Even though everyone learns mathematics at school, it is
difficult to define exactly what mathematics is. Clearly numbers, shapes and
equations form part of it, but only a small part compared to the vast space of
mathematical concepts and ideas. The best way to understand what mathematics is
and what mathematicians work on – is to do mathematics.
One idea that appears everywhere in mathematics is abstraction. Instead of
thinking about particular numbers, shapes, equations or any other objects,
mathematicians tend to think about their underlying structures and patterns.
This means that the results, called Theorems, are more general and provide
deeper insight.Another fundamental idea in mathematics is Proof. Mathematicians
can’t just say that an idea is true, or test it in a few cases. They need a
rigorous and watertight argument to deduce that it is always true. Maybe this
makes mathematics more difficult than other sciences, but it also means that
mathematicians can obtain absolute and definitive knowledge – which is
impossible in any other discipline.
Mathematics is also the language of the universe, from the electrochemical
signals in our brain to the equations of General Relativity which govern the
motion of stars and galaxies everywhere in the universe. It is one of humanity’s
most noble endeavors to understand the universe we live in, and that would not
be possible without mathematics.
To celebrate the beauty and importance of mathematics and its essential role in
everyone’s life the International Mathematical Union (IMU) has led the project
to have UNESCO proclaim March 14 as the International Day of Mathematics (IDM).
On November 26th 2019, the 40th General Conference of UNESCO approved the
Proclamation of March 14 (Pi Day) as the International Day of Mathematics (IDM).For
IDM, people around the world are invited to celebrate the importance of
mathematics through creative activities, fascinated by intriguing public talks
and engaged in exciting events.
March 14 is already known as Pi Day and celebrated in many countries around the
world. It is named after the important number π, the ratio between the
circumference and diameter of a circle and the IDM logo representing the
decimals of π 3.14159265358979. The International Day of Mathematics (IDM)
celebration expands Pi Day to include the whole spectrum of mathematics.
Every year a new theme will be announced to flavor the celebration, spark
creativity and bring light to connections between mathematics and all sorts of
fields, concepts and ideas. The theme for 2020 is
‘Mathematics is Everywhere’
And with a famous quote ‘Mathematics is an art of human understanding’. —
William Thurston
For the IDM, people all over the world are invited to celebrate. They will be
challenged by creative activities, fascinated by intriguing public talks and
engaged in surprising events. More than 75 countries and 150 organizations as
mathematical societies, research institutes, museums, schools and universities
are already announcing their celebrations, and a lot more are expected to
follow.
Mathematics is used in a large variety of real world applications. The general
public applies arithmetic in grocery shopping, financial mathematics is applied
in commerce and economics, statistics is used in many fields (e.g., marketing
and experimental sciences), number theory is used in information technology and
cryptography, surveyors apply trigonometry, operations research techniques are
applied to logistics across diverse industries,Artificial intelligence and
machine learning are now transforming the world, for instance, computer vision,
automatic translation, autonomous vehicles, etc. Mathematics inspires artists
and musicians in symmetries, fractals, elegant curves and surfaces; patterns,
scales, and sounds in music. Mathematics is essential to meet the UN Sustainable
Development Goals,mathematics also have a wide range of application in
biomedical field and the list of applications of mathematics is endless.
The major goals of an International Day of Mathematics are:
1. Improve the understanding of the public, the decision makers and the schools
the importance of mathematics in education.
2. Contribute to capacity building in mathematical and scientific education,
with special focus on girls and kids from developing countries.
3. Improve the understanding of the public, the decision makers and the schools
the importance of mathematics as a tool for development and the move to a more
prosperous economy.
4. Emphasize the importance of basic research in mathematical sciences as the
seed to new breakthroughs in technology and management of the society.
5. Highlight the role of mathematics in the organization of the human
civilization, including its economic, financial, health and transport systems,
telecommunications and in the search of human well-being, etc.
6. Raise awareness on the role of mathematics in fighting disasters, epidemics,
emerging diseases, invasive species.
7. Highlight the role of mathematics in moving to a circular economy of
sustainability compatible with preservation of biodiversity.
8. Equip the public and the kids with tools to understand the planetary
challenges and behave as knowledgeable citizens.
9. Increase the international networking and collaborations in public awareness
on mathematics.
10. Increase the access to information, providing a simple way to give citizens
a choice in all aspects of their daily life.
For creating awareness about the importance of mathematics in Pakistan as well
as in the world, and to celebrate the International Day of Mathematics(IDM), the
department of mathematics, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan has taken the
leading role in organizing several activities on March 14, 2020, for the
mathematics enthusiast, students and the general public.