If you’ve taken a math class, it’s likely you’ve asked yourself “What am I really going to use this for?” Mathematician Talithia Williams has the answer. 

The key to understanding math outside of the classroom, Dr. Williams explains, is appreciating how beautiful it really is. Much like taking an art appreciation class, if one were to take a course that highlights the real-world applications of mathematics without the pressure of daunting calculations, complex equations, or graded tests. 

According to Dr. Williams, taking a course like this would reveal the aesthetic qualities of numbers and their values, and could transform our perception of math from being a subject to pass to a tool for understanding the world.

Talithia Williams: The number one complaint I hear as a mathematician is, "What am I gonna use this for?" And quite honestly, maybe you're not using calculus every day of your life, but one thing that math teaches us is how to think critically. It teaches us how to be resilient and also improves our decision-making.

Thinking through mathematics in that way, it really helps us transfer those skills then to our everyday life. When someone tells me that they hate math, I really try to get them to just appreciate mathematics as a discipline. Much like you might take an art appreciation course which exposes you to all the beauty of art and different types and works of art.

What would a math appreciation course look like? What might we show people in a class that says, "We're not doing any calculations. We just want you to see the beauty of mathematics and where it shows up." That's a class that people get excited about because they're like, "Great, if I'm not being tested, if it's really just about me appreciating the beauty of it, I'm here for it. Tell me all about it."

I think we miss opportunities to connect people to the beauty of mathematics because we want them to understand the structure and the order, and we want to move them through math courses that aren't always tied to the beauty that mathematicians get to see as they stay in the field. And so I'd love to think about ways for people to see that earlier so that then they can become more excited about the field.

Whether or not they go into it, they can appreciate it. Just like whether or not they become an artist, they can still have beautiful pieces of artwork in their home.