From Numbers to New Experiences by Ahna

From Numbers to New Experiences by Ahna - September 2021 Scholarship Essay

There was a time in math class when my understanding of math was broken by a new subject and made room for new dimensions. This new topic that challenged my understanding was Imaginary numbers.
Mathematics is usually a complex subject but at least to me there was one simple foundation, real numbers. There were all sorts of complex equations but there was a sense of realism, even in word problems - for instance you can’t have half a person. It was a simple understanding that I had. That is until one day in Algebra I was introduced to imaginary numbers. Suddenly things such as negative square roots were possible… or rather not possible. This changed my understanding of math and was very hard to adjust to at first. It’s like leaning against a wall only to realize that the wall is no longer there. This was a learning experience because I had to readjust my outlook. Nothing is as simple as it seems but it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. Like many things in math, you make mistakes and learn. Making mistakes and learning about imaginary numbers meant that I was able to learn more about the subject and expand my mathematical knowledge.
Just like my experience with imaginary numbers, not everything is as straightforward as it seems. However it is learning from our past experiences that will help us in the future to adapt and overcome.