The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-10
MATH OF ACTION
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say Clothes That Are Worth the Price
VigOr Rather Than Rigor, Says
Convention Speaker.
Prof. G.. A. Miller of Illinois
University Before Teachers.

Mathematics of action or vigor rath-
er than mathematics of rigor were
urged for pupils in elementary mathe-
MATES today by Prof. G. A Miller of
the University of Illinois Professor
Miller spoke before the mathematics
teachers at the First Presbyterian
church.
1.-The teacher of elementary niathe-
mates who would really be up with
the times has the somewhat difficult
task of keeping in touch with modern
mathematical developments and to
seek to appropriate such of these de-
velopmentS as seem most available for
his work." said Prof. Miller. This
process of appropriating suitable ele-
mentS of advanced mathematics for
elementary instruction has generally
been slow and hence one has to look
over developments covering a number
of years with a view to making the
proper selections.
Modern developments in elemen-
tary and secondary mathematics" Mr.
Miller said, have shown a tendency
IN recent years to prefer vigor to rigor
in elementary mathematics. The man
of action needs a mathematics of Ic-
ton The great war thru which we
are passing in our sympathies and
hopes, has already directed emphatic
attention to the value of science and
to the need of more thoro scientific
training. The mathematics of the ele-
must fit into this scientific training.
rather than try to turn the world,
back to the philosophical speculations
OF the Greeks at the time of Euclid
The calculus, the function concept and
the group concept relate to variations
and action and hence fit much more
into the life of action of the modern
man than the static propositions of
Euclid, where even the opposition in
direction now embodied in the mega
U T fc Ill
considerable progress has been
made recently in the Introduction of
the concept of functions into our
courses on elementary algebra. This
uoeS not mean that we are trying to
teach an old-fashioned course of func-
ton theory to our beginners in algebra,
1t simply means that the elementary
concepts of functions are introduced
early and allowed to put more life into
Or algebra. Similarly, the introduce
ton of the concepts of derivative and
integral into our elementary courses in
algebra and geometery does not imply
that we should teach to the beginners
in these subjects our present course in
calculus On the contrary, it means
| that the elements of the powerful cal
cu1us should be taught in place of
deterrninants, continued fractions,
finding the volume of a truncated
pyramid, etc.
In matters relating to our physical
comforts we 90 not refuse, Tor IN
stance, to ride in an automobile, cleo
trio car or a railroad train, because
we do not understand everything about
| the mechanism of these conveyances
Why, then, should we refuse our in
tellectual lives the privilege of taking
rides in conveyances which we do not
| fully understand? Much Of our rnath-
| ematical trouble results from the fact
| that we are working with the INTEL
| lectual wheelbarrow and are COM
| Tnal iTc ST MT n
| because they do not fully comprehend
the intellectual automobile. The SIM
pie mathematical life has its charms,
but it does not fit well into modern
society.
THE tyranny of text books has been
| largely mitigated in recent years by So
cieties and conferences of this kind,
where teachers can voice their ex-
/ periences in an effective manner, but
there is still entirely too little super
vision over this tremendous conserva-
tive force affecting needed reforms
in elementary and in secondary mathe-
ms