Mathematics is...

Mathematics is, and has always been, part of essence of being human. To be human is to seek to understand. Mathematics, along with science, has made possible dramaric advances in our understanding of the physical universe. Ton be human is to explore. Throughout history, mathematics has been essential for exploration, from navigating by the stars to travel into space. To be human is to participate in a society. Societies require matheamtics to keep records, allocate resources, and make decisions. To be human is to look to the future. Mathematics enables us to analyze what has been, predict what might be, and evaluate our options. To be human is to play, and mathematics is partb of our games and our sports. To be human is to think, to create, and to communicate. Matheamtics provides a vehicle for thinking, a medium for creating, and a language for communicating. Indeed, to be human is to develop mathematics. Mathematics has been developed in every culture for the purposes of counting, locating, measuring, designing, playing, and explaing(D'Ambrosio 1985;... Gilmer, 1990). Without mathematics, as without language, the nature of humanity and human society would be fundamentally different. (Kleiman 1991,pp.48-51)