Importance of Mathematics in life and National Mathematics Day 2025

Prof K Binod Mangang *

National Mathematics Day at Manipur Science Aquarium, Imphal in February 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

Mathematics plays a very important role in our daily lives. It is a subject that we use from the moment we wake up until we go to bed, even when we do not realise it. Maths is not limited to the classroom or textbooks. It is present in every activity we do, and it helps us understand the world better.

According to most scientific experts, thinkers, and visionaries, Mathematics is the language of the universe. It helps you to understand your environment as fundamentally and logically as possible. And no, it is not boring, dry, or scary, even if that’s what you hear your peers say.

If you delve deep into numbers and the way they relate to each other and affect the world at large, you will soon fall in love with the beauty of Mathematics. In fact, this field (or, rather, foundation) of science is so important that National Mathematics Day is celebrated on the 22nd of December every year. Mathematics is not just a scoring subject for school children. It’s a critical skill that can help you in everyday life.

Maths is all around us, even if you don’t think about it. Even if you’re not interested in the subject, you’ll likely need to use some Mathematical skills in your life. Understanding Maths is essential for successfully managing bank accounts, shopping online, budgeting, and buying groceries.

Maths is crucial because it builds problem-solving, logical thinking, and analytical skills, essential for managing finances, cooking, and navigating daily life, while also forming the foundation for technology, science, engineering, and understan- ding patterns in the world around us, making us more capable and informed individuals.

The following are some examples, how we use Mathematics in day-to-day activities:

o If you have a bank account, you need to know how interest is calculated, at least in the simplest terms. Budgeting, understanding loans, shopping for deals, and filing taxes.

o If you’re buying something online, you’ll need to use Arithmetic skills to calculate the total cost of purchase after discounts and cashback.

o You will need basic Maths skills to figure out how much you can spend before hitting your weekly or monthly budget limits.

o Measuring ingredients, scaling recipes, calculating time, and managing household projects like painting or gardening are examples of the application of Mathematics in daily life.

o When topping up your motorcycle or car tank, you will need to calculate the cost of fuel and the average kilometres per litre of fuel. It will help you to save money or cut down on excesses.

In today’s world, technology and Maths go hand in hand. Almost every device we use, like mobile phones, computers, calculators, and even traffic lights, works on Mathematical concepts. Engineers, scientists, architects, and doctors use Math to design buildings, create medicines, develop software, and perform important calculations. This shows that Maths is not just a subject but a foundation for many careers.

According to a study by the World Economic Forum (World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2023), over 50% of all jobs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) require strong Mathematical skills.

Additionally, coding professions are expected to grow by 22% by 2030, as per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, whereas in the latest study by Management consulting firm McKinsey, for example, estimates that AI could replace around 40 percent of US professions.

Mathematics: The Foundation of Coding

Coding is the process of creating instructions that a computer can understand and execute. At its core, coding relies heavily on Mathematical concepts like logic, algebra, and geometry. For instance, logical operators such as “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT” are derived from Boolean Algebra, a field of Mathematics that focuses on true and false values.

These operators are used to create con- ditions in programming languages like Python, Java, and C++. Take the example of mobile applications such as Google Maps. They use graph theory, a branch of Mathematics, to find the shortest routes between two points. Without Mathematics, such applications would not be able to analyse data or deliver accurate results.

Algorithms and Data Structures

Algorithms, which are step-by-step procedures for solving problems, are central to coding. Mathematics helps in designing efficient algorithms. For instance, the sorting algorithm, used to arrange data in ascending or descending order, relies on principles of combinatorics and probability.

One famous example is the “PageRank” algorithm, developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google. It uses Matrix Algebra to rank web pages based on their importance. This algorithm revolutionised the way we search for information on the internet.

The Role of Mathematics in Technology

Technology uses Mathematics to transform abstract ideas into practical applications. In fields like computer graphics, geometry plays a vital role. For instance, video games use Vector Mathematics to simulate the movement of objects and characters in three-dimensional space.

