Mathematics is Beautiful / Ugly: Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract
Mathematics is like an appendage in everybody’s life. Mathematics is always around
us. We find mathematics in every steps of our life. It is really useful for each and every human
being. No matter who we are what we do, where we go or where we are there is mathematics
with us. The researcher collected five mathematics teachers’ views from interviews with open
ended questionnaire on mathematical beauty or ugly. The article present mathematics is
useful subject, so it is beauty and also, it is abstract and has difficult problems, so it is ugly.
All the participants feel enjoy and satisfy the teaching profession.
Key words: Beautiful, Usefulness, workplace, cultural connection, human civilization,
ugly, complex and difficult and theoretical

Scene setting
Most of the people in the world think that mathematics is useful as it is always around
us. All the people in the world regardless their socio-economic status, cultural status,
academic status, political status (from a very common person to a highly superior person)
need the knowledge of mathematics. Nobody in the world can run his or her life without
mathematics. Mathematics is important in every body’s life and in any way it has helped all
the people to run their daily life in an effective way. It is with us everywhere for all the time.
As we know that this century is regarded the age of science and technology, can we imagine
the development of science and technology without mathematics? Never! Mathematics has
been taught as a core subject in most of the schools in the world. Right from the very
beginning of the course, the students study this subject and learn practical skill to solve the
real problems of their life. The importance of mathematics to individuals in their daily
undertaking is so enormous that the knowledge of mathematics is an indispensable tool for a
successful and balanced human existence on earth.
The study of mathematics will form the habit of clarity, brevity, accuracy, precision and
certainty in expression in the students and this will go a long way in giving us much-needed
unity in this nation. Mathematics has equal role in home, offices, market places and
playgrounds and also makes students more argumentative. The success in any argument
depends on persuading and there is nothing more persuasive than a logical argument.
Mathematics is useful every step of life. Mathematics is all around us. It is everywhere we
go. I feel that mathematics is used in other subject such as Science, Engineering management
etc. We do any research in which it require mathematics knowledge. We cannot live without
mathematics. It is prestigious subject. We cannot reject its beauty. It is essential for our life.
The study of measurement is important in the mathematics curriculum from prekindergarten
through high school because of the practicality and pervasiveness of measurement in so many
aspects of everyday life. Thus, the study of measurement also offers an opportunity for
learning and applying other mathematics, including number operations, geometric ideas,
statistical concepts, and notions of function. It highlights connections within mathematics and
between mathematics and areas outside of mathematics, such as social studies, science, art,
and physical education (NCTM, 2000). Not only that our culture cannot separate without
mathematics. The people who use different jewellery and different ornaments ( i.e. ring,
bracelet, necklace etc. ) made in different geometrical shape and size that look beautiful.
Geometry is a branch of mathematics, it is useful for us.
Geometric ideas are useful in representing and solving problems in other areas of
mathematics and in real-world situations, so geometry should be integrated with other
areas, if possible. Geometric representations can help students make sense of area and
fractions, histograms and scatter plots can give insights about data, and coordinate
graphs can serve to connect geometry and algebra. Spatial reasoning is helpful in
using maps, planning routes, designing floor plans, and creating art. Students can
learn to see the structure and symmetry around them. Using concrete models,
drawings, and dynamic geometry software, students can engage actively with
geometric ideas. With well designed activities, appropriate tools, and teachers’
support, students can make and explore conjectures about geometry and can learn to
reason carefully about geometric ideas from the earliest years of schooling. Geometry
is more than definitions; it is about describing relationships and reasoning. The notion
of building understanding in geometry across the grades, from informal to more
formal thinking, is consistent with the thinking of theorists and researchers (Burger
et.al. as cited in NCTM, 2000 P.41)
In the similar way, Russell (1919) expressed his sense of mathematical beauty in these
words:
Mathematics, rightly viewed, possesses not only truth, but supreme beauty — a
beauty cold and austere, like that of sculpture, without appeal to any part of our
weaker nature, without the gorgeous trappings of painting or music, yet sublimely
pure, and capable of a stern perfection such as only the greatest art can show. The true
spirit of delight, the exaltation, the sense of being more than Man, which is the
 touchstone of the highest excellence, is to be found in mathematics as surely as poetry
(p.60).
