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Interdisciplinary Approach in Mathematics

Presentation · January 2018

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.13545.19044

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Poonam Kumar Sharma

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Interdisciplinary Approach in
Mathematics
By
Dr. P. K. Sharma
Associate Professor in Mathematics
D.A.V. College Jalandhar
At
National Seminar (Multi – disciplinary) on
Academic & Administrative Audit in Higher
Education ”
D.A.V. College, Jalandhar.
Email: pksharma@davjalandhar.com
 • Title: Interdisciplinary Approach in Mathematics
• Defects in the Present-Day “ Mathematics Teaching”
One

• Meaning of Interdisciplinary Approach

• Need of Interdisciplinary Approach in Mathematics
Two

• Connection of other subjects with Mathematics

• Some Specific Interdisciplinary Programmes
Three
2
 Defects in the present-Day
“Mathematics Teaching”
1) The Methodology adopted for teaching Mathematics is not
right. It is far from life to catch the interest of students.
2) It deserves to be taught by teachers who love it as music
teachers love music and art teachers love art. Instead of
teachers who are bored and tired and even afraid of Maths.
3) Lack of ability to create interest and novelty in the work
taught to the students.
4) Lack of teaching aids used in the class room.
5) Mathematics Curriculum is not properly organized to make
it popular and useful to the students studying it.
6) Lack of presenting the syllabus with application and utility to
the students studying it.
 Meaning of Interdisciplinary Approach
 Many people tend to use the word interdisciplinary
synonymous with multidisciplinary. But,
interdisciplinary means a higher theme, which
means blending more than one discipline in a right
proportion.

 The dictionary meaning of the word is ‘involving

two or more academic, scientific or artistic
disciplines’. It is not just the combination of two
or more disciplines, but one discipline, which is
facilitated by one or more disciplines.
Need for Interdisciplinary Approach In Mathematics

Mathematics is the language of science, and is greatly

utilized in industry and business.
Mathematics gives us not only great power to solve
difficult real world problems, but helps us to understand
how the universe operates.
It enhances our understanding of the most basic
processes we encounter as inhabitants of this universe.
It has been very well said that Mathematics is the
Science of all Sciences and the Art of all Arts.
 As Mathematics is the pivot of all Sciences . So it is
well connected with all science subjects. While it is an
essential constituent in Science subjects .
 Connection of Other Subjects with Mathematics

Mathematics and Physics

1) Each rule and principle in Physics takes Mathematical form and
Mathematics gives them their final shape.
2) Mathematical calculations occur at every step in Physics.
3) The laws of motion, friction, expansion of solids, liquid pressure are
explained using Mathematics.
4) All the measurements in Physics need Mathematics. The coefficient of
linear expansion of different metals, cubical expansion of liquids,
expansion of gases and conversion of scales are a few to mention.
5) We can have plenty of similar occasions to prove the dependence of
Physics on Mathematics. The most important equations of mechanics,
astronomy and the physical sciences are differential or integral
equations, both outgrowths of Calculus. Of all the exact sciences,
mechanics is probably the most influential in the development of
modern Mathematics.
Connection of Other Subjects with Mathematics(2)
Mathematics and Biology
Mathematics is considered essential for a biologist for two reasons:
Biological study depends largely on its branches (1)Bio-Physics and
(2) Bio-Chemistry, which have attained a rank almost equal to that of
independent Sciences, which cannot exist without Mathematics
Experimentation in Biology requires analysis and isolation of the
particular character that is to be experimented upon. Biological
phenomena are so complex and the required analysis and isolation are so
difficult that it is impossible to bring many of them under control without
applying mathematical formulae
 Mathematics and Biology ( continue ……)
Apart from these, simple mathematics is used everywhere in Biology

