MyMaths MyLife

Basic Mathematical Symbols:

+ Plus

- Minus

× Multiply

÷ Divide

= Equal

% percent

: Ratio

> Greater than

< Less than

.∙. Therefore

∙.∙ Because

± Plus- minus sign

≠ Not equal to

≤ Less than or equal to

≥ Greater than or equal to

∞ Infinity

≈ Almost equal to

I am a big fan of cricket, i rate cricketers on the basis of their averages. Average is nothing but consistency.

Average is very simple but effective way of representing an entire group by a single value.

Average of any number of quantities will always be higher than the lowest value and lower than the highest value of items whose average is being taken.

1.Average = Sum of quantities/Number of quantities.

2.Suppose a man covers a certain distance at x kmph and an equal distance at y kmph,then the average speed during the whole journey is (2xy/x+y) kmph.

Sometimes it so happens that the borrower and the lender agree to fix up a certain unit of time ,say yearly or half-yearly or quarterly to settle the previous account.
In such cases ,the amount after the first unit of time becomes the principal for the 2nd unit ,the amount after second unit becomes the principal for the 3rd unit and so
on. After a specified period ,the difference between the amount and the money borrowed is called Compound Interest for that period.

Formulae:
As we discussed in the simple interest
Let principal=p,Rate=R% per annum Time=nyears

1.When interest is compounded Annually, Amount=P[1+(R/100)]n
2.When interest is compounded Half-yearly, Amount=P[1+((R/2)100)]2n
3.When interest is compounded Quarterly, Amount=P[1+((R/4)100)]4n
4.When interest is compounded Annually,but time in fractions
say 3 2/5 yrs Amount=P[1+(R/100)]3[1+((2R/5)/100)]
5.When rates are different for different years R1%,R2%,R3%
for 1st ,2nd ,3rd yrs respectively Amount=P[1+(R1/100)][1+(R2/100)][1+(R3/100)]
6.Present Worth of Rs.X due n years hence is given by
Present Worth=X/[1+(R/100)]n

When you borrow money from some one he will give you money for interest. Usually money lender calculates simple interest and gives you money.

The interest is calculated only on the principal through out the loan period, it is called simple interest.

Principal or Sum:- The money borrowed or lent out for a certain period is called Principal or the Sum.

Interest:- Extra money paid for using others money is called Interest.

Simple Interest:- If the interest on a sum borrowed for a certain period is reckoned uniformly,then it is called Simple Interest.

Formulae:
Principal = P
Rate = R% per year
Time = T years. Then,

(i)Simple Interest(S.I)= (P*T*R)/100

(ii) Principal(P) = (100*S.I)/(R*T)
Rate(R) = (100*S.I)/(P*T)
Time(T) = (100*S.I)/(P*R)

You feel difficult when you are learning this type of maths specially at the age of 11 or 12 years. When i was studying my 6th class, i was first introduced this maths.

Business maths is one of the branches of mathematics just as algebra, geometry, statics. You can also call business maths as arithmetic.

Topics like simple interest, compound interest, percentages, distances will definitely create problems. Even though it is difficult it is useful in real life. When you are buying or selling some goods, you can not calculate your profit or loss if you don't know business mathematics. When it comes to money borrowing from others(generally persons who you don't know), you should know simple interest. otherwise they may cheat you. I too have seen many such cases.

In my experience, main reason is "The Fear Factor".

The first is, because the feelings of inferiority and outright fear that many, probably most, students feel when they confront mathematics, severely inhibit students’ natural intelligence and creativity. It is as though every mathematical subject, and every concept within a subject, is surrounded by a kind of “force field” that radiates, “Not for you!”, “You aren’t smart enough!”. The origin of this force field may be early experiences in a family in which, say, a father had always been good at mathematics, and had made it clear he expected his children to likewise be good at the subject. In the case of women, the origin might be subtle messages sent by teachers through out the primary and secondary school years — perhaps without conscious intention — that technical subjects are too hard for girls. Or, it might be the atmosphere that surrounds mathematics and indeed all technical subjects in the nation’s most schools.

I have been studying mathematics since my childhood, but i was never asked about "what is maths?". Even i too never tried.
Today my neighbor who is studying 9th standard has asked me the question. At that time i had no answer to tell.

Really, what is maths?

There doesn't seem to be a clear cut, definitive answer. I'm happy about that. At this stage I'm writing down some things I have discovered so far. Not definitive, rather preliminary, but a start.

Maths is NOT about formulas and cranking out computations - or rather that's a very small part of maths.

Maths is about perceiving and acting in the world in an enhanced way, about perceiving the world in a different way and being able to act more powerfully within it.