Every year on March 14th, people around the world gather together to celebrate the importance of mathematics and everything it’s used for.

Mathematics is defined as the study of such topics as quantity, structure, space, and change. This definition makes it sound like you have to be a rocket scientist to do math. But whether you realize it or not, you probably use mathematics daily. Do you balance your checkbook? When you have to drive somewhere, do you estimate out how much time it will take to arrive? Do you count calories? Have you ever measured ingredients when you’re cooking? Do you do your own taxes? If you do any of these things, you’re using math!

Besides personal use, many professions use mathematics. In fact, 94% of all workers use some sort of math in their jobs. About 68% of these people use fractions, decimals, and percentages. Some professions that use math daily include:

Construction manager

Computer programmer

Registered Nurse

Landscape Designer

Electrician

Plumber

Diesel mechanic

Carpenter

Optician

Photographer

Pharmacy technician

No matter what profession students in high school and college go into, they are encouraged to study mathematics. Math is often used to solve world-real problems. Math also provides a solid foundation for advanced studies in other fields. It really does seem to be everywhere.

HOW TO OBSERVE #DayOfMathematics

Several regional and international organizations take part in this day. These organizations include The Committee for Women in Mathematics of IMU (CWM), the African Mathematical Union (AMU), and the International Science Council (ISC). On this day, schools, museums, libraries, and other organizations participate in math contests and other math-oriented activities.

To participate:

• Keep track of how often you use mathematics throughout the day.
• Study famous mathematicians, including Archimedes, Isaac Newton, James Maxwell, Alan Turing, and Radia Perlman.
• Help a student with their math homework.
• Discuss with others how much they use mathematics in their profession.
• Watch a math movie based on real-life events like Stand and Deliver, Pi, Good Will Hunting, The Imitation Game, and A Beautiful Mind.

Sharing this day on social media is as easy as 1,2,3. Just use #InternationalDayOfMathematics or #IDM.

 

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MATHEMATICS HISTORY

On November 26th, 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed March 14th as the International Day of Mathematics. The executive Council of UNESCO chose the date of March 14th because they wanted to expand Pi Day to include the whole spectrum of mathematics. The theme of the inaugural International Day of Mathematics, held in 2020, was “Mathematics Is Everywhere.” The International Mathematical Union (IMU) coordinates the day.