If the first thing children learn in math is counting, then could the answer to the question “What is math?” be technology for counting?
Traditional arithmetic fits this definition:
- Addition is technology for counting in a positive direction
- Subtraction is technology for counting in a negative direction
- Multiplication is technology for counting in any direction away from zero.
- Division is technology for counting in any direction toward zero.
Does the definition that “math is technology for counting” hold true for other areas?
- Geometry is technology for counting spaces
- Trigonometry is technology for counting lengths and angles
- Statistics is technology for counting likelihoods
- Calculus is technology for counting changes
I suppose that to disprove the definition that “math is technology for counting,” a person would have to define counting in such a way that does not fit into how an area of mathematics operates. I welcome your input in the comments below.
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