Wolfram Mathworld: Making the math world slightly less frustrating
July 8, 2009
BY If only Wolfram Mathworld had been around when I was banging my head against the wall trying to learn calculus, perhaps things would have been a lot easier. A predecessor of Wolfram Alpha, Mathworld lives up to its motto of being “The Web’s Most Extensive Mathematics Resource.” It’s a clearly thought out resource of mathematical terms, concepts, and visual references. Think of it like a math version of Wikipedia, but it’s not open to the public editing it. You can enter a concept in the search area, and it’s quite good at matching up the relevant information. Or you can use the left-side menu bar to navigate to your area of interest.
Say you wanted to explain the meaning of “SOHCAHTOA” in Geometry. You click on Geometry, then on General Trigonometry, and you get a clear definition with many contained links so you can investigate the terms used in the definition. Or if you prefer, just click your way from idea to idea. It’s all interrelated and put into a layout that will make sense even to those of us who aren’t mathematically inclined.
But Mathworld isn’t just a high-school-level math reference tool, it’s got everything from number theory to recreational math. While recreational math might seem like a contradiction in terms, it’s one of the most interesting sections. Have you ever wanted a detailed explanation of the probability of getting a full house in poker? I’s in the recreational math section (for the record, it’s 1 in 693.2 hands).
One other section of note is the Interactive Entries area. It contains some of the best math visual references I have ever seen. Animated GIFs, interactive lessons, and several other resources make this a great place to both send people for explanations and also get ideas for your own presentations of mathematical concepts.
If you’re interested in math, or just being forced to learn it (how I felt in school), Wolfram Mathworld probably has a resource that will interest you or make your life a bit easier in class.
