Comparing Mathematics Skill Development in Early Childhood

This assignment delves into the significance of early childhood mathematics skill development within family contexts. It provides an overview of relevant research, including studies that highlight the importance of numeracy competence and the role of educators in supporting students' mathematical thinking. The assignment also touches upon the assessment of numeracy skills in sports and exercise science students and the use of fractals as a tool for teaching mathematics. A strengths-based approach to supporting early mathematics learning is discussed, along with the development of mathematical thinking in primary classrooms and enabling education programs that prepare students for numeracy challenges.

Running Head: THE WORLD OF MATHS
The World of Maths
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Learning measurement and calculation in a wide range of situations can be encompassed
through skills, behaviours, knowledge and dispositions using mathematics as students find the
need to numerate (Ausraliancurriculum.edu.au., 2018). Mathematics and numeracy are the two
main concepts in human life that go hand in hand. Real life examples are considered to be a
better way in further emphasizing the mathematical knowledge and skill set outside the
classroom (Hudson, Henderson & Hudson, 2015). Ideally, the clear concepts of mathematics and
numeracy can be recognized through the opportunities the students face in the wider world with
the simple way of identifying similarities and the differences between the two.
Definition of mathematics can be obtained as multiple expressions through arrangement
of established statements or logical deductions (Novák, 2015).In a layman’s term, mathematics is
arithmetic, algebra and geometry (Felton-Koestler, Sutherland & Tracy, 2016). Additionally,
mathematics can be arithmetic, algebra and geometry along with statistics and calculus as well.
Mathematics is mainly of two types, pure maths and applied mathematics (Kaye, 2015).
Moreover, in a broader sense, mathematics can also be expressed as solving of problems,
searching for the patterns and communicating with different ideas. Basically, the idea of
mathematics involves abstract thinking from generalizations to concrete experiences (Rahman &
Ahmar, 2016).
Recently, in most of the primary schools, the term ‘numeracy’ has been adopted as a
mathematical capability of new ideas and the importance of evidence, and critical reasoning
(Green et al., 2017). Numeracy is more widely as a cross cultural learning in the schools than
mathematics (Cankaya & LeFevre, 2016). In a way, numeracy is one step ahead of mathematics
in coherent and logical thinking such that it can be used or applied in all other curriculums
(Aunio et al., 2015). Numeracy not only helps in good understanding of the number system in

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range of skills of computation but also the ability and inclination towards solving of problems in
different types of contexts (Howell & Hopkins, 2017). Further, understanding the ways in which
gathering of information is conducted by measuring and counting practically and presenting the
information in the form of tables, graphs, charts and diagrams is also important (Jolles et al.,
2016).
There are several similarities as well as differences between the two concepts of
mathematics and numeracy. Mathematics is the field of study that involves space, numbers and
concepts of correlating the characteristics of an object to the other (Marshman, et al., 2015).
With the help of mathematics, specialized operations can facilitate solving complex problems of
various study fields. No such scientific subject exists which can be explained or understood and
studied without the use of mathematics and its basic concepts such as addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division (Felton-Koestler, Sutherland & Tracy, 2016). On the other hand,
numeracy is how the concepts of mathematics can be applied in different situations. Thus,
mathematics is the formulae and numeracy is the application of the formulae. Hence, in light of
the similarities, both maths and numeracy involves the use of numbers and can be used in
everyday life in almost every activity.
The concepts of mathematics and numeracy can be applied in daily life. One such
example is fixing the budget of weekly shopping (Prendergast, Spassiani & Roche, 2017). A
budget has to be fixed before shopping. Otherwise spending unnecessarily will create problem in
the future. Thus, comparing the prices of the products that has to bought, estimating the total
price that has to paid and deciding whether the expense falls within the budget or exceeds it is an
example of numeracy. Mathematical skills such as numerical values, decimals, money, addition,
subtraction, estimation are applicable in this example (Booker, et al., 2015).

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Maths and numeracy plays a very important role in the health, fitness and exercises of an
individual. In order to increase or decrease the body mass index of a person, a diet has to be
followed. This diet measures the amount of calorie intake from the food consumed. Counting of
calories helps in monitoring food intake. Several equations are also there with the help of which
the fat percentage in a body in a given day can be calculated. Thus, from here, it can be said that
maths plays an important role towards the goal of weight gain or weight loss programme of a
person. Depending on the amount of calorie intake of a person, the diet has to be altered. If a
person is interested in weight loss program, then, higher calorie intake in a day will restrict the
diet of the person for that day as the person have consumed more calorie that required. This
calorie has to be burned with the help of exercises. On the other hand, if a person is interested in
the weight gain programme, then a low consumption of calorie for will implement more intake of
calories and diet can be altered.
Numeracy is also used in cooking. Estimating the quantity of the ingredients required to
bake a muffin, following the recipe to bake it also includes the concepts the mathematics. If the
quantity of the ingredients used is not sufficient or the recipe is not followed properly, then the
muffin will not be cooked properly (Fenton, MacDonald & McFarland, 2016). Among other
examples, in which mathematics could be applied is constructing a house, planning trips,
following maps, measuring body temperature or giving medicines. Thus, mathematics can be
connected to everyday practices (Irvin, Baker & Carter, 2018).
Mathematics is also used in natural wonders. For example, the wings of butterflies are
beautiful and if observed closely, butterflies have a perfectly symmetric structure which makes
them fly. The similar concept of symmetricity is observed in ladybugs also (Mandoki, 2015).
There is rotational symmetry in the face of a tiger, snowflakes. Beehives are made with

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hexagonal shapes (Seevinck, 2017). Other forms could have been used such as triangles or
squares but hexagons are made only. This can be explained as hexagon has the largest area with
the smallest perimeter (Baron, Colyvan & Ripley 2017).
There are a lot of other natural phenomenon which can be explained with the help of
mathematics. The patterns in ferns or in the tree branches can be explained using the concept of
fractals which is defined as a complex pattern which never ends and replicates itself in its own
way (Fractal Foundation, 2013). The number of leaves in branches or the number of petals in a
flower can be explained using the concept of the Fibonacci series (Parvathy, 2015).
It can be clearly concluded from the discussions conducted above that numeracy is the
interpretation of the mathematical results. There are vast uses of numeracy other than the
discussions that has been conducted above. The government policy makers can imply numeracy
to predict the future policies. These policies can impact the economic growth of the nation in
turn. Thus, the use of mathematics and literacy cannot be avoided as this is the most important
concept to be applied in any real life situations.

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References
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numeracy skills in kindergarten in low-, average-and high-performance groups. Journal
of Early Childhood Research, 13(1), 3-16.
Australiancurriculum.edu.au. (2018). Numeracy. [online] Available at:
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/numeracy/
[Accessed 30 Mar. 2018].
Baron, S., Colyvan, M., & Ripley, D. (2017). How mathematics can make a difference.
Booker, G., Bond, D., Sparrow, L., & Swan, P. (2015). Teaching primary mathematics. Pearson
Higher Education AU.
Cankaya, O., & LeFevre, J. A. (2016). The Home Numeracy Environment: What Do Cross-
Cultural Comparisons Tell Us About How to Scaffold Young Children’s Mathematical
Skills?. In Early childhood mathematics skill development in the home environment (pp.
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mathematics learning in family contexts. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 41(1),
45.
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Fractal Foundation. (2013). What are fractals? Retrieved from
http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-are-fractals/
Green, S., McGlynn, S., Stuart, D., Fahey, P., Pettigrew, J., & Clothier, P. (2017). Assessment of
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