Often, people equate mathematics with arithmetic.

Arithmetic is concerned with

numbers. When considering the mathematics curriculum, many people focus on
computational skills and believe that they constitute the full set of competencies that
students must have in mathematics. Traditionally, the major emphasis of the K-8
mathematics curriculum has been to teach children arithmetic - how to add, subtract,
multiply, and divide whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages. Mathematics
involves more than computation. Mathematics is a study of patterns and relationships; a
science and a way of thinking; an art, characterized by order and internal consistency; a
language, using carefully defined terms and symbols; and a tool. Teachers and other
educators working together to improve mathematics education must explore a broader
scope of mathematics. Mathematics should include experiences that help students to shift
their thinking about mathematics and define mathematics as a study of patterns and
relationships; a science and a way of thinking; an art, characterized by order and internal
consistency; a language, using carefully defined terms and symbols; and a tool.