Cryptography, another fascinating area, relies on number theory to secure online communications. Every time you use online banking or send a message through WhatsApp, encryp-tion algorithms based on prime numbers protect your data from hackers.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, two rapidly growing fields in technology, also depend heavily on Mathematics. AI models are built using statistics and linear algebra to analyse patterns and make predictions. For example, facial recognition systems use advanced Mathematical techniques to identify and verify individuals.

Mathematics in technology is not just limited to abstract concepts; it has tangible, real-world appli- cations. Self-driving cars, like those developed by BYD and TESLA, use calculus to calculate their speed and trajectory. In healthcare, machine learning algorithms analyse large datasets to detect diseases like cancer with greater accuracy.

The importance of Mathematics in coding and technology cannot be overstated. It is the invisible force driving innovation in every aspect of our lives, from entertainment to healthcare. For students aspiring to become Engineers, Data Scientists, or Software Developers, mastering Maths is not just an option but a necessity.

By learning mathematics, you are not just solving equations—you are building the future. The functional knowledge of Mathematics will help you to succeed in every walk of life by making better-optimised decisions. Maths is an excellent tool for self-reflection as well.

Realising the importance of Science and Technology in the Country’s development, and the role played by Mathematics in STEM, in 2011, the Prime Minister of India declared 22nd December as National Mathematics Day, and chose this date to commemorate the contribution of Srinivas Ramanujan in the field of Mathematics.

Ramanujan, the Maths Wizard :: Pix - S Balakrishnan

You must have heard of the Ramanujan Number. It is one of his numerous Mathematical inventions and undoubtedly one of the most famous ones. The celebration of National Mathematics Day on the birthday of Ramanujan also recognizes the contributions of ancient Indians in this field of Mathematics, including the development of the decimal system, the concept of zero, and contributions to algebra and trigonometry.

Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887, in Erode, Tamil Nadu. In December 2011, the Govt of India declared his birthday as National Mathematics Day, and in 2012, the first National Mathematics Year was celebrated across the country. Ramanujan grew up in extreme poverty, yet he became one of the most influential Mathematicians in history.

Though the great mind lived for only 32 years, Ramanujan made remarkable contributions to areas like number theory, continued fractions, Mathematical analysis, infinite series, and solved many Mathematical problems previously considered unsolvable.

He compiled approximately 3900 mathematical equations and identities and some of his findings opened new worlds in the field. The most astonishing part is that he never had formal training in pure mathematics. Srinivas Ramanujan was one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society as well.

What is so special about the Ramanujan number 1729?

1729 is a natural number popularly known as Ramanujan number or Ramanujan-Hardy number, named after the eminent India-born mathematician Srinivas Ramanujan and British mathematician GH Hardy. It is the smallest possible number (integer) that equals cubes of 2 different sets of numbers 12 and 1; 10 and 9. It might not look impressive at first sight, but it is magical in a Mathematical sense.

Ramanujan mentioned the uniqueness of the number 1729 to British Mathematician Godfrey Harold Hardy in 1919; Hardy later popularised the number as one of the taxicab series of numbers. Till now, only six taxicab numbers have been discovered till date, although there are infinitely many such numbers.

The objectives of celebrating National Mathema- tics Day on the 22nd of December are:

o Paying tribute to Srinivas Ramanujan
o Popularising the importance of Mathematics in everyday life
o Motivating students to develop Mathematical skills
o Propagating Mathematical knowledge through new inventions
o Promoting intervention of Mathematics in every field of study

Understanding Mathematics not only makes you smarter but also improves your brain health. It helps develop systematic approaches to challenges, from simple daily issues to complex professional problems. It enhances the ability to think critically and make informed decisions. Strengthens cognitive functions through practice.

It provides the language and tools for scientific exploration and understanding the universe, and helps identify relationships and predict outcomes in various aspects of life. It underpins all digital technologies, from the internet to software.