c.
h. if not done go back to f.
i. if done stop.
j. let cool.
The recipe is the best model for computer programming.
EDUARDO DOMINGO 10 years ago
MANY PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE MATHEMATICS BECAUSE , IT HAS NO RELATION WITH ACTUAL MONEY COUNTING, AND IS USELESS IN RELATION WITH MONEY COUNTING AND MAKING!!
MANY PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE MATHEMATICS BECAUSE , IT HAS NO RELATION WITH ACTUAL MONEY COUNTING, AND IS USELESS IN RELATION WITH MONEY COUNTING AND MAKING!!
Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 10 years ago
Maths has no function anywhere: it does not improve a person's ability to do anything, to reason any better, to score higher on the issue of brilliance or to resolve any of the problems in life. Tell me a single problem any o ... read full comment
Maths has no function anywhere: it does not improve a person's ability to do anything, to reason any better, to score higher on the issue of brilliance or to resolve any of the problems in life. Tell me a single problem any of our Mathematicians have ever resolved? Indeed, most mathematicians are rather obtuse and eccentric.
Maths, like science study, particularly in Ghana, is very difficult but totally useless. That might answer the question as to why many people don't enjoy it.
Paul 10 years ago
It seems to me that anything this man does not like is either unimportant or does not add any value to the world in which he lives!!!
Yet he drives a "truck" on the "highway" and picks up "strange women" along the way who ... read full comment
It seems to me that anything this man does not like is either unimportant or does not add any value to the world in which he lives!!!
Yet he drives a "truck" on the "highway" and picks up "strange women" along the way who end up "robbing him" of his "electronic gadgets" which are the work of "engineering and mathematics".
What shall we do with such a person? Strange but very true!!!
Dr. SAS, Criminal Defense Attorney 10 years ago
By itself, what does Math do?
Does it improve upon your logic and reasoning abilities?
Tell me what the study of Math does by itself, or how it has improved your lot, since you are certified as extremely stupidity.
Mos ... read full comment
By itself, what does Math do?
Does it improve upon your logic and reasoning abilities?
Tell me what the study of Math does by itself, or how it has improved your lot, since you are certified as extremely stupidity.
Most of you guys who have reached the heights of your Math studies cannot even reason logically...And if you do, you will not be assigning stupid interpretation to an incident in which I picked two ladies from their home who ended up stealing my truck.
I am in no way affected by any allegation of prostitution: I have never claimed to be celibate or against prostitution per se, the same way I am not against the use of hard drugs. A lot of people know about my position on these.....
My anger is in the stupid idea that I will pick prostitutes from the streets for them to steal my truck. That makes me stupid. But I have to tell you that, as a lawyer, I don't need to ever pick any prostitutes from the streets. I have enough of everything, including a fine brain.
As for you, you are the typical example of why the study of Math is useless. You cannot ever reason well, no matter how much you try. And I guess you are a Christian too; and that even makes you more stupid!!!
Paul 10 years ago
Dr SAS, you are truly pathetic. Oh, so you picked up the two 'strange ladies from their home'. Hmmmm Since you know their home, I hope have recovered your truck and your 'mathematically inspired gadgets' along with it.
Dr SAS, you are truly pathetic. Oh, so you picked up the two 'strange ladies from their home'. Hmmmm Since you know their home, I hope have recovered your truck and your 'mathematically inspired gadgets' along with it.
Dr. SAS, ATTORNEY AT LAW 10 years ago
You did not even read my article, and yet you formed your own conclusions and peddled your lies....
The police recovered my vehicle a week or so after the event.
The point of my article was that I will not change the wa ... read full comment
You did not even read my article, and yet you formed your own conclusions and peddled your lies....
The police recovered my vehicle a week or so after the event.
The point of my article was that I will not change the way I am because of some criminals...If the weather is very cold and I have passengers in my truck, I am going to leave the engine running to keep them warm, despite the risk that my car might be stolen; although many will call me a fool for being kind. Also, if someone has taken a loan from me and never paid, I will not cease giving loans to others. I think that is what being good means to me, and this object lesson was what I was trying to teach with my article called "Myself, Sidiku Buare and the Car Thieves". How this innocuous account led to the conclusion that I was picking prostitutes on the streets beats my imagination.
Those girls I picked were clients I had helped in the past. Note that as a criminal defense attorney, I am very close to criminals. That doesn't mean I must be mistaken for one.
Paul 10 years ago
Dr SAS, Furthermore it seems to me, because you are not mathematically inclined, you couldn't even work it out that the 'two strange ladies' you picked up were cons, that they were out to dupe you, and to make you miserable. ... read full comment
Dr SAS, Furthermore it seems to me, because you are not mathematically inclined, you couldn't even work it out that the 'two strange ladies' you picked up were cons, that they were out to dupe you, and to make you miserable. Do you now see why you need maths to help your logic and make you smart to FIGURE OUT crooks? Please stop insulting others otherwise we will being to think you are simply repeating exactly what your own deficiencies are as a person. In psychiatry we call it 'echolalia' when you repeat things said.
Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 10 years ago
How did you use your math to come to the conclusion that I am not mathematically inclined? Just because I am criticizing the subject?
Yesterday, you falsely concluded that I belong to a family that suffered under Nkrumah, ... read full comment
How did you use your math to come to the conclusion that I am not mathematically inclined? Just because I am criticizing the subject?
Yesterday, you falsely concluded that I belong to a family that suffered under Nkrumah, and hence my dislike for the man. How did Math help you to establish any cause or effect in this context?