1) The Calorie and Nutritive values of food articles are calculated using
Mathematics.
2) To find the rate of respiration and transpiration we need the
knowledge of Mathematics.
3) Study of living cells, composition of blood, age and category of plants
and animals are studied using Mathematics.
4) Mathematical processes and calculations have been applied to
advanced studies in heredity, nutrition, growth, maturation, fatigue
and many other branches of Biology and Physiology.
 Connection of Other Subjects with Mathematics
Mathematics and Engineering
1) All chemical combinations and their equations are governed
by certain Mathematical laws. Also, Mathematics is the
foundation of all Engineering Sciences, including IT.
2) Engineering Sciences deal with surveying, lending,
construction, estimation, designing, measurement,
calculation, drafting, drawing etc. All these need a fair
knowledge of Mathematics.
3) Measurement of land, average investment, average return,
production per unit area, cost of labour, time and work, seed
rate, manure rate are used in Agriculture .
 Connection of Other Subjects with Mathematics
Mathematics and Economics
1) Researchers in Economics, both theoretical and empirical,
are using more mathematical tools in their research work.
2) In Economics, it is constantly necessary to choose the best
possible solution. In such cases, the economists make use of
techniques of Calculus or Operations Research.
3) To explain marginal concepts like marginal utility, marginal
cost, marginal revenue, etc., method of Calculus is best used
today.
4) Differentiation and Differential Equations are used in a
great deal in Economics to solve many problems.
 Connection of Other Subjects with Mathematics
Mathematics and Geography
1)In Geography to study the shape and size of earth, to
measure area, height and distance, to study about
latitude or longitude we need mathematical
knowledge.
2)To study the rivers, mountains, canals, population,
climate, etc. all these studies need the tools of
Mathematics in one way or other.
3)Any geological or geographic study cannot be
envisaged keeping Mathematics away.
 Connection of Other Subjects with Mathematics
Mathematics and Psychology, Demography,
Actuarial Science and Statistics
1) Experimental Psychology is much based on
Mathematical calculations and applications
2)Various Mathematical techniques are used to
collect, analyse and interpret psychological
data.
3)Also, subjects like Demography, Actuarial
Science, Statistics etc., are mostly depend on
Mathematics to develop their theory.
 Connection of Other Subjects with Mathematics
Mathematics and Fine Arts and Drawing

1) The Mathematical knowledge is applied to drawing

and painting with symmetry, making right ratio and
proportion, etc.
2). In Music, almost all musical notes and system
work on Mathematical principles.
1) Thus we can see that Mathematics is the main
component of any subject that a student should learn in
his classroom.
2) To make the students unafraid of the subject is the major
challenge faced by Mathematics teachers everywhere in
the globe.
3) We should convince the students the usefulness of
learning Mathematics in their daily life and for higher
studies.
4) We should be able to correlate the content of
Mathematics with other classroom subjects.
5) Here comes the need of providing students with
interdisciplinary programmes in Mathematics.
Some Specific Interdisciplinary Programmes
1) Commerce–Mathematics Programmes:
This programmes is intended for the students
studying Commerce. The syllabus of Mathematics
should be so designed that it should give all the
fundamental ideas needed in studying the prescribed
portions in Commerce.
2) The basis of banking and accounting is nothing but
mathematics. Only by a fair knowledge of
mathematics one can easily become an efficient
accountant and share holder.
 Some Specific Interdisciplinary Programmes(2)
Mathematics-Economics Programmes:
1)We have to include Relations and Functions, Limits and
Continuity, Compact sets, Convex sets, Calculus, Difference
and Differential Equations, Separating hyper-planes, Lower
and upper hemicontinuous correspondences, Fixed Point
Theorems, Optimal Control etc.
Mathematics-Physical Science Programmes:
1)We could not avoid Complex Analysis, Calculus, Fourier
analysis, Laplace Transforms, Matrics, Vector spaces, etc.
Continuous and discrete Fourier transforms, the Fast Fourier
Transform, Wavelet Transforms, Mathematical theories of
Space and Time may also be included.
 Some Specific Interdisciplinary Programmes(3)

Mathematics-Actuarial Science Programmes:

1) Students have to cover portions in Life Contingencies like
the survival function, force of mortality, life tables,
analytical laws of mortality, life insurance, continuous
and discrete life annuities, recursion equations, benefit
premiums, insurance and annuity models, multiple life
functions, Multiple decrement models, pension funding
cost method, retirement and salary components, etc. For
studying these concepts, they student should have
attained certain knowledge in Mathematics.
 Some Specific Interdisciplinary Programmes(4)

Mathematics-Demography Programmes:
1) Student should get the Mathematical knowledge to study
portions prescribed in Demography, such as, measures of
mortality, measures of fertility, measures of morbidity,
Demographic characteristics and trends, evaluation of
demographic data, projections for stable and stationary
populations, actuarial applications of demographic
characteristics and trends.
2) We can mould a number of such interdisciplinary
programmes involving Mathematics which makes the
learning process of Mathematics more appealing and
fruitful.
 End of the Slide
Thank You Very
Much
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