International Mathematics Day was celebrated on March 14. But, does it take a day to celebrate the importance of this science? According to UNESCO, "a greater global awareness and a strengthening of the teaching of mathematical sciences are essential to face the challenges that arise". We are talking about areas such as artificial intelligence, climate change, energy or sustainable development.
Although some may find it hard to believe, mathematics is essential because it is everywhere. "There is in some areas a conception of mathematics as a set of abstract concepts that only find application in the investigation of numbers and issues closely linked to research," explains Mar Angulo, academic coordinator in the Double Degree in Computational Mathematics and software engineering at the U-tad University Center.
Far from this idea, Angulo maintains that mathematics plays a fundamental role in almost all the actions we carry out every day: “Every day we consume mathematics without even thinking that it is there. In the operation of traffic lights or taxis, in the planning of the educational, health or transport services that we use, when managing an airplane ticket, when using the Google translator or simply when using the credit card. We don't think about it because it's just things that work."
In recent months, artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT have been attracting the attention of experts, the media, and ordinary users. Who is behind these types of tools? Among many other specialists we also find mathematicians.
“The operation of ChatGPT is based on an automatic learning technique, which are neural networks, the mechanism that makes it possible to transmit information. And it is a mathematical model that, using neural networks, makes the system that is trained with all types of data, from natural language text to all types of images, learn to predict the probability that certain words, images or elements follow the previous ones ”, explains Angulo.
As we can see, here we find mathematics again. “Vectors are the ones that make it possible to represent and treat the words, the videos, the data in any form obtained, such as mathematical elements, and that representation by means of vectors makes it possible to transform and operate information of all kinds, calculate distances and calculate probabilities, and in In short, to generate content from other content. Once again, a mathematical concept such as vector space is at the heart of artificial intelligence”, explains the U-tad coordinator.
Currently, technology is undergoing dizzying changes, so new mathematicians will have to be able to adapt to these challenges. For this, it is essential that the training is also adapted to the circumstances.
“Increasingly, a practical approach is necessary that makes it easier for students to see the practical reality of everything they learn, and as always, it is essential to promote that they learn to think. This practical methodology that allows us to understand, innovate and provide solutions to problems of any kind and discipline is very important, and contributes to spread enthusiasm for science and curiosity to discover”, says Angulo.
For the U-tad coordinator, it is important to put aside that coldness that many students feel a priori about this science: “There is still a widespread belief today that studying mathematics is learning cold and abstract concepts. That is why it is tremendously necessary to associate these studies with positive and real ideas that are often covered up by the idea that mathematics is complicated”.
With all this, knowledge and recognition of the role of mathematics in society is essential. “It is a powerful instrument that offers answers and solutions to complex problems, not only technological, but in any field. Recognizing its value is absolutely necessary if we want to involve and infect our young people with enthusiasm for training in this essential subject to access the most demanded jobs in the market”, concludes Angulo.
