CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background of the Study

Mathematics is an old broad and deep discipline. Mathematics as a formal area of teaching and learning was developed about five thousand years ago by the Sumerians. They did it at the same time as they developed reading and writing. However, the root of Mathematics goes back much more than 5,000 years. Mathematics is said to be queen of science, Adekoya Olusegun (2009) quoting Adekoya, reveals that mathematics is the cream of all disciplines, whether in the social or human mind, since it concerns honorably with idea, prove and reasoning.

Mathematics is used throughout the world as essential tools in many fields, including natural science, engineering, medicine and the social sciences. Mathematics is the science of size and number of which Arithmetic, Algorithm, Trigonometric and Geometric are branches. It is an age-long subject and forms the backbone of any school curriculum. The reason for teaching any subject is to have value and objective for which it is planned, that can afford to omit mathematics.

History of Mathematics

The study of Mathematics as a subject in the own right began in the 6th century BC with the Pythagoreans, who coined the term mathematics from the ancient Greek (“mathema”) meaning subject of instruction. Greek mathematics greatly refined the methods (especially through the introduction of deductive reasoning and mathematics proofs) and expanded the subject matter of mathematics. Chinese mathematics made early contributions including a place value system. The Hindu-Arabic numeral system and the rules for the use of its operation, in use throughout the world today; likely evolved over the course of the first millennium A.D in India and was transmitted to the west via Islamic Mathematics. Islamic mathematics was in turn developed and expanded the mathematics known to civilization. Many Greek and Arabic texts on mathematics were then translated into lactic which led to further development of mathematics in Medieval Europe.

From ancient times through the Middle Ages, burst of mathematics creativity were often followed by centuries of stagnation. Beginning in renaissance Italy in the 16th century, new mathematics developments, interacting with new scientific discoveries, were made at an increasing pace that continues through the present day (Selin Helaine D. Ainbriosio, Liberation 2009).

Mathematics is a way of describing relationship between number and other measurable qualities. Mathematics can express simple particles and the farthest object in the known universe. Mathematics allows scientist to communicate ideas using universe accepted terminology. It is truly the language of science.

Until the 17th century, arithmetic, algebra and geometric were the only mathematics disciplines, and mathematics was virtually indisguishable from science and philosophy. Development by the ancient Greek, these systems for investigating the world were preserved by Islamic scholar and passed on by Christian’s monks during the middle ages. Mathematics finally became a field in a own right with the development of calculus by English Mathematician Isaac Newton and German philosopher and mathematician Augustin Louis Cauch and his contemporaries. Until the late 19th century, however mathematics was used mainly by physicists, chemist and engineers (Encarta 2009).

Mathematics forms an important and unique part of knowledge as a whole; we might describe it as part of our cultural heritage dating from early times when there was often little practical use for what was studied and continuing to its present position on the basis on which our scientific and technical knowledge has been built.

Despite the uniqueness and important of the subject, many student still fail the subject. “The differential scholastic achievement of students in Nigeria has been and is still a source of concern and research interest to educators, government and parents. This is so because of the great importance that education has on the national development of the country” (Asikhia O.A, 2010). Parents, Teacher and the government are of the opinion that the huge investment on education is not yielding the desired result. Students perform poorly at both internal and external examinations.

1. 1. This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research work
2. 2. As a source for additional understanding of the subject.
3. 3. As a source for ideas for your own research work (if properly referenced).
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5. 5. Direct citing (if referenced properly)
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