Why teach math history?

 I believe math history should be incorporated into math teaching because it allows students to explore the “how” behind what they are learning, rather than focusing on the final answer or formula. I think it’s important to understand the history of how things happened and the process of figuring it out. Learning the background and reasoning behind ideas could also lead to a deeper understanding, especially with more complex topics. It could also show students that math is more than just numbers or formulas they’re memorizing; rather, it has a history that’s been developed over a long period of time through the efforts of countless groups and people. 

After reading the article, I liked how the author provided unique examples of different ways we can incorporate the history of mathematics into teaching. I particularly liked the ideas under “experiential mathematical activities”. I think these could be interesting and memorable ways for students to learn about the history of mathematics because they allow students to actually experience how mathematics was done, and it incorporates more fun into their learning. Some of these ideas were also not what I would have initially thought of, as I would first think of using worksheets or other media. I especially liked the idea of using games to explore the history of mathematics, and I appreciate that the author provided specific examples of what these activities could look like.

I was also interested in how history can be used as a “bridge between mathematics and other subjects”. This reminded me of what I’ve been learning in IB about making subjects interdisciplinary. I agree that history is an interesting way to bridge mathematics with other subjects that may appear unrelated, because when I previously thought about making math interdisciplinary, I would first think of more direct numerical connections, such as connecting math to physics.