You claim that you are neither Nkrumaist nor NDC. Has your math educated you enough to know who you really are?
And the lie you told about the killing and imprisonment of those scientists; how did math help you glean the truth from hearsays?
You are one big problem for Ghana because you can never think right. Despite your long resume and impressive education, you remain extremely retarded.
Now tell me how your math education has helped you to decipher a gross dictator from a martyred hero for the cause of freedom. And how has math made you see your incessant insults against my righteous self as a fair action and reaction which must be equal and opposite? Or is it now your proposition that I have been disrespectful to you while you have been all respectful and nice to me? How will you expect me to respond when you have turned your talents into a gossip and a sycophant, just repeating some stupid allegations against my righteous person?
If you FIGURE OUT all the answers to my questions, you will also figure out the depth of my contempt for you in spite of your bloated resume. You are simply uselessly educated. You will never make any sense at the congregation of the elders of your own village where real wisdom resides, you stupid Christian zealot.
Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 10 years ago
I need to add that this writer's future will not be defined in any way by his/her Math study which will merely frustrate him/ her. His/ her future will be defined by the proficiency of his/her language which I hereby certify ... read full comment
I need to add that this writer's future will not be defined in any way by his/her Math study which will merely frustrate him/ her. His/ her future will be defined by the proficiency of his/her language which I hereby certify as elegant.
Stop studying Math and study Law, or at least become a writer or something. You are wasting your talents studying a useless subject.
LONTO-BOY 10 years ago
Dr SAS, even though most maths graduates later train as Maths teachers, maths will always serve you well no matter what field you pursue for your career. There are a number of career options/professions most maths graduates c ... read full comment
Dr SAS, even though most maths graduates later train as Maths teachers, maths will always serve you well no matter what field you pursue for your career. There are a number of career options/professions most maths graduates could work in: Business, finance and accountancy-related fields. Maths skills are also needed in Geophysics, statistics, physics, transport planning, and IT[ software engineer, computer programmer, and computer systems analyst ].
OKOE 10 years ago
THIS COMMENT SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME FROM ANYONE EXCEPT A LAWYER AND A PHD TO BOOT. NEVER TAKE TO HEART WHAT MR SAS JUST WROTE. IN FACT MATHEMATICS IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF CIVILIZATION. WITHOUT SCIENCE AND INCLUDING MATHEMATICS G ... read full comment
THIS COMMENT SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME FROM ANYONE EXCEPT A LAWYER AND A PHD TO BOOT. NEVER TAKE TO HEART WHAT MR SAS JUST WROTE. IN FACT MATHEMATICS IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF CIVILIZATION. WITHOUT SCIENCE AND INCLUDING MATHEMATICS GOOD LIFE AS WE CHERISH TODAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. IF THERE IS ANY SUBJECT THAT IS IRRELEVANT IF NOT BECAUSE OF HYPE FROM PEOPLE LIKE SAS, WE WOULD NOT BE IN THE MESS WE ARE NOW IN GHANA. IT IS A SHAME AND UNBELIEVABLE.
LONTO-BOY 10 years ago
Nana Aba, thanks for this piece. Yes, in Ghana, most people/students are not comfortable with maths. Personally, I think to make maths enjoyable in our schools, we need highly qualified maths teachers. Teaching methods and te ... read full comment
Nana Aba, thanks for this piece. Yes, in Ghana, most people/students are not comfortable with maths. Personally, I think to make maths enjoyable in our schools, we need highly qualified maths teachers. Teaching methods and techniques of the highly qualified maths teachers are effective in understanding maths.
Also, teaching maths lessons to children/pupils/students should be fun-filled. The times-table, mental arithmetic, fractions and rote learning in schools should be made more interesting, creative and motivational.
Again, both parents and teachers should discard the attitude that children/pupils/students who initially 'struggle' with maths 'don't like maths.' Most pupils/students improve with time and motivation through effective teaching.
jimmy 10 years ago
The writer should be extra careful else it would be the beginning down fall of the university where she is studying. In the first paragraph, a primary one mistake was made which is unfortunate. Square ROOT of 9 is 3 not 81 bu ... read full comment
The writer should be extra careful else it would be the beginning down fall of the university where she is studying. In the first paragraph, a primary one mistake was made which is unfortunate. Square ROOT of 9 is 3 not 81 but I guess she wanted to say SQUARE of 9 is 81. Somebody trying to promote Maths shouldn't have made such a mistake on public platform.
jimmy 10 years ago
Having read it second time which I escaped the word IS, you are right the answer is 81.
Having read it second time which I escaped the word IS, you are right the answer is 81.
Paul 10 years ago
Cudos, i is always good to be true to ourselves and this is much appreciated from you Jimmy.
Cudos, i is always good to be true to ourselves and this is much appreciated from you Jimmy.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear Paul,
Good Day.
Jimmy,
Patience's statement "if the square root of a number is 9, then that number is 81?" SHE IS 100% CORRECT. It is called WORD PROBLEM in mathematics (algebra). The issue is how to correctly t ... read full comment
Dear Paul,
Good Day.
Jimmy,
Patience's statement "if the square root of a number is 9, then that number is 81?" SHE IS 100% CORRECT. It is called WORD PROBLEM in mathematics (algebra). The issue is how to correctly translation that statement into an algebraic representation for systematic resolution, if one does not know square roots/squares of numbers by heart.
This is how such statements are translated algebraically:
1) Let the "number" Patience is referring to be the letter "n."
2) Replace the verb "is" with the equality symbol "="
3) Replace the phrase "square root" with the mathematical symbol “?” or raised to the power half (1/2).
