Want To Become a Math Whiz?
Many people find mathematics daunting. If true, this piece is for you. If not, this piece is still for you.
What do you think of when you think about mathematics? Perhaps you think about x’s and y’s, intractable fractions, or nonsensical word problems.
The cartoonist Gary Larson once depicted hell’s library as containing only giant tomes of word problems.
George Pólya wrote ‘How to Solve It’ in 1985.
This book went on to sell over one million copies and was translated into 17 languages.
In it he shows what math really is (problem-solving) and reveals four steps to tackle any math challenge.
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They are:
1. Make sure you understand the problem.
2. Make a plan to solve the problem.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Check your work to test your answer.
You know, ‘If a train leaves New York…’
I was trained as a mathematician, and I will let you in on a trade secret: That is not what mathematics is, nor where it lives. It’s true that learning mathematics often involves solving problems, but it should focus on the joy of solving puzzles, rather than memorizing rules.
I invite you to see yourself as a problem solver and mathematician.
And I’d like to introduce you to the man who once invited me to the study of problem-solving: George Pólya.
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