Thus he expressed that mathematics is supreme beauty, but not only truth. It is like as
sculpture, poetry, music and so on. In similar vein, Weinberg (1992) remarks that
“mathematical structures that confessedly are developed by mathematicians because they
seek a sort of beauty are often found later to be extraordinarily valuable by the physicist” (p.
53). Such a statement that seeking mathematical beauty was the only way to discover an
absolute truth.

Some of the people says that mathematics is difficult and abstract subject and the higher
level mathematics is not useful everywhere. In my view, the weak students who take
mathematics feel boring, generally, the performance of the students is lower because they
cannot understand concepts, definition, formula and its application. Thus, the weak students
avoid difficult mathematics problem. They feel uneasy to solve mathematics problem. Rota
(1997) draws attention to the way in which aesthetic descriptors used by mathematicians,
which are often interpreted to be judgments of “good” mathematics, may in fact represent
indirect ways of communicating the emotional dimension of their mathematical experiences:
Mathematical beauty is the expression mathematicians have vented in order to
obliquely admit the phenomenon of enlight- enment while avoiding acknowledgement
of the fuzziness of this phenomenon. [...] This copout is one step in a cherished
activity of mathematicians, that of building a perfect world immune to the messiness
of the ordinary world, a world where what we think should be true turns out to be
true, a world that is free from the disappointments, the ambiguities, the failures of that
other world in which we live (cited in Sinclair, 2011).
Rota(1997) draws attention to the particular types of pleasures motivating the mathematician
– and they are not just that of solving a very difficult problem. The pleasures are connected
to the way in which these solutions are “perfect,” “immune to the messiness of the ordinary
world,” free of ambiguity and disappointment. In other way, Hardy (1940) claimed that “the
mathematician’s patterns, like the painter’s or the poet’s, must be beautiful; the ideas, like the
colors or the words must fit together in a harmonious way” and that “there is no permanent
place in this world for ugly mathematics.” (p.85). His argument is famous at that time.
In Nepal, the importance of mathematics has been realized. Therefore, 1n 1993 A.D. the
school curriculum went through the work of revision. The new curriculum at secondary level
was enforced in 1998-1999. The aim of compulsory mathematics at secondary level is to
develop positive attitude to apply mathematics in daily life, to develop mathematical
knowledge for further study and to appreciate mathematics as a means of communication. At
present, it has been taught as a compulsory subject right from grade one to SLC level. It has
been taught as an optional paper in many colleges and university.
Need for mathematics
In a Changing World, we live in a time of surprising and rushing change. New knowledge,
tools, and ways of doing and communicating mathematics continue to arise and develop.
Calculators, too affluent for common use in the early eighties, now are not only
commonplace and cheap but vastly more influential. Quantitative information available to
inadequate numbers of people a few years ago is now widely spread through popular media
outlets. The need to comprehend and be able to use mathematics in everyday life and in the
workplace has never been greater and will continue to increase.
Mathematics for life: Knowing mathematics can be personally satisfying and enabling. The
foundations of everyday life are increasingly mathematical and technological. For instance,
making purchasing decisions, choosing insurance or health plans, and voting knowledgeably
all call for quantitative superiority.
Mathematics as a part of cultural heritage: Mathematics is one of the greatest cultural and
intellectual achievements of humankind, and citizens should develop an appreciation and
understanding of that achievement, including its aesthetic and even recreational aspects.
Mathematics for the workplace: Just as the level of mathematics needed for smart
citizenship has increased dramatically, so too has the level of mathematical thinking and
problem solving needed in the workplace, in professional areas ranging from health care to
graphic design.
Mathematics for the scientific and technical community: Although all careers require a
foundation of mathematical knowledge, some are mathematics intensive. More students must
pursue didactic path that will prepare them for lifelong work as mathematicians, statisticians,
engineers, and scientists. The need to understand and be able to use mathematics in everyday
life and in the workplace has never been greater (NCTM, 2000, p.4).
