Math terms and how important are they in college?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the importance of understanding mathematical terms, such as whole numbers and rational numbers, particularly in a college context. Participants explore the implications of terminology in mathematics and its relevance to learning and communication within the subject.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested, Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern about their ability to remember mathematical terms while still being able to perform calculations.
  • One participant argues that knowing the names of terms is vital, drawing parallels to the necessity of terminology in other fields like medicine and chemistry.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of definitions in mathematics, suggesting that understanding the context of terms is crucial.
  • There are suggestions on how to learn terms, including memorization and focusing on the full definitions rather than isolated words.
  • One participant humorously proposes associating terms with recognizable odors as a mnemonic device.
  • Another viewpoint suggests that while terms are important, they can be learned quickly and that prior knowledge is beneficial to avoid falling behind.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that understanding mathematical terms is important, but there are differing opinions on the best methods for learning them and the urgency of mastering them before engaging with the material.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that traditional teaching methods may emphasize single-word definitions, which could lead to misunderstandings of broader concepts.

Who May Find This Useful

Students in mathematics or related fields, educators looking for insights on teaching terminology, and individuals interested in learning strategies for complex subjects.

Tyrion101
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I realized that one of my main problem is remembering terms like, whole numbers, rational numbers, etc. I was just wondering how important was it that I actually know these terms? I can do the math, just have problems with some of the terms.
 
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Tyrion101 said:
I realized that one of my main problem is remembering terms like, whole numbers, rational numbers, etc. I was just wondering how important was it that I actually know these terms? I can do the math, just have problems with some of the terms.

How important is learning the names of diseases in medicine?
How important is learning the names of compounds in chemistry?
How important is learning the names of the constants in linguistics?

Short answer: vital. Because people will write questions in words.
 
And also, because the definitions of the terms being used are very important in mathematics.
 
How is it best to learn the terms?
 
Tyrion101 said:
How is it best to learn the terms?

The best advice is not to always think of "the terms" as nouns. In mathematics, the definitions are often definitions of an entire phrase, such as "The greatest common divisor of two numbers A and B is..." or "The intersection of two sets A and B is...". If you focus only on one word in these definitions (such as "intersection" or "common") you loose track of the context of the definition.

From an advanced point of view, mathematical definitions declare the equivalance of two statements , not he equivalance of a single word to a description. However, young children are taught definitions by giving them descriptions of single words and this habit persists among both students and teachers. So perhaps you are being instructed in that manner.
 
Mark44 said:
Memorize them.

Alternatively, make them into recognizable odours.
 
They're important obviously, however it's nothing you can't learn quickly or as you're going. It's best to know it before hand so you're not playing catch up the whole time.
 

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