Thus, Patience’s statement could be reduced to the following algebraic structure:
?(n) = 9
Or (n) raised to the power half (1/2) = 9 = (3) raised to the power 2…… (1)
The next step is to multiply both powers by the number 2 (on both sides) to get rid of the “square root” because it is the “unknown number,” represented by the letter “n,” that you are looking for. As such, equation (1) becomes:
(n) raised to the power ½ times 2 = (3) raised to the power 2 times 2 …..(2)
The 2s on the left-hand side cancel out to give you simply (n). On the other hand the 2s on the right-hand side becomes 4.
In other words equation (2) becomes in effect:
n = (3)raised to the power 4. (3) raised to the power 4 is the same as 4 times 4 times 4 times 4, multiplying 4 four times, which is the same as 81.
So, the number (n) whose square root is 9 is the same as the number 81.
Alternatively, we can go about equation (1) by not raising the number 3 to the power 2. We can retain the number 9 in its original configuration.
That means that equation (1) becomes:
Or (n) raised to the power half (1/2) = 9….(3)
In that case multiply both powers by 2, equation (3) becomes:
(n) raised to the power ½ times 2 = (9) raised to the power 1 times 2
(n) = 9 raised to the power 2. 9 raised to the power 2 = 9 times 9 = 81.
Therefore, which approach you use still lands you at Patience’s answer.
YOU CAN ALSO REVISE HER “WORD PROBLEM” TO THIS: “the square root of 81 is 9.” Or “the square root of 81 is a certain number, and that certain number is 9.”
This is how you solve to re-wording of Patience’s WORD PROBLEM:
?(81) = n, where “n” is that certain “unknown” number….(4)
Equation (4) can be reformulated as:
(81) raised to the power ½ = n….(5)
Multiplying both sides’ powers by 2 gives:
(81) raised to the power ½ times 2 = n raised to the power 1 times 2
(81) = n raised to the power 2
The statement “n raised to the power 2” is the same as multiplying n 2 times = n times n.
The question to ask next is, which number when multiplied by itself twice gives 81? That number is 9. So that certain number is 9.
WORD PROBLEMS ARE SIMPLY STRUCTURED TO TEST STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS BEYOND THE PHILOSOPHICAL STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS OF ALGEBRAIC SYMBOLISM.
For instance, word problems help students and professionals handle business problems that have pure mathematical implications for management decisions (portfolio management, forecasting, actuarial science, banking, economics, etc). Engineering (industrial, manufacturing, inventory analysis, etc) is another such area where WORD PROBLEMS enjoy attention.
So Paul and Jimmy, Patience is 100% right. I believe her wording threw you guys off. But her wording is technically correct, mathematically and grammatically speaking, except that it is only a correct algebraic interpretation that will lead to a corresponding correct mathematical resolution, also taking into consideration that the “solver” of the problems religiously follows the basic rules/regimen of algebra to arrive at the correct solution.
Thanks.
Kowadis 10 years ago
... kindly, which schools in Ghana teach "math in 5th grade"?
... kindly, which schools in Ghana teach "math in 5th grade"?
Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 10 years ago
Bro. Francis,
Do you have to do all this to prove that the square root of 81 is 9.
What a waste of time and energy!!!
To me, there is no word problem here. The wording is clear enough. The square root of 81 is 9, per ... read full comment
Bro. Francis,
Do you have to do all this to prove that the square root of 81 is 9.
What a waste of time and energy!!!
To me, there is no word problem here. The wording is clear enough. The square root of 81 is 9, period; I don't need any spider web proof to figure this one out. That is how you send everyone away from Math.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Dear Brother SAS,
How are you?
I believe mathematics and law overlap in certain important areas of human intellectual socialization. Law and mathematics are really good friends, if you ask me. I have tons of examples to ... read full comment
Dear Brother SAS,
How are you?
I believe mathematics and law overlap in certain important areas of human intellectual socialization. Law and mathematics are really good friends, if you ask me. I have tons of examples to illustrate this (but let me stop here for now).
In fact, the reasoning (logic) that went into the simple problem I solved is "used" by lawyers (and other professionals) everyday without their knowing it (not to you specifically; it is a general statement; this is a big topic for another day).
Having said that, I found the following interesting commentaries for you!
........................................................................................................................................................
EMILY GUBLER CLARK
Columbia Law School BS Math BYU
“After graduating from BYU in Mathematics in April 2004, I moved to New York City and started law school at Columbia… (Now) I’ve accepted a job post-graduation with Lewis & Roca in their Las Vegas office.”
“Mathematics has been a wonderful preparation for law school. Math was a surprisingly excellent prep for taking the LSAT… Being a math major in law school sets you apart from the majority of law students who are humanities majors, a distinction that proves advantageous upon applying for jobs.”
Attorneys act as both advocates and advisors in our society. As advocates, they represent one of the parties in criminal and civil trials by presenting evidence and arguing in court to support their client. As advisors, attorneys counsel their clients about their legal rights and obligations and suggest particular courses of action in business and personal matters. They research, comprehend, and apply local, state, and federal laws and a good background in mathematics will help a student get admitted to law school and assist in the understanding of complicated theoretical legal concepts.
