Who said the following statement? “It is more useful to know how to…
2019
Who said the following statement? “It is more useful to know how to mathematise than to know a lot of mathematics.”
- A.
David Wheeler
- B.
Zakir Husain
- C.
George Polya
- D.
Mahatma Gandhi
Attempted by 1 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Answer: David Wheeler
Explanation: The statement highlights the value of learning how to mathematise — that is, the skill of translating real-world problems into mathematical terms — rather than only memorising many mathematical facts. This skill enables flexible problem solving and application of mathematics to new situations.
What mathematization involves:
Identify the quantities and variables in the situation.
State assumptions and simplify the situation appropriately.
Formulate equations, relations, or models that represent the problem.
Solve the mathematical model and interpret the result in the original context.
Note on distractors: George Pólya is associated with problem-solving strategies and is therefore a tempting choice, but the specific quote is attributed to David Wheeler. The other names are less likely sources for this technical remark.