1. Like many, I had always assumed there was only one way of mathematics and it was the way I was taught. What’s oppressive to minority groups is that the way they do mathematics was never acknowledged at any time we were learning the Eurocentric system. In school we were taught the Eurocentric way of mathematics, which to many of us is the only way we know how to do and even know of. You never think of math being a discriminating subject to humans because it is a numerical system, and for me I never thought twice about the subject being discriminatory. But, like many other parts of our curriculum, the Eurocentric system is traditionally the ‘White European’ way. Louise Poirier brings up a great point in their article which was “different cultures have developed different mathematical tools according to their needs and their environment…” (2007, p 54). I think that is a statement that gets overlooked far too often in our society.
2. Although Poirier’s article was only 14 pages, it already expanded my knowledge greatly about Inuit mathematics. The first time I was introduced to the base-20 rule was in my second year of university in Math 101. It took 19 years for me to be introduced to math technique that was not part of the Eurocentric method and that is only because Math 101 is a required class in Education. Many students go through 4(+) years of university and are never taught a different method of math. One of the ways Inuit mathematics challenges the Eurocentric ideas is that they count in a base-20 numerical system and the Eurocentric way count in a base-10 system. Both ways give different answers, but that does not mean the base-20 rule is considered wrong or improper, and it shouldn’t be. Another way the Inuit mathematical method challenges the European method is that in the European method, we are taught that math’s purpose is to solve problems/equations and that there is (normally) only one correct outcome. In Poirier’s article, she says Inuit math is not “something that can help them solve everyday problems” (55). Lastly, Poirier points out that “traditional Inuit teaching is based on observing an elder or listening to enigmas” (55) where the Eurocentric idea is all done with paper, pencil, and a calculator.