In our country Nepal, the performance of the student in mathematics is going to be lower
down day by day. The research should be needed in this subject every year. There is a
question arise that why is the performance rate of the students in mathematics decreasing? We
must aware the people of its beauty. It has several uses in the life of the people. Therefore,
there is debate ‘mathematics is beautiful or ugly’. Some people says that it is beautiful on the
bases of the usefulness. Other people says that it is ugly. Because it is difficult, abstract
subject.
Tymoczko’s interest in criticism is initially inspired by the conviction that mathematics is an
art (see on the development of this tradition), but is also driven by a perceived need to ground
value judgments in mathematics [...] those posi- tive judgments like important, elegance,
relevance, promise) and those negative judgments (like in consequentiality, triviality, cru-
dity, sterility) that are necessary to characterize a discipline and to shape its progress. (p.68)
He argues that one component of this need relates to an issue I have already mentioned,
namely, the fact that selection is necessary in a discipline where not only are there infinitely
many true results, but where thousands of new theorems are proved every year, and only a
handful needing passed on. Mathematicians need to make this choice. I explored experiences
of five secondary level mathematics teachers' experience about beauty and ugly of
mathematics. I explored the answer about the research question ‘how do teachers experience
about beauty and ugly of mathematics?’
Research Method
The study is qualitative research design. I applied interpretive inquiry method which
develops knowledge from the interpretation of lived experiences (Plunket, 2013). I choose
five participants of secondary level mathematics teachers in Kathmandu District. I took in-
depth interviews. I collected their views from one–one interviews that were supplemented
with an open ended questionnaire on beauty or ugly of mathematics. I analysed that data
through coding and thematic analysis. I constructed five themes about beauty of mathematics
and four themes about ugly of mathematics as experienced or perceived by the participants.
The themes about mathematical beauty were- Mathematics in our daily life, usefulness of
mathematics, cultural connection and human civilization, performance in mathematics,
mathematics is workplace. The themes related to ugly of mathematics were-complex, and
abstract, anxiety, performance, and theoretical nature.
Data collection
First of all, I visited two schools- Sarbodaya secondary School and Saileshwor secondary
School (Pseudonymes). I informed head teachers and mathematics teachers about the
purpose of the study. I managed the time to conduct in-depth interview for each participant
(i.e. the participants are the mathematics teachers in both schools). The time for interview had
been allocated only 10 minutes. I asked questions one by one to the participants and note
down their responses in my diary. Then, I took an interview of each teacher with the help of
open ended questionnaire. I collected required information from my participants. At the last,
the researcher gave thanks all of the participants and head teachers for their cooperation.
Analysis and Discussion
After collected the data, I analyzed and interpreted the text data. First of all, I transcribed
and translated text data in English verbatim. I read and reread the transcription and omitted
the unnecessary argument. I put the same matter from different participants’ view in same
theme. Then, I generated themes and I describe in depth until and unless it makes meaning. I
have presented some themes as follows.
Mathematics in our daily life
All the respondent focus that mathematics is useful to our daily life. Among five, Tara is of
view that Arithmetic parts of mathematics is very useful in our daily life. The study of the
topics as profit and loss, simple interest etc. Which helps to the businessmen, family
members etc. Similarly, Bishnu added that in the study of home arithmetic, people have a
knowledge of water and telephone billing and billing of electricity which is used in our daily
life. It makes daily life activity easier. In the similar vein, Bishnu said that we use
mathematics in our daily activities such as counting, marketing, and probabilistic situation
etc. In my opinion, we cannot live without mathematics because it is everywhere, as anyone
walking, cooking, sitting, and standing etc. Similarly, Knowing mathematics can be
personally satisfying and empowering. The foundations of everyday life are increasingly
mathematical and technological. For instance, making purchasing decisions, choosing
insurance or health plans, and voting knowledgeably all call for quantitative sophistication.
(NCTM, 2000).
