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Joel David Hamkins
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Teach him to use language precisely. The idea that words can have hard, exact meanings is fundamental to mathematical thinking, and will also serve him well in most other subjects.

To give a few examples, in a few years, you'll have to discuss with him whether a square is a rectangle, or whether a right-angled diamond is square (and unfortunately, your child's teachers may have a different answer).

But my advice is aboutAnd I mean all language, not just mathemticalmathematical language. Being clear and precise in one's language fosters a mathematical attitude by developing one's ability to make and reason about fine distinctions.

Teach him to use language precisely. The idea that words can have hard, exact meanings is fundamental to mathematical thinking, and will also serve him well in most other subjects.

To give a few examples, in a few years, you'll have to discuss with him whether a square is a rectangle, or whether a right-angled diamond is square (and unfortunately, your child's teachers may have a different answer).

But my advice is about all language, not just mathemtical language.

Teach him to use language precisely. The idea that words can have hard, exact meanings is fundamental to mathematical thinking, and will also serve him well in most other subjects.

And I mean all language, not just mathematical language. Being clear and precise in one's language fosters a mathematical attitude by developing one's ability to make and reason about fine distinctions.

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Source Link
Joel David Hamkins
  • 236.3k
  • 44
  • 777
  • 1.4k

Teach him to use language precisely. The idea that words can have hard, exact meanings is fundamental to mathematical thinking, and will also serve him well in most other subjects.

To give a few examples, in a few years, you'll have to discuss with him whether a square is a rectangle, or whether a right-angled diamond is square (and unfortunately, your child's teachers may have a different answer).

But my advice is about all language, not just mathemtical language.