[HPforGrownups] Arithmancy

[Maria Kirilenko]

No: HPFGUIDX 49537


Scott wrote:

Okay, 

    I know I'm a dork (math major), but is anyone else really interested in seeing what goes on in Arithmancy?  I'm guessing we never will, frankly, I don't see JKR inventing a system of magical mathematics.  I mean, I can't really see what applications there would be, aside from Time Travel, which I'd bet requires grounding in arithmancy.  

-Scott

I reply:

Y'know what bothers me (I'm a sort of math major myself)? It's how in the world the kids in our favourite school of Hogwarts know enough mathematics to do the complicated calculations of angles that are mentioned during the Divination lesson in GoF. 

Now, I'm not acquainted with British math education, but I am with American and Russian, having studied in both of these countries' schools. 

Even Muggle born children finish attending Muggle schools at the age of 11. Even in Russia, where a lot (really a lot) of emphasis is placed on math, students don't start geometry until they are 12 or 13 years old (7th grade). In America the situation is even worse (from a WW point of view, I mean. I don't think 12-13 years is too late to start geometry.)

The kids that stopped learning math at the age of 11 would not be capable of performing complicated calculations of any sort, especially if they involved angles - that's sine and cosine tables, if not theorems and equation solving.

As for wizard-born kids, JKR said they didn't have to attend school before Hogwarts.

Math develops the ability to think logically, that's what my favourite math teacher always said and I agree with him. Maybe it's because wizards don't seem to have any math at all that many of them lack this ability, as Hermione says in PS (Snape's Challenge)?

Maria



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