With Maths Language For Beginners, Onumadu deepens readership

Yes! It was Georg Cantor, a Russian-born mathematician, known for his set theory and the concept of infinite numbers that said: “The essence of mathematics lies in its freedom.”

To many, this freedom lies in absurdity and going by the complexity of mathematics, would remain in the shroud, creating unnecessary fears and pains to students.

But with Maths Language For Beginners (1), the author, Ugochukwu D. Onumadu creates a pathway for escape from the constriction and fear many have for the subject. It simplifies the subject by unlocking how its concepts can be solved, theorem properly understood, and how any topic or theme can be adequately manipulated to proffer solutions to challenges, either in mathematics or in the abstract analytic number theory or in the asymptotic analysis.

Published in 2019 on Amazon, the 64-page book comprising nine chapters and five sub-chapters in each chapter, in a very simple term breaks down each topic to its simplest form, using less difficult examples for easy comprehension. This opens up the window for students to have firm grasp of each topic and at the end eliminate the fear often associated with the subject.

Bringing his verse experience, as a man who has taught mathematics at diverse levels and across different continents — Africa, the USA and Europe — to bear, Onumadu engages the dynamics of introducing “parts of speech” in mathematics. He follows this pragmatic approach with the argument that mathematics has a language, which students must first understand before mastering the subject.

The author, through the book, stresses that just as the understanding and usage of nouns, verbs, adjectives and any other English parts of speech enhance linguistic fluency, comprehending the fundamental elements of mathematical expression will foster clearer comprehension of the subject and leads to problem-solving ability across board.

Basing his observations on his over 15 years of teaching mathematics at different levels and to different gender, he notes that mastering the linguistic analogy of the subject will enable students break down complex mathematical concepts into manageable and relatable components that would make any topic or problem posed accessible to the students, irrespective of gender and backgrounds.

Going by the main aim of the book, which is to eliminate all forms of phobia among students studying mathematics from the early life school to the tertiary institution, the author in a seamless approach integrates each topic in a clear explanations and comes up with relatable examples that connects the student with real-world situations, thereby bridges the gap between abstract theory and practical use.

This puts Onumadu’s book in a class of its own. It is not like the everyday mathematics textbook, as it deviates from the conventional norm most authors follow, to include his research approach on the various topics currently taught in schools, from the primary schools to the tertiary institutions, with the hope of making students to embrace mathematics and change the negative narratives surrounding the subject.

In his approach to aid comprehension, the author localises some of the concept with the use of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages — the three Nigerian major languages. This methodology is profound and has been found effective in enhancing understanding and driving academic excellence in the subject among users of the book.

Aside from making the study of mathematics more approachable, the book also lays a solid foundation for the subject with every chapter and sub-chapters having some exercises that engage students. These exercises urge students to study on their own.

Posing a revolutionary perspective on education generally, the book systematically bridges the gap between abstract mathematical principles and practical understanding. It, by all standards, urges learners to confidently embrace the beauty and the logic of numbers. It is, indeed, an evidence of the transformative power of innovative thinking in education and more than a resource material for any institution of learning.

Presenting mathematics as a subject with structured language is not only an innovative conceptual framework, but also a transformative power of innovative thinking in education, which the academics must not allow to go unnoticed.

As gateway to mastering mathematics, the book is ideal for secondary students, educators, those still struggling with mathematics concepts and for the general learners.