________________________________________
Low End Salary: $54,310/yr
Median Salary: $113,530/yr
High End Salary: $168,010/yr
________________________________________
Education:
Formal requirements to become a attorney usually include a 4-year college degree in a field such as mathematics, 3 years of law school, and passing a written bar examination. Competition for admission to most law schools is intense. Math and Physics majors outscore all other majors on the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). (Michael Nieswiadomy, "LSAT Scores of Economics Majors: The 2003-2004 Class Update", Journal of Economic Education, pp. 244-247) Do you love mathematics, but want to pursue a career as a lawyer? "Professional graduate schools in business, law, and medicine think mathematics is a great major because it develops analytical skills and the ability to work in a problem solving environment. And results on admission tests for graduate and professional schools show that students majoring in mathematics receive substantially higher scores than most other majors." William Allard & Clark Bray Duke University, Mathematics Department
Math Required:
College Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Calculus I and II, Finite Mathematics, Statistics
When Math is Used:
Attorneys use mathematical skills such as problem solving and logic in their everyday business activities. Much like a math problem, attorneys in court need to illustrate step-by-step their knowledge of the case.
Potential Employers:
Approximately 27 percent of attorneys are self-employed, practicing either as partners in law firms or in solo practices. They may also hold positions in government, in law firms or other corporations, or in nonprofit organizations. Most government-employed attorneys worked at the local level.
Facts:
There are many different types of attorneys, such as private attorneys, trial attorneys, corporate attorneys, intellectual property attorneys, patents attorneys, insurance attorneys, environmental attorneys, and government attorneys.
Citations:
www.bls.gov/oco/ocos053.htm
www.math.ucdavis.edu/~kouba/MathJobs.html
www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes231011.htm
www.siena.edu/level2col.aspx?menu_id=530&id=23684
mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/52353.html
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3 Comments:
•
ScotTheMathGuy
May 1, 2013
My educational background involves math, science, engineering, English, and law, and I have earned my living primarily as a math instructor. I am currently free-lancing in any and all of the above fields. I can specifically think of two ways that math has intersected with law for me:
(1) Patent Law. I took the patent bar exam to become a patent attorney. Not just any lawyer can do so, only those with degrees in science or engineering. You actually don’t even have to be a lawyer to prosecute patents or work at the Patent Office. The most in-demand patent attorneys / agents / examiners are those in CS / EE (usually requiring only a BS; no prestigious alma mater required) and the biochemical sciences (usually requiring a PhD). Experience in the industry is highly valued.
(2) LSAT tutoring. I second what I’ve read on this page. The LSAT is a test primarily of English language literacy, but also plain old logic and common sense. It requires no knowledge of the law whatsoever — but a math background can provide a huge advantage. Mathematics is the study of logic, the application of rules, and symbolic language, which pretty much covers half of the LSAT. My experience as a math major and math instructor has put me in a great position to understand the LSAT and to teach it well. The fact that I am an attorney and I have scored high on the LSAT makes me that much more credible. The LSAT market shows no signs of slowing down, and LSAT tutoring firms are becoming competitive in their hiring of instructors.
Scot S. Fagerland, Esq.
TheMathGuy.com
Reply
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jonrickspan
May 1, 2013
Attorney Career
Hey Guys,
Im thinking of becoming an Attorney. My friend just took his LSAT and got destroyed! He said that the logic problems were the worst part. Which requires a certain mathematical mind. Im not sure I really have the skills needed. I wonder do you guys know where to get coaching for the cna LSAT. Thanks for the detailed explanation Scott.
Reply
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davinder01
May 1, 2013
A tryst with law can be a difficult and frustrating experience, which can leave you bereft of energy as well as resources. Any country will have its own unique laws to maintain its integrity and protect its national interests. Immigration law, for instance can be decisive in granting any individual a status that makes him to dwell in the respective country as a legal citizen and most countries have laws that govern the entry as well as the course of stay of such individuals.
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Date: 01/26/2001 at 15:48:12
From: Doctor Jaffee
Subject: Re: In what ways do lawyers use math?
Hi Chloe,
A colleague and friend of mine recently started teaching high school
math after having been a lawyer for the last ten years. I told him
about your question and he very quickly came up with three important
ways in which lawyers use mathematics. He said that if he thought
about it some more, he could probably come up with others.
First, he told me that when an attorney writes a brief for a case in
which he has to convince the judge that his client should win the
case, he structures it just like a geometric proof. He starts with all
the given facts, then states the relevant laws and precedents that
relate to the case. Then he makes his argument based on these facts
using deductive logic, exactly as if he were doing a mathematical
proof.
So, the study of mathematics in which you have to prove theorems and
properties using deductive logic is excellent training for a lawyer.
Second, most lawyers involved in civil cases in which people are suing
others must be able to calculate percentages, interest, etc. to
determine what is or isn't a fair settlement for the parties involved.
Likewise, attorneys involved in tax or corporate law have to do a lot
of computations involving money, interest rates, percentages and
proportions.
Third, patent attorneys who work on behalf of inventors generally must
also have a degree in engineering because they have to be able to
understand the inventions and the mathematical formulas involved in
the physics or chemistry applications of the product.
I hope this gives you some ideas for your paper. If you contact some
local attorneys and show them what I wrote, they might be able to give
you some specific examples - or they may have some other ideas.
Thanks for writing to Ask Dr. Math, and good luck with your paper.
- Doctor Jaffee, The Math Forum
mathforum.org/dr.math/
Date: 11/18/2002 at 17:46:15
From: Cristina
Subject: Lawyers using math?
I want to be a lawyer when I grow up, but I don't know what type of
math I will use. I want to know what type of math to focus on
exactly, because I am definitely pursuing a career in law. I have
already begun reading my dad's law books (he's a police officer) to
learn about courtroom trials. I just want to know what math it will be
very important for me to learn. I already know proofs will help, but
what type of proofs, and specifically how? Thank you!
