A couple of weeks ago I reminded you that patterns allow us to predict outcomes in the world around us. Whether the outcome is as simple as the total cost of buying multiple items at a store or as complicated as calculating the height that a ball reached when thrown, we can use mathematical models to determine these values. In Algebra this week we are looking at linear relationships which are used intuitively every day.
We study these functions because they teach us how to interpret the created world. This world is full of beauty, order, and pattern. A falling object reaches terminal velocity and enables us to use linear models to predict how long it'll take to reach the earth, while a rope swing repeats itself as a sinusoidal function. The beauty in these problems isn't contained in the variables, numbers, or facts, but in the truth behind them. The mere fact that we can "see" what is happening at a given moment using a language that we don't speak is a testimony to the complexity of the human brain and the creativity of the true God. Developing our minds to see the truth in the equations and the beauty behind the reality helps us grow closer to God. Not only is that something worth striving for, but it is a mantra that I happily revisit every single year.
So keep on keeping on my friends. This journey that we are on is worth the effort!