General Info

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mathematics is one of the oldest and most fundamental sciences. There are two broad areas within mathematics which often overlap:

1. Pure/Theoretical


• Advance mathematical knowledge by developing new principles and recognizing previously unknown relationships between existing principles.


• Seek to increase basic knowledge without necessarily considering its practical use


• Many pure/theoretical mathematicians are employed as university faculty, dividing their time between teaching and conducting research.



2. Applied


• Use theories and techniques, such as mathematical modeling and computational methods, to formulate and solve practical problems in business, government, engineering, and the physical, life, and social sciences.


• Start with a practical problem, envision its separate elements, and then reduce the elements to mathematical variables.


• Use computers to analyze relationships among the variables and solve complex problems by developing models with alternative solutions.