- Cristina
Date: 11/18/2002 at 18:59:08
From: Doctor Shawn
Subject: Re: Lawyers using math?
Cristina,
I'm a law student halfway through school, and I also work at a law
firm, so I've got a bit of a first-hand perspective on what is
necessary.
First off, study logic. I know that's not necessarily something that
people consider to be math, but it's perhaps the most important thing
that you can use as a lawyer. A good course in symbolic logic will
help you recognize when people are making shoddy arguments, and will
improve your own. The importance of recognizing fallacies, unfair
generalizations, and other common rhetorical tricks will help you
enormously.
If you are a tax lawyer or deal with large businesses, you should be
able to deal with complicated questions involving the operation of
incredible amounts of money. Although specialized courses in law
school will cover some of the basics of this, you should be familiar
with accounting and statistics before you set foot in a courtroom.
I currently work for a plaintiffs' firm, so statistics are very
important for us. We have to prove to a judge and a jury that our
client's injuries were more likely than not caused by a certain
product or behavior, which is more difficult than you might think.
In the event of damage awards, we also have to figure out how to
apportion the judgment among various defendants, and also how much
credit defendants are entitled to if other people in the suit settle.
Basically, you should have a reasonable grasp of most areas of
mathematics. If you're an attorney, people are going to try to sell
you theories all the time, and you need to know whether you're on
foot or on horseback!
Good luck with your career goals.
- Doctor Shawn, The Math Forummathforum.org/dr.math/
Remember that I am an attorney trained here in the US who wrote the LSAT before entering law school? The analytical reasoning section of the LSAT is pure applied Math, but I think ... read full comment
Why must you feed the sermon to the choir?
Remember that I am an attorney trained here in the US who wrote the LSAT before entering law school? The analytical reasoning section of the LSAT is pure applied Math, but I think you will fail because you are an Nkrumaist!! Why do you think I am always encouraging those of you with math background to study Law? Now in law school here, your best bet is a command in English and a willingness to reason without preconceived conclusions and ideological viewpoints. So in this respect, your English is more than sufficient, but your reasoning is too ideological and preconceived. So you will not be a good candidate for Law after all.
As you know I had all my education in Ghana, studying science in secondary school and taking two degrees in English in the university. Nothing in our educational system adequately prepares you for the kind of applied logic required in the study of the law here in the US. Our schools don't train our students in critical thinking and deep level philosophical reasoning. They train them in rote learning and sloganeering. And I say this because I found myself confounded by every turn while in Law school: no clue about basic reasoning taught in high school here or basic research methods or basic tools and materials used in studies here. So I was swimming along for the most part. Meanwhile I was the best while in Ghana....What confounded me most was the multiple choice questions in which I regularly performed badly. They enter your head and figure out how you think before producing a red herring for you to pick. And then.....
You have said nothing new here. The law subsists in logic and logic is essentially Math.
The reason why I am not enthused with higher Math study is that I find it awful that it has not advanced higher level logic and reasoning. Mathematicians are not necessarily good at reasoning, and that is my problem. I also get angry when people seem too attached to their idols.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Brother SAS,
My point is not simply logic. Logic is simply one of the basics.
My argument goes beyond logic to include statistics, accounting, advanced algebra, set theory and topology, engineering mathematics, analyti ... read full comment
Brother SAS,
My point is not simply logic. Logic is simply one of the basics.
My argument goes beyond logic to include statistics, accounting, advanced algebra, set theory and topology, engineering mathematics, analytic chemistry, to mention but a few.
Of course, one needs the basics of logic to do well on the LSAT, but then again, my point is the level of advanced mathematics (chemistry, engineering, and science) one needs to function well in competitive areas such as patent law, etc.
You may also agree with me that the logic one needs in order to do well on the LSAT, for instance, does not require any superior expertise in logic beyond the basic logic and general mathematics one studies at O'Level.
I have read books (as well as discussed with some of my lawyer friends in New York, Black, White, Asian) in which patent attorneys have been involved in complicated engineering and mathematical aspects of patent decisions. I have also known two New York city lawyers who were involved in sophisticated actuarial mathematics on behalf of city government/city employees....These two instanced went beyond the basic logic skills a lawyer needs in the courtroom and for the LSAT. Even so, the logic part of the LSAT has more to do with unraveling and coming to terms with the nature of the wording of the exam than, say, the technical sophistication of mathematical logic!
I hope I am more clear now?
How was your week?
Thanks.
Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 10 years ago
I really cannot see where you are going.....
The study of the law involves a great deal of applied Math, and that is good enough thesis here. Whether or not one area of law is more mathematical than the other is also neith ... read full comment
I really cannot see where you are going.....
The study of the law involves a great deal of applied Math, and that is good enough thesis here. Whether or not one area of law is more mathematical than the other is also neither here nor there. A trained lawyer should be able to handle any area of law of his or her choice. And here in the USA, we don't have superior areas of practice or senior and juniors in the practice of law. Once out of the classroom, the measure and the standard is all the same for all lawyers.
But the study of the law here in the USA is rooted in very broad principles. Therefore a person that studies the JD gets to choose which law to practice. I myself chose to focus in Family, Immigration and Criminal Law for my practice. Tomorrow, if I like, I can choose patent law as my practice area, and I don't need to go back to any school to specialize in it. People who have foundation in science often choose patent law, which is simply the prosecution of sole propriety and ownership in invented items. I myself have been involved in very large patent suits as a discovery attorney.....I am not allowed to disclose the details here.
