MathPlus's definitions

Stand-back-stand-by Math

When President Trump repealed the “leftish” Common Core Math, approved by President Obama, with zero idea how to replace it with a better “rightish” math curriculum to help millions of US students compete internationally in math—he just wants to pacify opponents of the “left curriculum,” whose children can’t cope with it, in exchange for their votes.

Does the stand-back-stand-by math sound like some curricular or mathematical equivalent of the repeal-and-replace Obamacare? If politics over math could increase the odds of getting the president re-elected, the risks are worth taking.

by MathPlus October 1, 2020

Pi on Earth

When the symbol π is stone-carved against a circular background of a different color on the ground.

If the value of π in heaven is arguably 3, which is computed based on two biblical verses (1 Kings 7:23 and 2 Chronicles 4:2), what is the value of pi on earth then?

by MathPlus December 4, 2020

Pandemic Purgatory

When countries are caught between the desire to open up their borders to lure tourists to their shores and the fear of triggering new waves of infections.

Singapore finds itself in a pandemic purgatory situation: Should it allow thousands of migrant workers back to revive its comatose construction industry, or should it wait until the infection rates in the countries where these workers come from to head south?

by MathPlus March 21, 2022

Mask the Math

When rogue, inept, or corrupt opportunistic politicians downplay the high number of infections and fatalities plaguing their countries, by giving an oft-innumerate or gullible public a faux sense of security, who often loosely follow the health measures in place.

Fake right-wing “leaders” from the United States, Brazil, and India notoriously share a number of common denominators: use race or religion as a trump card, mask the math, and refuse to make social distancing or mask wearing mandatory.

by MathPlus April 2, 2021

#31415PI

A password of choice among math geeks, who secretly wished that “every day is pi day.”

By logging in #31415PI, North Korean hackers succeeded in transferring millions of dollars from the bank accounts of some US math profs to that of Chairman Kim.

by MathPlus March 14, 2021

Math in the Dark

When problem solving with the lights off could help trigger your imaginary thinking, which could be a catalyst to experiencing that aha! moment in producing a creative or elegant solution to a wicked math problem.

Guesstimate many math educators worldwide could get their imaginations light up if they decided to do math in the dark—when darkness triggers their intuition for that long-awaited lateral solution.

by MathPlus October 12, 2021

Doom-and-Gloom Math

The hypothesis that a large proportion of the people in the developed world would lack the critical thinking and quantitative skills required of a 21st-century citizen, because the politics of nativism, populism, and racism plaguing their societies have directly or indirectly brainwashed or radicalized them.

Thanks to Trumpism or right-wing politics, clothed under white supremacism or white Christian nationalism, millions of adults and children have fallen victims to the gospel of doom-and-gloom math, who blame millions of immigrants and refugees for stealing their blue-and white-collar jobs and for invading the promised land of their forefathers (who did the same thing to Native Americans).

by MathPlus April 28, 2023