Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
1
Mathematics
When I was taught mathematics at junior school in the late 1950s, there
were no computers or calculators. Calculations, whether they were addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division or square roots, had to be worked out in
one's head or with pencil and paper. We learnt our 'times tables' by reciting
them over and over again until we could give the product of any pair of
numbers up to 12 - numbers higher than 12 were computed long hand.
I was fortunate in having a teacher who appreciated the importance of
mathematics, and without knowing it at the time, I began a journey into a
subject area that would eventually bring my knowledge of mathematics to life
in computer graphics.
Today, students have access to calculators that are virtually miniature
computers. They are programmable and can even display graphs on small LCD
screens. Unfortunately, the policy pursued by some schools has ensured that
generations of children are unable to compute simple arithmetic operations
without the aid of a calculator. I believe that such children have been disadvan-
taged, as they are unable to visualize the various patterns that exist in num-
bers such as odd numbers (1
,
3
,
5
,
7
,...
), even numbers (2
,
4
,
6
,
8
,...
), prime
numbers (2
,
3
,
5
,
7
,
11
,...
), squares (1
,
4
,
9
,
16
,
25
,...
) and Fibonacci numbers
(0
,
1
,
1
,
2
,
3
,
5
,
8
,...
). They will not know that it is possible to multiply a two-
digit number, such as 17, by 11, simply by adding 1 to 7 and placing the result
in the middle to make 187.
Although I do appreciate the benefits of calculators, I believe that they
are introduced into the curriculum far too early. Children should be given the
opportunity to develop a sense of number, and the possibility of developing a
love for mathematics, before they discover the tempting features of a digital
calculator.
