Professional Information
B.A. Mathematics UNC Asheville, 1996
M.S. Mathematics University of South Carolina, 1998
B.S. Computer Science UNC Asheville May 2001
Research interests: Quasi-metrizable spaces, Java GUI programming, Evolution
About Me
Contact Information
Edward E. Johnson
Department of Mathematics CPO# 2350
University of North Carolina at Asheville
1 University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804-8511
Office: Robinson Hall 307
Phone: (828) 250-3875
Fax: (828) 251-6438
Email: ejohnson@unca.edu
Some Philosophical Points
"I've never been good at math."
Anyone can learn some math. Yes, I said anyone. That is not to say that any person has the capability to become the greatest mathematician alive, just that any person of reasonable intelligence can learn some mathematics to help them in their career and daily life. In the same sense it is very unlikely that I, no matter how hard I try, will never be a great concert pianist, but I can certainly learn to play a few tunes and enjoy doing it. Much of mathematics is like any skill, it must be practiced. Instructors don't assign problems because we enjoy watching students agonize over lengthy sets. We are giving them to allow students to hone the necessary skills. Again to use the piano metaphor, you cannot learn to play by watching someone else. You cannot learn mathematics by watching someone else do problems.
"Why do I need math? I'm an art major."
Perhaps you don't need math to be a good artist, but mathematical knowledge can make you a better artist (or poet, or musician. . .) Mathematics pervades every field of study to some degree. Even language itself has a mathematical basis (if you don't believe me look up Noam Chomsky's Ph.D. dissertation). Mathematics is an incredibly diverse field. Do not dismiss all of mathematics because you do not like high school algebra. I could not draw a straight line to save my life; does that mean that I should dismiss art as superfluous? Of course not. A little knowledge and appreciation of the breadth of mathematics can open new vistas in any field of study. Look closely at any field of study and you will find people applying mathematics.