Introducing ciaoMath!

Welcome to Ciao Math! I am Dr. Robb Gosine and I will be your guide as you take a journey into the world of math. I say a journey; you will have many journeys into the world of math as you advance in your study of math. As you become more familiar with the world of math, you will eventually gain enough skill to go off and explore on your own and perhaps even become a guide yourself.

Before we begin, take a look around you. Everything you see can be described by math; the world around you is a magnificent orchestration of math.  It is the core of every video game you play, the activation functions that make Artificial Intelligence intelligent, and the tools that make it possible for a rocket to take satellites into space. Math can describe every shape, sound, and texture. It can even describe temperature, pressure, volume, distance and color! Math is found in chemistry, biology, physics, medicine, and engineering. In fact, it is very hard to find somewhere where math is not.

While math is everywhere, we sometimes get a bad introduction to mathematics. It starts off okay enough with simple addition and subtraction, but at some point, math morphs into laborious tasks and incessant problems that make us forget the utility and enjoyment of mathematics and eventually begin to hate math. At Ciao Math! we believe that the beauty of mathematics should not be masked by problem statements and the mechanics of solving equations. As we take this journey together, we will look at some very basic steps and ideas, and slowly build up to applications. In so doing it is hoped that you do not see mathematics as a series of problems, but as your ally.

Building a relationship with mathematics is like any other relationship. There is a beginning where you get introduced. Perhaps the introduction did not go well and the mere mention of math ruins your day, or perhaps you hit it off and never looked back. While your relationship with math should start off on the right foot, sometimes we do not get that opportunity and things start off rocky. Regardless of how your relationship started, relationships take work, especially if you want to make a bad relationship into a good one. All it takes is some time, effort and the willingness to try. 

The key to learning math is the willingness to begin the journey. Journeys take effort and time, so once you begin, you will have to put in some effort and time to get where you want to go wherever that may be. How you start your journey and the path you take makes a difference on what you see and learn. The right guide will give you the confidence to take the path less travelled and see things many do not, which can be more fulfilling and rewarding. We hope that once you start the journey, you will see that it is not a laborious journey, but a journey of exploration and a rewarding experience.