Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ Behold Modular Forms, the 'Fifth Fundamental Operation' of Math

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

This article is a bit mind-bending right from the outset as it places 'modular forms' right up there alongside addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. What does that mean? I can't really explain it. I won't pretend I understand it. But the existence of modular forms leads me to question, once again, what we mean when we say learning should begin with 'foundational' principles. Does that mean our grade 1 students should be learning modular forms? Or at the very least, the concept of symmetry? Or do we admit that what counts as 'foundational' depends very much on our point of view?

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Dec 22, 2024 12:39 a.m.

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