Usefulness of mathematics
Tara opines that small child might be very sharpens their mine and skilful in maths mean
skill in other subject as well. Odili (2006) Mathematics helps man to sharpen his
understanding and definition of religious concepts. Such concepts as eternity, heaven, spirit
life, power, salvation, wisdom, strength, light, hope, faith, righteousness, glory, blessing,
truth, grace, peace, neighbour, sun and death can each be defined with mathematical rigor and
precision. Furthermore, Surya added that being a student of mathematics, he was happy to
say mathematics is beautiful. For example square of 3 is 9 and multiplication of 3 by 2 is 6.
This pattern is beauty. It is fact that applied mathematics is beautiful. Because of using every
step of life such as cooking, cloth (different geometrical shape). Krishna said that
mathematics is beautiful because from the early civilization, mathematics has been used in
calculating and developing theory that are related to science which is valuable in present
context. It helps in our life easier in estimating schedule to work. It develops the creativity,
logical power, concentration. So it is beauty. Bishnu said that mathematics is beautiful
subject but we have appreciate beauty of mathematics from its inherent structures and its
applicability etc. In my opinion, mathematics is used in all discipline like Economics,
Engineering, Science Management, all research, cultural heritage (i.e. historical temple,
places). So it is useful. Similarly, Odili (2006) view that the utilitarian aspect of mathematics
in preparing students for useful living include counting, notations, addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division, weighing, measuring, selling and buying. Odili further highlighted
that economy of modern living and the technology of modern selling requires a housewife to
be able to estimate quickly which of two different prices offers, sizes or measures is the better
buy and to be able to see through many of the tricks of the trade. This presentation shows
daily usage of mathematics.
The concept of ‘proportion’ uses in various places as cooking making dolls, different objects.
In that sense, Magro (1997) explored people’s conception of human beauty finding that
Barbie dolls are considered attractive because a doll’s structural proportions represent highly
developed highly human traits rather than aboriginal ones. And also Magro (1999) found that
non-human designs were also judge as beautiful when they mirror the proportions of derived
(more highly) evolved human forms. Consequently, Jacobson and Hofel(2002) and Hofel
and Jacobson(2003) studied adult university students’ judgements’ of graphic patterns,
finding symmetry and complexity of design as the most common criteria in personal
definition of beauty. They noted, however, that some students consistently choose other
criteria; for example, some thought non symmetric pattern were more beautiful.
Cultural connection
Tara said: mathematics is useful in our diverse culture. In our temples, we can see different
mathematical shapes. We use various ornament in our cultural ceremony such as marriage
ceremony- We use ring, necklace, bracelet and so on. Surya: Cultural heritage is the nation's
property. I think we need to teach mathematics with the connection of cultures. Nepal is a
multicultural country. So we should give values on cultural mathematics in our school. We
are rich in culture.
Human Civilization
Bishnu said: Mathematics begins with the period of human civilization. People fulfilled their
necessity such as counting, find the area of field, building house, making different shapes of
objects in the primitive periods. They could not live without mathematics. So, the usefulness
of mathematics is required day by day. The application of mathematics is necessary for every
step of behavioural life. People might investigate various things by the use of mathematics if
they need. They applied mathematics for improving the quality of life. It has greater role for
the people’s standard of living. Performance in mathematics
Tara argues that, “In my carreer, mathematics is playing very important role to achieve this
position”. Consequently, Mr. Surya stated that he became satisfied by studying mathematics
because, being the student of mathematics, he can give the better logic than other people. It
means mathematics helps analyzing powers. Ram is of views that he had better performance
in mathematics. The performance of mathematics is lower in the in our country Nepal.
According to Schoefeld (1994), students would developed better mathematical thinking and
perform better when the classroom creates an enabling environment in which students would
have frequent opportunities to engage in more mathematical activities.
