The Importance of Math in my Life

Since time immemorial, Mathematics has always been part of our universe. Everything in our
universe can be described by math. As Galileo Galilei said, “Mathematics is the language in which God has
written the universe.” It is humanity’s instrument to understand the world. It spearheaded the
development of human civilization and is the foundation of today’s science and technology and even
popular culture. It has provided an immense difference in our lives.

Math encompasses more than simply arithmetic, geometry, the x and y’s, equations, and
calculations: it also encompasses patterns seen in nature. Take for example a sunflower, seeds sprout
from the center of its head before continuing to expand outwards to suit the pattern. It just so happens
that the pattern corresponds to the Fibonacci sequence. In addition, math is also present in our genes.
Genes have segments called exons which can join in various combinations when they are then transmitted
into the (messenger) RNA. These segments of RNA guide the assembly of amino acids in long sequences.
With 64 different possibilities the code has a degree of redundancy. That is, most of the 20 amino acids
have at least two different codons, giving a measure of error correction. We see a mathematical regularity
here, don’t we?

Mathematics may be found in games as well. Chess, a two-player strategic board game played on
a geometrical checkered board. Because the is geometrical, each player's move is mathematical. Baseball,
basketball, and football, which are both played by opposing teams inside a geometrical area, both use
math to maintain score; without math, we wouldn't be able to keep track. Apart from these, track & field
is a mathematical sport because one must measure distances and keep track of time.

In the 17th century, Isaac Newton independently changed the World with the invention of
calculus. His devotion to physics is linked to his discovery of calculus. By using Calculus, he found out why
planets moved and why their orbits are in an eclipse, and his breakthrough discovery of the law of
universal gravitation and laws of motion, which are now the foundation of modern classical mechanics.
His discovery of calculus, and the continuous modification of Calculus by succeeding mathematicians such
as Bernoulli, Euler, Laplace, provided a powerful tool to help us understand our physical world and
facilitate the development of science and modern technology.

For the most part, our modern world and all that I have today would not exist without
Mathematics. I owe it to James Clark Maxwell and his discovery of electromagnetic waves through his
equations that I can listen to the radio, watch TV, and use mobile phones and microwaves. Math has been
an important part of our daily lives. Without mathematics, I would be uncapable in many things such as
understanding the concept and value of money, listen to my favorite artists, write this reflection paper,
communicate with family & friends who live far away, taking online classes, and so on. Everything I
consume: convenience products, specialty goods, shopping goods, and other nonessential products would
not be possible without Operations Research, a subfield of mathematics. I can live comfortably because
of mathematics; instead of trekking for hours across hundreds of kilometers, I can ride a vehicle created
by engineers and be at my location in a flash, I can switch on the air conditioning when it gets hot, and I
can cook on an electric stove. Our world and much of industries & government’s problems can potentially
all be solve using Mathematics. If I were to list everything that Mathematics have done for our country,
my community, and for myself it would go a long, long way. The importance of Mathematics in my life
cannot be simply overstated.