Year 2000, among others, Year of Mathematics

2000/01/01 Kortabarria Olabarria, Beñardo - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Matematika

The International Mathematical Association has set three basic objectives for the year 2000, the year of mathematics. The first of them wants to look to the future, the XXI. the twentieth century and the challenges that Mathematics can face in this century. It is intended that leading mathematicians provide a vision of the main avenues of research of the next century, for which they should propose exercises. In this way, we want to remember what mathematician David Hilbert did at the Second International Seminar on Mathematics held in Paris in 1900. This mathematician proposed 23 exercises; the resolution of most of them was XX. Despite having left in the first decades of the twentieth century, still some remain unsuccessful. The second objective of the year of Mathematics is solidarity with the undeveloped countries, since taking into account the importance of Mathematics in development, we want to raise the level of Mathematics in the poorest countries. The last and third objective would be to socialize mathematics through the dissemination of ideas and applications of mathematics.

Mathematics in History

Challenges of a certain magnitude that mathematicians have put for the year 2000. However, it can be thought that they can be few compared to what mathematicians have had in the history of humanity.

In all civilizations there are indications of counting and measuring systems, the first challenges that Mathematics had. In Mesopotamia and Egypt there were already calculation techniques for performing arithmetic and geometry exercises for the year 2000 BC. However, mathematics, understood as a scientific subject that requires a rational justification to explain what is said, arises in Greece. VII. C. Thales de Mileto, who lived in the 20th century, is often cited as the first mathematician. Then came Pythagoras, a character who today also gives and gives some students some headache.

Among the books that were produced at that time and that are known today, it is worth mentioning the book "Elements" by Euclid of Alexandria, written 300 years before Christ. In this work a logical and deductive explanation of the arithmetic and geometry of the time is made. This book has been used for centuries in schools and, they say, is the work that has had the most editions after the Bible.

In the Middle Ages, the Arabs, in their scientific and cultural zeal, became descendants of the Greeks. Arab mathematicians had much to do with the appearance of algebra. Although on other occasions they fought, the work of the Arabs in the field of science and culture in general is an example of collaboration among peoples.

XVII. In the eighteenth century came the revolution of mathematics with the infinitesimal calculus of Newton and Leibniz. This calculation allowed Newton to deduce the theory of gravity. Of course, there have been some advances in Mechanics and Physics. From there, to date, mathematicians have had to work to reinforce the bases in infinitesimal calculus, geometry, etc., endowing Mathematics with its own personality. At first glance and from outside it does not seem like that, but Mathematics has grown. In the 20th century, and today as the engine of the development of many areas, it also has numerous applications.

Applications of Mathematics

Mathematics appears in most areas of society. Technological innovation itself, from the point of view of current research and development, would be impossible without mathematics and mathematical methods. The applications of mathematics have been noted above all in physics, since infinitesimal calculus allowed to provide mathematical models to describe physical phenomena. However, thanks to computers, numerical analysis and statistics, today mathematical models are designed and implemented to solve complex problems. For example, in Biology and Social Sciences — Sociology, Economics… — unquestionable quantitative methods are used.

Mathematics is fundamental in the most advanced technologies and engineering, as in space travel. It may be a sample of the recent attempt by the Mars Climate Orbiter probe to Mars. After a nine-month trip to Mars, the probe sent by NASA was lost. An intense scientific work of great difficulty and precision has been brought down by a misguided children according to official versions: do not convert between miles and kilometers! In any case, mathematics was there and in all similar projects it is often essential. As in space issues, mathematics is fundamental: in modern diagnostic techniques used in medicine, in meteorology, in financial research, in genetic engineering... in any knowledge that requires precision.

The information society is the current society, the result of the development and collaboration of telecommunications and computing. The large amount of information used in this society has brought with it new problems of need of solution, such as the transmission of information, the protection of information, the understanding, the classification of information, the codification, etc. All these problems will be solved from Math, as all the information and data are based on algorithms.

Mathematics in society

If you think it is easy to realize, but if it is not possible not to realize that in everyday life there is a constant relationship with Mathematics. Anyone receives a lot of information daily and more and more information related to mathematics. Price indices, unemployment rate, percentages... often reach the individual. And if you look at the future, the arrival of the euro that you look at with fear will also have a direct impact on the majority, as you will have to make calculations and start using the decimals.

Therefore, the importance of mathematics is evident. However, the world of mathematics remains unknown. The content of mathematics, as you can understand, is not known, but its evolution, history, influence and applications are not known. The relationship between ordinary people and mathematics is limited to the four basic arithmetic operations and school memories.

The year 2000, the year of mathematics, will be used by mathematicians to socialize mathematics, so that such an important discipline is better known than so far. Of course, in this endeavor the mathematicians of Euskal Herria have also been launched and public actions will be carried out from February. From 29 February to 28 March, the Bidebarrieta Municipal Library in Bilbao will host the lecture series "Efficiency in the reason of mathematics", a talk every Tuesday. In each of these talks will be taught the use of mathematics from a professional field and will be taught by specialists in physics, finance, music, engineering and programming. In addition, an exhibition will be held in which it is expected that this year in the Summer Courses of the University of the Basque Country a course in Mathematics will be taught. Therefore, the year 2000 must also be the year of information for mathematicians.