The value of math when questions can be answered by AI

The thesis of this article is stated by the title, what is the value of mathematics? My goal in writing this article is to show you, the reader, why math is valuable even if we carry a computer everywhere we go and which AI can answer most questions we need answered in school. I will start by discussing arguments against learning mathematics because those arguments may have crossed your mind after reading the title of this composition. If that is the case, thank you for indulging your curiosity and I hope by the end of this essay I have convinced you that not only is math valuable, but inspired you to seek out new mathematics and make the steps toward learning them.

            The first argument I have heard time and time again is what is the use of learning algebra or math after basic arithmetic (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing), most jobs or careers will not require an employee to know how to solve for x. Even arithmetic is not required by most employees who have access to a computer to do the math for them. The second argument is that math is hard. It is too abstract for use in real life.

            The first argument, which I will call argument A, and the second argument B, is a completely valid point. Argument A states that math is not used during a typical person's life. This may seem true, except for the fact that mathematics, and in fact algebra, is more than just solving for x. Math is, as stated in the article entitled Why learn Math? (https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2011/11/08/why-learn-math/) “Math is really about general truths which help you understand relationships between ideas.” Math is thinking logically, finding patterns, and understanding relationships between ideas. The reason you can solve the equation 4x+20 = 100 is because you can manipulate the relationship between the symbols and find the solution. Using the same logic, and recognizing the same patterns, that get used to solve an algebraic equation, someone can use to figure out how to raise their kids up to be bright, hard-working individuals, or figure out who ate the last cookie in the cookie jar.

            I will tell you how math comes up time and time again in my life, and why I wish I had taken more math courses during my undergraduate degree. My professional background is biology, I chose my undergraduate degree in biochemistry because it did not require as much math as a chemistry degree, and this is typical of most biological degrees. I have heard that someone chooses to study biology because it does not require much math. Unfortunately, math came for me regardless. The equation M1V1 = M2V2 is used to create dilutions necessary to make buffers and ultimately perform experiments. To use this equation, a person must supply the known concentration or molarity of a solution and the volume it is in, as well as the volume or concentration they need for the final solution. The unknown, or x, is the unknown concentration or volume. This is plain and pure algebra needed for my work in my molecular biology lab.

            Another time math came for me was after I taught myself to code, by reading a book about the Python programming language. Programming does not require that much symbolic mathematics but does require logical thinking. A programmer needs to essentially translate their desire into a language the computer can understand, which ultimately is just 1s and 0s. If the programmer makes a logical mistake, it can take hours or days to solve the problem. Programming requires the logic and pattern recognition taught by mathematics, but artificial intelligence requires one to know higher mathematics.

            After learning the basics of Python, I determined to learn what artificial intelligence actually was and made steps toward teaching that to myself as well. Specifically, I was interested in learning what an artificial neural network (ANN) was, how it worked, and how to program an artificially intelligent application that used an ANN. I learned that, to truly understand how an ANN worked I would need to apply Differential Equations and Linear Algebra knowledge as well as a lot of Statistics. This is when I wished I had taken more math when I was in school. I had never learned Statistics while in school, Differential Equations, or Linear Algebra. I have since learned some of the mathematics necessary to understand ANNs, but am still actively seeking to further my mathematical knowledge. I am now trying to fully grasp Linear Algebra, working through a Coursera course, because Linear Algebra is essential for many facets of computer science, and physics, and it is a handy mathematical tool to have at my disposal.

            I know that the average person is not a scientist, and may not be interested in learning how artificial intelligence works, but I use my life to illustrate how valuable math has been for me. I am sure that regardless of your professional career or aspirations, you have needed to think logically or identify patterns at some point. Math is even valuable for writers. A writer cannot convince their audience of something if their arguments are not logical, so even if you are more interested in English or History you cannot escape the need of mathematical reasoning. By learning math you can improve your logic and problem-solving abilities which I am sure no one would say is an unworthy goal. That does however bring me to the second argument.  

            Argument B states that learning math is hard. This I cannot argue against. Math is hard, and I wish it wasn’t so hard. I wish that to understand the world around us we would have a tool that was easier to comprehend but math is the best tool we have. Math is as difficult to us as it is to mathematicians, only they see the difficulty as a challenge to be overcome and have made math their plaything. Which leads me to my advice, if math is hard, do not let that dissuade you from mastering it. See it as an obstacle you can overcome and make steps toward mastering it.

            Math is valuable, it not only allows us to understand the world around us but teaches us to think logically and to identify patterns and the relationships between the objects around us. If you are interested in science, as I presume that you must be since this blog deals with scientific topics, I implore you to learn as much math as possible because it will be a valuable tool in your mental toolbox. If you are a student who struggles with math, I encourage you to continue struggling with it until you can defeat it, and when you do conquer that mathematical concept that you struggled with, you can use it to understand the next mathematical concept. Additionally, if you are a student and would like help learning math, reach out to me for help by either clicking this link: https://www.codersjournal.com/tutoring, or pressing the “Contact” button above.