Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics are four very broad fields of education and profession. Linked together through their collective use of logic, research and innovation, the importance of hosting quality STEM educational environments has only grown as society becomes more and more dependent on technology.
So why are school administrators, politicians and bureaucrats always talking about STEM? The simple answer is that schools at all levels require dedicated funding to create quality STEM education, especially as schools all over the world put more and more emphasis into STEM. The advantages of STEM education are many. Science and technology have played major roles in the past several hundred years in revolutionizing methods of production, fighting disease, dealing with environmental issues, creating new and useful materials and gaining a deeper understanding of nature.
This article on STEM is a continuation from a previous issue of Rip magazine.
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics—the study of numbers. Behind every physics law, every chemical formula, and every scientific theory there lies mathematics.And in the world of science, mathematical rules are the closest to absolute truth you can get.They are laws of nature.
As an example, we can use the famous Pythagorean theorem from trigonometry, an important precursor to calculus and the study of motion, curves, spinning objects, and the concept of infinity. The Pythagorean theorem states that with any right triangle (the triangles where one corner is a right angle, like a corner of a square), the length of the longest side is always equal to the square root of the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
In other words, when you have a triangle that looks like this:
This rule ALWAYS applies to ALL right triangles.
It is a fundamental rule of mathematics.There are important and fundamental rules in mathematics at all levels, and the unique and steadfast logic of numbers provides the backbone of all technology, from basic tools to the most advanced computer processors.
So what exactly do mathematicians do? People who study advanced math often go on to teach it to other students, but many also go on to become engineers, scientists and physicists. Some of the most fascinating fields of study are associated with advanced mathematics—such as theoretical physics (the study of the origins and true nature of matter, energy and the universe—think Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity) and astronomy (the study of the nature and movement of planets, stars and galaxies, and everything in between). And finally, skilled mathematicians are always in high demand in banking and finance, where their ability to manipulate numbers and complex formulas can pay off big time—we’re talking tens of millions of dollars!
This article on STEM will conclude in the Summer 2019 issue of Rip.