As I have said, any trained lawyer can develop the competence needed to deal with all areas of law, and the most sophisticated patent laws will be just one more law suit, nothing else. It is all about arguments and evidence Bro.
There is no area of law which requires any different degree to practice here in the USA apart from the J.D., and the JD is pretty versatile. After passing the Bar, a person gets to choose which area to practice. You may, if you want, attend continuing legal education to hone your specialty; but that is not required to sue or defend in any area of law. Competence simply means knowledge of the legal principles to apply in any given situation. Let us say that Apple invents the I-phone Six with the capacity to speak-write. This same invention of speak-write had already been patented by say Dragon. What is the big issue here that requires anything beyond the study of the broad principles of law?
Those Supreme Court judges that will hear this multi-million dollar case have only the JD and may not be scientists at all, but they will be ruling on the patent origination, initial prosecution and subsequent variations.
Remember when somebody wanted to patent a particular DNA for cancer prone patients? What further studies do you need to apply the law to conclude that one cannot patent a thing that occurs in nature?
As for you and your Nkrumaists, you are fanatics of impressionism and not students of broad principles of logic or reasoning that will lead you to the ultimate truth. Truth to you comprises ideology, hearsay, idolization, hero worship and sheer subservience to others' views and writings. No education has enabled you to think beyond what somebody else has indoctrinated you to believe.
That is why it is possible for a fine mind like yours to spend time insulting a person who was imprisoned without charge or trial and died in prison. Elsewhere, analytical minds will be questioning why a person could be imprisoned without trial at all, or why he should be allowed to die in prison and be insulted in death. That kind of broad principles of logic and reasoning is what we need; not some abstract theorems in some perceptively difficult sciences.
I chose criminal law especially because I love trials and the courtroom, where I think a real lawyer ought to be.
francis kwarteng 10 years ago
Jimmy & Paul,
Good Day.
Jimmy,
Patience's statement "if the square root of a number is 9, then that number is 81?" SHE IS 100% CORRECT. It is called WORD PROBLEM in mathematics (algebra). The issue is how to correctl ... read full comment
Jimmy & Paul,
Good Day.
Jimmy,
Patience's statement "if the square root of a number is 9, then that number is 81?" SHE IS 100% CORRECT. It is called WORD PROBLEM in mathematics (algebra). The issue is how to correctly translation that statement into an algebraic representation for systematic resolution, if one does not know square roots/squares of numbers by heart.
This is how such statements are translated algebraically:
1) Let the "number" Patience is referring to be the letter "n."
2) Replace the verb "is" with the equality symbol "="
3) Replace the phrase "square root" with the mathematical symbol “?” or raised to the power half (1/2).
Thus, Patience’s statement could be reduced to the following algebraic structure:
?(n) = 9
Or (n) raised to the power half (1/2) = 9 = (3) raised to the power 2…… (1)
The next step is to multiply both powers by the number 2 (on both sides) to get rid of the “square root” because it is the “unknown number,” represented by the letter “n,” that you are looking for. As such, equation (1) becomes:
(n) raised to the power ½ times 2 = (3) raised to the power 2 times 2 …..(2)
The 2s on the left-hand side cancel out to give you simply (n). On the other hand the 2s on the right-hand side becomes 4.
In other words equation (2) becomes in effect:
n = (3)raised to the power 4. (3) raised to the power 4 is the same as 4 times 4 times 4 times 4, multiplying 4 four times, which is the same as 81.
So, the number (n) whose square root is 9 is the same as the number 81.
Alternatively, we can go about equation (1) by not raising the number 3 to the power 2. We can retain the number 9 in its original configuration.
That means that equation (1) becomes:
Or (n) raised to the power half (1/2) = 9….(3)
In that case multiply both powers by 2, equation (3) becomes:
(n) raised to the power ½ times 2 = (9) raised to the power 1 times 2
(n) = 9 raised to the power 2. 9 raised to the power 2 = 9 times 9 = 81.
Therefore, which approach you use still lands you at Patience’s answer.
YOU CAN ALSO REVISE HER “WORD PROBLEM” TO THIS: “the square root of 81 is 9.” Or “the square root of 81 is a certain number, and that certain number is 9.”
This is how you solve to re-wording of Patience’s WORD PROBLEM:
?(81) = n, where “n” is that certain “unknown” number….(4)
Equation (4) can be reformulated as:
(81) raised to the power ½ = n….(5)
Multiplying both sides’ powers by 2 gives:
(81) raised to the power ½ times 2 = n raised to the power 1 times 2
(81) = n raised to the power 2
The statement “n raised to the power 2” is the same as multiplying n 2 times = n times n.
The question to ask next is, which number when multiplied by itself twice gives 81? That number is 9. So that certain number is 9.
WORD PROBLEMS ARE SIMPLY STRUCTURED TO TEST STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS BEYOND THE PHILOSOPHICAL STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS OF ALGEBRAIC SYMBOLISM.
For instance, word problems help students and professionals handle business problems that have pure mathematical implications for management decisions (portfolio management, forecasting, actuarial science, banking, economics, etc). Engineering (industrial, manufacturing, inventory analysis, etc) is another such area where WORD PROBLEMS enjoy attention.
So Paul and Jimmy, Patience is 100% right. I believe her wording threw you guys off. But her wording is technically correct, mathematically and grammatically speaking, except that it is only a correct algebraic interpretation that will lead to a corresponding correct mathematical resolution, also taking into consideration that the “solver” of the problems religiously follows the basic rules/regimen of algebra to arrive at the correct solution.
Thanks.
