Ethnomathematics

When most readers see the word mathematics, they are likely to think first of a calculation, a formula, or a geometric figure. They are less likely to think of a human activity such as a design in weaving or pottery or the construction of a home, which many would not immediately acknowledge as involving mathematics. By contrast, Swapna Mukhopadhyay and Brian Greer define ethnomathematics as inclusive of the mathematical practices of cultural groups of all kinds, with important implications for the place of mathematics within any conception of [Page 858]formal education that honors diversity and connects with the lived experience of students. At the outset, it should be clarified that although many ethnomathematical studies are concerned with the nonformal mathematics of non-Western peoples, the term ...