A panel was held as part of the World Mathematics Day events organized by the Near East University Faculty of Science and Literature, Primary and Secondary Education Mathematics Teaching and Mathematics Departments every year.

Many people including academics, students and math lovers attended the panel where Near East University faculty members Prof. Dr. Murat Tezer and Dr. Ahmet Karahan participated as speakers. The panel started with a moment of silence for the mathematics teacher Ali Karasel, who lost his life in the earthquake in Turkey, and the students of Famagusta Turkish Maarif College. Then the event continued with the opening speech of Prof. Dr. Murat Tezer.

Stating that mathematics is used in every field and every moment of life, Prof. Dr. Tezer emphasized that societies that know mathematics well will reach the level of developed countries in science and technology. Prof. Dr. Murat Tezer also gave information about Pi Day, which was celebrated for the first time in 1988, and reminded that Pi Day began to be widely used all over the world after the decision of the US parliament in 2009. Prof. Dr. Tezer said that 14 March was declared as World Mathematics Day by UNESCO in 2019, with the application of the World Mathematical Union (IMU) to celebrate the beauty, importance and fundamental role of mathematics in everyone’s life. Prof. Dr. Tezer made a presentation on “The Importance and Uses of Mathematics” in the continuation of his speech.

Without math, life becomes meaningless!
Speaking at the panel held at Near East University, Dr. Ahmet Karahan said, “When you remove mathematics from daily life, life becomes meaningless. There is always mathematics even in our sleep pattern, breathing, and search for beauty. Reminding Aristotle’s saying, “When you remove arithmetic from daily life, we stay away from interpreting, analyzing and questioning events”. Karahan said, “Maybe you may not be able to feel the numbers in daily life, but we cannot take a step without them. For example, today, when we are experiencing intense digitalization, if you remove the binary system, you cannot use any computer. We use mobile phones thanks to complex numbers.”

Stating that he took his power from mathematics in his intellectual analysis, Dr. Karahan said, “Countries that realize the importance of mathematics prepare curriculums for the more active use of mathematics in daily life. A good mathematics education plays a key role in scientific studies in many disciplines.”