Why Study Maths? 1. Maths is exciting This may seem hard to understand but I hope that these pages will give some idea of why mathematicians can get really worked up and obsessed by their subject. 2. Maths earns you more money Yes, there are good economic reasons for studying maths. A recent report by the Centre for Economic Performance made front page news in the Times Educational Supplement. Times Educational Supplement article on A-level maths of Feb 19 1999 The report said that that young people with A level maths earn 10 per cent more than their mathematically challenged counterparts. Maths conferred a clear advantage even when taken by weaker students. People who scraped a pass still enjoyed a higher income later in life; A shortage of highly numerate candidates in the jobs market means employers pay a premium for the problem solving and number crunching skills of A level mathematicians; A possible explanation is that the maths skills learned at A level, such as logical thinking, problem solving and statistical analysis, may be closer to those actually used in the workplace than skills learned in other subjects. The Guardian newspaper summarized the situation as 'Shirking maths at school doesn't add up in your pay packet' 3. Maths makes you desirable Dorset Careers Service advice about A level mathematics is: This is probably the most marketable A-level in terms of acceptability. It is difficult to think of any course/career where it would not be welcomed in combination with other subjects. Mathematics A-level would be applicable for the following: Courses/careers in Mathematics, Engineering and most areas of Physics (Further Mathematics is often helpful and often required, for some of these courses). Computing, Accountancy, Economics, Business, Banking, Air Traffic Control, Retail Management, Architecture, Surveying, Cartography, Psychology and, of course, Teaching to name but a few. Mathematics A-level is well regarded by both institutions and employers. Employers in all walks of life readily accept A level mathematics as a desirable qualification, and almost everybody requires GCSE mathematics (along with GCSE English). If you want to go on to study at University then A level mathematics will open more doors than any other subject. For example, quoting again from Dorset Careers advice to students considering A level subject options: Business Studies For entry to a Business Studies degree, institutions will generally look for Mathematics as their first choice Computing Mathematics is generally considered more important [than Computing A level] Physics Most course/career options require Physics to be combined with Mathematics Psychology Mathematics A-level is often favoured Finally, if you want to know what skills a mathematics degree offers a prospective employer have a look at What Can You Gain From A Mathematics Degree? 4. Maths is essential to study computing It may seem strange, but if you want to study computing at University then you'd do much better with A level mathematics than A level computing. Many universities want students to have a good grade in mathematics and they will teach anything else they require. See, for example, Bristol University, Imperial College, Swansea University and Warwick University. 5. Mathematics is beautiful Mathematicians often say this especially when talking about a particular result. Indeed, G.H.Hardy once wrote "There is no permanent place in the world for ugly mathematics". The beauty lies, not in the shape of the symbols, but in the ideas behind them. Thus I would consider the beauty of Euclid's proof of the infinity of primes is its simplicity. The idea that one can show that the list of primes never ends, in so few easy to follow lines, is nothing short of astonishing. Similarly the formula expresses so much in so few symbols that it can be considered beautiful. Alan Goodman is a multi-millionaire businessman and chairman of two quoted companies - one in vaccines and one specialising in gene therapy cancer treatments. He says his ideal career would have been as a mathematician because of the 'elegance and purity' of the subject. 6. Maths is the language of the universe Much of modern theoretical physics is mathematics. Quantum Theory or Relativity are mathematical theories that attempt to explain the laws of the universe. Of course relativity can be summarised in the one mathematical formula that almost everyone knows E = mc2. Mathematics, and numbers in particular, may be the one thing that we are likely to have in common with any life out in the universe. The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence I'm no expert in Biology, but again modern biological theories depend heavily on statistical and other mathematical techniques. 7. Mathematics is (mainly) non-commercial Much of pure mathematical research is free of the pressures that abound in science and technology which have to worry about patents and making money. This means that mathematical ideas can be freely copied and shared - though plagiarism is not acceptable. So, provided you don't claim someone else's work as your own, you are free to write and discuss ideas with the world, and you don't need expensive equipment, just a piece of paper and a pencil. Of course, some mathematical research is done in military or commercial environments, and occasionally secrecy intrudes on pure mathematics as happened with cryptography (Interview with Phil Zimmerman, PGP Timeline) but in the most part there's a free exchange of ideas and often collaboration - just like the internet in fact. 8. Mathematics teaches you logical thought Glossary of Mathematical Mistakes is a collection of mathematical mistakes that occur in the media and elsewhere. Politicians are masters of logic mangling and mathematics helps you to see through what they say. One example given of a logical error is: Fallacy of Ambiguity - Occurs when a word or phrase is used with one meaning in one premise, and with another meaning in another premise or conclusion. Example: People should do what is right + people have the right to disregard good advice = People should disregard good advice. One particular error that is common is confusing A implies B with B implies A. For example, if you take the statement If it is raining then I carry an umbrella then you cannot say that it follows that If I am carrying an umbrella then it is raining (why not?). However, you can deduce that If I am not carrying an umbrella then it is not raining. Look out for this sort of error in the media, it is much more common than you may think. For more on this type of example see Affirming the Consequent, and for general logical fallacies try The Logical Fallacies. 9. Mathematics makes everything else look easy This is a little controversial and slightly tongue-in-cheek. It is undoubtedly a hard subject to understand. But this makes other subjects seem relatively easy. I know many university students who take non- maths or science options for a little light relief. I don't suppose everyone agrees with me but my students take comfort from this thought when struggling with some mathematical topic. and the most important reason of all 10. Because I enjoy it

Steve Mayer

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