It is the purpose of science to describe the world in an orderly scheme or language that will enable us to look ahead. Prediction is a search for laws on which to base a forecast. The universal human need to tell stories, to explain what has happened and what structures the universe and the individual's experience, is the foundation of theory making. For students who view math as a school survival skill, who have trouble seeing their way into mathematics and understanding its relevance in their lives, the goal of Challenge is to show math in a new light and to help students understand how to solve complex problems. Each of the titles shows men and women using mathematics as a tool to make their tasks easier.
Information is the raw material of problem solving.
Sorting through the data you have can help you determine what's relevant and what's missing. To get a problem ready for a solution, it helps to personalize it. Many problems have an obvious solution. You know what result you want from the beginning. The challenge is to figure out how to get there.