Count on some fun during math talk

The Hamilton Spectator (April 11, 2006)

Whether you are studying winning percentages on the sports pages, estimating the distance of your weekend drive, or figuring out the tax on the items at the store, we are constantly using numbers.

It is this realization that Miroslav Lovric hopes to instil in his audience during his Science in the City lecture tonight at The Hamilton Spectator Auditorium. And in doing so, pique our interest in math, and help us conquer our fear of it.

Have you ever measured your credit card? Or noted the dimensions of Mona Lisa's face? Chances are you haven't. And there's an even greater chance that these measurements seem meaningless to you. But when equated, the length to width ratio of each is approximately 1.6. And it is a measurement that is more aesthetically pleasing to the human eye than any other.

This is just one example of math that Lovric will call upon during his lecture.

His hope is to get people to look at it in a different way by using a mix of fun, serious examples and audience participation. And by doing so, he believes that we will better understand the math that we rely on every day, and will be able to relate to it as a "useful and creative new friend" rather than "an object of frustration and bad memories."

"It's all around us," said Lovric, an associate professor in the department of mathematics and statistics at McMaster University. "When people discover that they are actually using mathematics without even being aware of it, it suddenly becomes interesting."

And it is our discovery of the already present appreciation for numbers that can set us free of our math fears.

But why are we so afraid of it?

"It starts at a very young age," said Lovric. "The math that we need in our every day lives and the math that we are taught in elementary school often does not correlate. In other words, we have not been shown the significance of the basics, and therefore do not understand its importance."

Lovric also believes that a negative portrayal of mathematicians in North America is to blame for our lack of interest.

"We are shown that math people are often socially inept beings," he said. "We are nerds and geeks."

But attending the lecture, Lovric promises, will debunk this popular myth for all.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the lecture begins at 7:00. Seating is limited, so make a reservation by calling 905-525-9140 extension 24934, or e-mail sciencecity@mcmaster.ca.