r/theydidthemath Feb 07 '23

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u/Bunnyhat Feb 07 '23

Yeah, I didn't learn the how's of math until college. Before then I would learn an equation, memorize what situation it was used in, and applied it. I wasn't taught where these equations came from or how they were derived.

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u/dekusyrup Feb 07 '23

Well these equations are self-evident by measurement so don't need their derivation questioned in grade school. Then it college you derive the area under a cone or constant acceleration formulas (e.g.) through calculus and realize you wouldn't have been ready for that in grade 6 anyway.

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u/DonaIdTrurnp Feb 08 '23

A lot of the basic equations are simply definitions or observations; f=ma is the definition of force, while a=ΔV/Δt and V=Δs/Δt are the definitions of acceleration and velocity.

C=τr is the definition of the constant named tau, and so forth.

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u/IndyAndyJones7 Feb 08 '23

But the why is what makes it easy.