Theo Acquah 10 years ago
"Math is difficult" is just an unfortunate mindset that has been very hard to change over the decades. To enjoy teaching or learning math, first you need to throw that mindset out of the window. Secondly, teach or learn the s ... read full comment
"Math is difficult" is just an unfortunate mindset that has been very hard to change over the decades. To enjoy teaching or learning math, first you need to throw that mindset out of the window. Secondly, teach or learn the subject in the right way (there are several tried and tested strategies). Mathematics is a systematic application of principles, not just a matter of learning formulae by rote.
I can find numerous applications of math all around me: on my desk, in the room, in the house, outside the house - everywhere around me - even as I write this piece.
Thanks for bringing up this important matter for discussion, Nana Aba.
Paul 10 years ago
Why not talk of everyday things about buying and selling? change? the size of cement blocks and tools? Machine tools and weights?
Mind you arithmetic and maths is a problem not just in those jurisdictions where the 'cane a ... read full comment
Why not talk of everyday things about buying and selling? change? the size of cement blocks and tools? Machine tools and weights?
Mind you arithmetic and maths is a problem not just in those jurisdictions where the 'cane accompanied mental' on Mondays, and various attempts have been made to make it fun with interesting videos and animated DVDs.
The context of your article is rather alien to many a Ghanaian. Perhaps instead of 3rd and 5th grade and the likes, you would care to mention class 6 or form one in that elementary school, don't you think? And when was the last time the cane was used for Monday Mental, and by extension 'Spelling B' (if the latter still exists to boost language skills which in my view are equally necessary and indeed essential to a fuller understanding and appreciation of maths).
mojingles 10 years ago
Dr. SAS, what a stunning observation...maths has no bearings on anything in life? You must be delusional...I don't share your views at all, and I believe many others will take umbrage at your rather forceful assertion...Mathe ... read full comment
Dr. SAS, what a stunning observation...maths has no bearings on anything in life? You must be delusional...I don't share your views at all, and I believe many others will take umbrage at your rather forceful assertion...Mathematics is the basis for almost everything in this world....finance, science, accounting, and even journalism.....I am a trained journalist, and believe me, if you can't write a budget story with a mathematical analysis of how it is going to affect the taxpayer, you are doomed....in fact, I took a course called computer-assisted reporting and it was entirely mathematically infused. I am frightened of mathematics, but at the same time, I regret that I am not just good at it. It pays a lot of dividends....
Dr. SAS, Attorney at Law 10 years ago
I am talking about the function and purpose of Math as a subject, standing alone, not as part of any subject.
For example, what has anybody achieved in Math in Ghana? And what is this writer going to do after she graduates ... read full comment
I am talking about the function and purpose of Math as a subject, standing alone, not as part of any subject.
For example, what has anybody achieved in Math in Ghana? And what is this writer going to do after she graduates?
Accounting or Engineering or Statistics or Law? Well, then go ahead and study these disciplines and stop confusing yourself with a subject which on its own is useless.
To me, everybody knows all the Math he needs in order to function in life, and no more no less. And a specialized skill in higher Math should function to make a person reason better and think in more advanced way. This should be the purpose of Math. Unfortunately, the Mathematicians among us have nothing to show by way of higher leve thinking. That is why I am positing that there is no use for Math.
They were inculcatedd with mathematics at an early age. Drawing and reading nkoaa....If you start them young, apply financial incentives. They will begin to love maths
...and make them fun-filled.
Everybody has his talent. What is very obvious to you is not to obvious everyone.
True, some are real prodigies, and many precocious, but with PRACTICE and proper teaching materials, anybody can be an accomplished mathematician. At least, in the US, this is a known fact.
Tell that to your former VP Dan Quayle!
Naana Aba Sakyi, you have done well to write this article. Rote learning in early childhood of multiplication tables and other tables is cardinal for building a solid basis for mathematics. Thereafter, it should the use of lo ...
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Prof. Sakyi,
Horaaay! No doubt you are a brilliant, well-read man, Prof. Sakyi. That shows through your articles.
I have enjoyed Patience's article very much and hope she continues with it. Perhaps she should take up th ...
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One daughter of the Jacksons holds a Phd in Mathematics, just like her aunt. Some of the great mathematicians from Africa are Nigerians resident outside their country. Africans are potentially great mathematicians, except tha ...
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Prof Sakyi,
Prof. Jackson's daughter, the one with PhD in mathematics in Maryland, taught me at KNUST.
That fair, half-caste-looking lady was not only gorgeous but smart as well and as hell.
Your family is well endo ...
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Greetings from the other side of the globe,Egya Atta Sakyi!
What has become of your eloquent cousin Paa kwesi Mintah? We haven't heard much from him lately and i hope he's just doing great.
Tell him his absence is felt ...
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Neenyi Paa Kwesi Mintah once intimated to me he has sight problems. Besides, being a Medic, I presume he has taken a break maybe to work on some great academic project. Oh he has concluded that his intellect is too high for m ...
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Lol, that sounds funny, at the same time pathetic. I hope you will keep your low-profile attitude and humbleness in addressing issues here on Ghanaweb, irrespective of academic laurels.
Thanks for the feed-back. Have a hea ...
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Thanks, good piece. Are you ready to go and teach at Mprugu yoyo....or Nyapanduri SSS
Good job, Patience.
As the world gets more and more immersed in the Digital Age, it becomes even more important that we emphasize effective mathematics education.
Main problem is the manner of teaching maths, right from ...
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Teonline.org,
How are you?