Mathematics is workplace
Tara views that definitely, people have to face loss by avoiding mathematics. Mathematics is
problem that appear in every step of life of the people. Every field of research education
requires mathematics, those who search job, needs mathematical knowledge even in a small
job. Again, Bishnu added in fact that, mathematics is very interesting and beneficial for
study. But in the context of Nepal teachers as well as students, they only receive two stages of
mathematics. That is, conceptual learning and problem solving. We cannot find application
stage so they feel boring. Any person who are weak in mathematics they feel boring but who
have some knowledge they feel interesting to study mathematics. In my opinion, all of us are
benefited directly or indirectly from the subject and the knowledge of mathematics is
necessary of any job. A small and small job need mathematical knowledge. So the importance
of mathematics is increasing day by day. Odili (2006) asserts:
In government offices, a modest amount of mathematical knowledge is required for executing
business, policies and decisions. In commercial sector, the daily running of businesses,
modern development and advances in commercial matters and business connections depends
very heavily on experts’ use of mathematical knowledge and processes.
That is, in preparing individuals for life, we may consider the power of mathematics in
character building through active involvement, personal success work with and opportunities
for stimulating curiosity, self-expression and self-criticism.
Mathematics is ugly
Tara said that some people try to avoid mathematics due to lack of thinking power and hard
work. Those who cannot do mathematics problem, they think mathematics is ugly. Some
weak students may not understand it easily for example, point, infinity, mathematical
symbols formula etc. They feel that it is also boring subject.
Complex and Abstract
Surya views that some mathematical theory like real analysis, Abstract algebra etc. are
abstract and difficult so it is hard to be used in the practical life. Then, the students feel ugly.
It needs to be contextual. Similarly, Bishnu said that if the people do not understands its overt
and covert value then it might became ugly. Einstein himself has stated of Math today:
“Since the mathematician have invaded the theory of relativity, I do not understand it myself
any more”. Dreyfus and Eisenberg (1986) note, these would be difficult endeavours for
students, who are often still struggling to understand the proof or who have never even heard
the word theorem before. Brew (2011) recognized the effects of poor classroom factors on
student’s performance during mathematical activities and wrote this, “Underestimating the
effect of concrete sensory experience is an important reason for the mathematics failure of
many students at Senior High School”. The obvious remedy for the students to perform better
in mathematics is to make the contents real or decrease its abstractiveness and relate the
concept to real life situation (Hyrnchlis and Share Kin, 1993 as cited in British journal of arts
and social sciences, p.12).
Theoretical in Nature
Mr. Tara views our school mathematics is theoretical in natures. So, students focus more on
rote learning. Our students might have focused more on bookish knowledge. There is no
practical space in our mathematics curriculum. Some students can solve bookish problem but
they might difficult to solve the real life problem related to the theory. So we emphasize that
mathematics course should be behavioural or practical in which students engaged and
benefited from solving the problem. Weak students cannot remember formulae, symbol,
relations etc. but they want to learn practical mathematics that is applied in behavioural life.
Implications
Teachers, curriculum planar, experts, mathematics students know the beauty and ugly of
mathematics in details. Students should be improved more positive attitudes due to beauty of
mathematics than the ugliness of mathematics. The study helps to the teachers for teaching
and learning to the students effectively by showing the relations of mathematics into the
context and to improve the courses which are abstract and complex. It is used in any
scientific discoveries/ invention, technology, engineering and every discipline. It gives the
theoretical and practical insight to the teachers and stakeholders for the improvement of
mathematics. Mathematics is everywhere and it is around us. We are applying mathematics
from human civilization to till now and forever.

Conclusion
Mathematics is useful for us such as counting, buying, selling, walking, cooking, and siting.
It is useful other areas like as marketing, engineering, science and technology, Economics,
sociology, research, It is everywhere of us. We cannot live without mathematics however
people believe that it is also rude and difficult subjects. It helps man to sharpen his
understanding and definition of religious concepts. Such concepts as eternity, heaven, spirit
life, power, salvation, wisdom, strength, light, hope, faith, righteousness, glory, blessing,
truth, grace, peace, neighbour, sun and death can each be defined with mathematical rigor and
precision. It is abstract and difficult subject. It has rigor problem such that it is ugly. The
people who have good knowledge of mathematics feel interesting; those who have not feel
boring. All participants feel enjoy and satisfy the teaching profession. Mathematics
knowledge is necessary for small and small job. It is a part of cultural heritage. Most of them
focus more on its beauty.
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