Matrix Math Setia Alam

There is one career that is sure to be around to stay - computer programming.

If that interests you, did you know that it involves 5 types of maths?

- binary maths
- algebra
- statistics
- calculus
- discrete maths

Yes, there is a point to learning calculus and algebra!

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Did you know that if you give up the study of maths after O Level, you lose the brain chemical critical for your ongoing brain development?

Researchers at the University of Oxford found that those who stopped maths after their GCSEs had less gamma-aminobutyric acid, a chemical which is crucial for brain plasticity, than those who continued with maths after 16.

The reduction in the chemical, which works as a neurotransmitter, was found in a key area of the brain that supports maths, memory, learning, reasoning and problem solving.

Prof Roi Cohen Kadosh, the cognitive neuroscientist at Oxford who led the study, said: “Adolescence is an important period in life that is associated with important brain and cognitive changes. Sadly, the opportunity to stop studying maths at this age seems to lead to a gap between adolescents who stop their maths education compared to those who continue it.

“Our study provides a new level of biological understanding of the impact of education on the developing brain and the mutual effect between biology and education. It is not yet known how this disparity, or its long-term implications, can be prevented.”

For students that hate maths and can't wait to drop it at 16, Prof Kadosh recommends they find alternative form of study that produce the same effect, such as training in logic and reasoning, which engage the same brain area as maths.

Equal Fractions (Multiple)

1⁄5 of A is twice 3⁄10 of B.

Wrong
1⁄5A = 3⁄10B
3⁄15A = 3⁄10B

Correct
1⁄5A = 6⁄10B (Make numerator of B twice of the numerator of A)

Think maths is a waste of time - that you will never use it when you leave school?

Think again.

Here are 5 great ways that maths can help save the world and you could be part of it!

1. Creating better weather forecasting models
With global warming and other factors affecting climate change, we are seeing an increase in natural disasters caused by inclement weather conditions. The flooding in Germany and neighbouring countries in July 2021 as subsequent lose of life and housing is but one example.

The ability to better predict the weather could save lives and protect the economy. The ability to predict weather and climate has greatly improved in the last few decades, thanks to maths. Modern weather forecasts rely on computers to solve the complex equations that simulate the atmosphere’s behaviour – from global processes that influence the flow of the jet stream down to local rain clouds.

Mathematicians play an important role in this process, working with a set of equations that describe the atmosphere, taking into account temperature, pressure and humidity.

2. Algorithms and quantum computing are maths solutions that superpower our computers
The computers used to model weather and climate are getting more powerful every year and new maths research allows the computer to automatically zoom its attention in on areas where the weather is particularly interesting, such as around storms. Mathematicians are also involved in reducing the energy demand of computers resulting in a massive impact on overall energy consumption.

3. Optimising renewable energy sources
Renewable energy sources lie at the heart of a low-carbon world. By choosing optimal locations for wind or solar farms and designing the most effective layouts for tidal and wind turbine arrays, mathematicians ensure that these technologies maximise energy production more efficiently. Mathematicians contribute to research into energy supply and demand that ensures networks incorporate higher proportions of weather-dependent energy sources such as wind or solar power.

4. Advising policy makers results in better planning
Mathematicians use their understanding of probability and uncertainty to advise policymakers on changes in weather patterns, and help them to plan accordingly to mitigate disasters. Industry also relies on this data. The food industry for example is highly dependent on agriculture, and could use advance warning of an upcoming drought to prepare themselves for smaller yields.

Mathematical simulations also help policymakers choose one course of action over others. Mathematicians can essentially provide the hard facts and numbers that can influence the way the economy operates.

5. Making sense of ‘big data’
Collecting billions of pieces of data in environments, from ice sheets to cities, can deliver important insights into our planet’s physical processes. Climate scientists need the statistical methods that mathematicians bring to analyse this data and assess its reliability. With this and being able to act on it, the information has no value.

Without mathematicians, the work would be a less safe place to live. How's that for value?

We are looking a fractions for the next few weeks and common problems we see students make.

For example: Express $2 as a fraction of 80 cents.

First you need to convert the $ to cents. But even when students understand that, they do the sum the wrong way round.

Wrong: 80⁄200 = 2⁄5

Correct: 200⁄80 = 5⁄2

How is the pandemic likely to impact your child's learning and retention of maths skills?

Check out today's post here: Is the pandemic robbing your child of maths skills? | Matrix Math https://bit.ly/3uZouwA

Another common mistake some students make in maths is when they are dealing with sums with two different units of value.

Take this sum for example where units are given in grammes and kilogrammes.

10 kg worth of flour is packed into bags of 100g. How many bags are there?

The student would be wrong to simply divide 10 by 100. They aren't the same unit value.

The first task the student has to do is convert the units into the same unit type. In this case, we will convert the kilogramme unit into its gramme equivalent so we are doing the sum with the same units.

10 kg = 10000 g
so the sum will be
10000 ÷ 100 = 100

It pays to study smart.

Knowing the typical questions that WILL come up in your exam paper is a smart move.

Learning how to solve such problems almost blindfold is even smarter.

So we've got another hack for you! - The remainder concept.

The Remainder Concept is a type of maths question that you WILL see in the primary 5 maths exam papers. So it makes sense to get comfortable with solving this type of problem!

This could give you 5 easy marks when you can do these types of problems easily!

What you see here is a typical example.

Follow the workings out to see how the problem is drawn out to make it easier for you to see the solution, and how the answer is derived from the workings out.

This is a super hack that will make multiplying by 11 super easy for you!

Even it it involves big numbers.

Look at the pattern here:

1 x 11 = 11

2 x 11 = 22

3 x 11 = 33

4 x 11 = 44

5 x 11 = 55

6 x 11 = 66

7 x 11 = 77

8 x 11 = 88

9 x 11 = 99

10 x 11 = 110

So how do you solve any question with a number that is multiplied by 11?

Follow this example with a 2-digit number: 63 X 11

Step 1: Add the two digits in 63 together

6 + 3 = 9

Step 2: Split the two digits 6 and 3 apart and place the new number 9 in the middle.

63 x 11 = 693

Now what if the two numbers added together become a 2-digit number instead of a single digit? Let's take a look:

Let's try 59 x 11

Step 1: Add the two digits tin 59 together

5 + 9 = 14

Step 2: Split the two digits 5 and 9 apart and place the new number 14 in the middle.

BUT there is a slight difference here. Because the new number is 2 digits, carry the 1 and add it to the first number 5.

So 5 becomes 6 and 4 comes before 9.

59 x 11 = 5 _ 9

= 6 4 9

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