"Ludu," "Ampe," draught, "Tu-Ma-Tu," etc., fall under the area of game theory and probability theory. Even culinary science (recipe and all) is mathematical!
Mathematics is all around us. ...
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...and on a side note, culinary science can be used to teach computer programming:
(for Francis' Valentine Day joloff)
a. Measure 3 cups of water
b. Measure 1 cup of rice
c. Add a to b.
d. Put c in the oven (microwave) ...
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MANY PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE MATHEMATICS BECAUSE , IT HAS NO RELATION WITH ACTUAL MONEY COUNTING, AND IS USELESS IN RELATION WITH MONEY COUNTING AND MAKING!!
Maths has no function anywhere: it does not improve a person's ability to do anything, to reason any better, to score higher on the issue of brilliance or to resolve any of the problems in life. Tell me a single problem any o ...
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It seems to me that anything this man does not like is either unimportant or does not add any value to the world in which he lives!!!
Yet he drives a "truck" on the "highway" and picks up "strange women" along the way who ...
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By itself, what does Math do?
Does it improve upon your logic and reasoning abilities?
Tell me what the study of Math does by itself, or how it has improved your lot, since you are certified as extremely stupidity.
Mos ...
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Dr SAS, you are truly pathetic. Oh, so you picked up the two 'strange ladies from their home'. Hmmmm Since you know their home, I hope have recovered your truck and your 'mathematically inspired gadgets' along with it.
You did not even read my article, and yet you formed your own conclusions and peddled your lies....
The police recovered my vehicle a week or so after the event.
The point of my article was that I will not change the wa ...
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Dr SAS, Furthermore it seems to me, because you are not mathematically inclined, you couldn't even work it out that the 'two strange ladies' you picked up were cons, that they were out to dupe you, and to make you miserable. ...
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How did you use your math to come to the conclusion that I am not mathematically inclined? Just because I am criticizing the subject?
Yesterday, you falsely concluded that I belong to a family that suffered under Nkrumah, ...
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I need to add that this writer's future will not be defined in any way by his/her Math study which will merely frustrate him/ her. His/ her future will be defined by the proficiency of his/her language which I hereby certify ...
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Dr SAS, even though most maths graduates later train as Maths teachers, maths will always serve you well no matter what field you pursue for your career. There are a number of career options/professions most maths graduates c ...
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THIS COMMENT SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME FROM ANYONE EXCEPT A LAWYER AND A PHD TO BOOT. NEVER TAKE TO HEART WHAT MR SAS JUST WROTE. IN FACT MATHEMATICS IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF CIVILIZATION. WITHOUT SCIENCE AND INCLUDING MATHEMATICS G ...
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Nana Aba, thanks for this piece. Yes, in Ghana, most people/students are not comfortable with maths. Personally, I think to make maths enjoyable in our schools, we need highly qualified maths teachers. Teaching methods and te ...
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The writer should be extra careful else it would be the beginning down fall of the university where she is studying. In the first paragraph, a primary one mistake was made which is unfortunate. Square ROOT of 9 is 3 not 81 bu ...
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Having read it second time which I escaped the word IS, you are right the answer is 81.
Cudos, i is always good to be true to ourselves and this is much appreciated from you Jimmy.
Dear Paul,
Good Day.
Jimmy,
Patience's statement "if the square root of a number is 9, then that number is 81?" SHE IS 100% CORRECT. It is called WORD PROBLEM in mathematics (algebra). The issue is how to correctly t ...
read full comment
... kindly, which schools in Ghana teach "math in 5th grade"?
Bro. Francis,
Do you have to do all this to prove that the square root of 81 is 9.
What a waste of time and energy!!!
To me, there is no word problem here. The wording is clear enough. The square root of 81 is 9, per ...
read full comment
Dear Brother SAS,
How are you?
I believe mathematics and law overlap in certain important areas of human intellectual socialization. Law and mathematics are really good friends, if you ask me. I have tons of examples to ...
read full comment
Why must you feed the sermon to the choir?
Remember that I am an attorney trained here in the US who wrote the LSAT before entering law school? The analytical reasoning section of the LSAT is pure applied Math, but I think ...
read full comment
Brother SAS,
My point is not simply logic. Logic is simply one of the basics.
My argument goes beyond logic to include statistics, accounting, advanced algebra, set theory and topology, engineering mathematics, analyti ...
read full comment
I really cannot see where you are going.....
The study of the law involves a great deal of applied Math, and that is good enough thesis here. Whether or not one area of law is more mathematical than the other is also neith ...
read full comment
Jimmy & Paul,
Good Day.
Jimmy,
Patience's statement "if the square root of a number is 9, then that number is 81?" SHE IS 100% CORRECT. It is called WORD PROBLEM in mathematics (algebra). The issue is how to correctl ...
read full comment
"Math is difficult" is just an unfortunate mindset that has been very hard to change over the decades. To enjoy teaching or learning math, first you need to throw that mindset out of the window. Secondly, teach or learn the s ...
read full comment
Why not talk of everyday things about buying and selling? change? the size of cement blocks and tools? Machine tools and weights?
Mind you arithmetic and maths is a problem not just in those jurisdictions where the 'cane a ...
read full comment
Dr. SAS, what a stunning observation...maths has no bearings on anything in life? You must be delusional...I don't share your views at all, and I believe many others will take umbrage at your rather forceful assertion...Mathe ...
read full comment
I am talking about the function and purpose of Math as a subject, standing alone, not as part of any subject.
For example, what has anybody achieved in Math in Ghana? And what is this writer going to do after she graduates ...
read full comment