Artistic Value Of Math Research Paper

In a pragmatic world such as ours where mathematics is pursued mainly because it is an important basis for other sciences, it seems strange to consider that numbers, complex mathematical equations and tedious proofs to possess an innate beauty. Most people will agree that mathematics helps to unlock the secrets of the universe because it has been used for centuries to describe and interpret the patterns hidden in the physical world, yet only a handful would claim that there is an artistic value to mathematics. This is because many see mathematics as merely a tool to get things done which in itself is highly challenging and confusing to use. However, mathematics actually is not the cold and lifeless tool most people view it to be but instead

This view which is ingrained at such an early age in many students means that their view of mathematics would remain to be a lifeless subject which they had to learn in their school years which is empty of any trace of beauty. For example, Singaporean students have been constantly scoring first in the global ranking for mathematics proficiency. However, this is done by teaching students through rote-learning and doing plenty of questions so that students are better prepared for tests and exams. The Singaporean education system which focuses on scoring well in exams discourages both teachers and students from wanting to explore mathematics in-depth so that one can see its beauty. This is because teachers are expected only to ensure that students score well in tests and thus, see no need to expose students to explore mathematical concepts as it doesn’t help in raising student’s scores. Similarly, students driven only by the desire of achieving stellar results do not see mathematics to be a beautiful discipline but merely a way for them to go to their desired careers or university courses. Thus, this means that students graduate thinking that mathematics is only a tool for solving problems

This is because mathematics allows us to find the patterns which we find aesthetically pleasing in nature and in turn, express it in a mathematical language which has been incorporated by many artists in their works. The most famous known concept is the golden ratio, derived from the Fibonacci numbers, which has been found in nature in flower patterns can also be found in masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa. More recently, the artist M.C. Escher was famous for incorporating the elements of recursion, tessellation and hyperbolic geometry to produce works of art which is famous in both the mathematical circles and also in the arts circle. This shows that mathematics has been used throughout history in order to produce works of art which is both appreciated by mathematicians and the rest of the population. Although new styles of art have been developed, the common thread behind them is the subtle use of mathematics which makes them pleasing to men. Thus, mathematics can be seen to possess supreme beauty as art, which presents beauty derives its beauty from mathematics and thus, the beauty of mathematics is supreme as it not only allows mathematicians to appreciate it but also artist and thus, the general public even if they do not realize that what they see is the manifestation of mathematics in