Bully Prevention Program free essay sample

This program has become successful at the Midway elementary school in Utah, because it is ran off of four hallmarks which are: Lead to systematic change, garner commitment for all, teach comprehensive strategies and skills and continue year after year. Within the paper, I will discuss my belief of the succession of this type of program in an elementary school setting in inner city Philadelphia schools. Bully Prevention Program In recent years, bullying within schools has become one of the most serious issues we have been faced with. Data shows that children as young as age 11 have committed suicide because they were no longer able to deal with the pressure of being bullied. Because of this and other factors involving school bullying, congress have begun to work on a legislation called the safe school improvement act, which require schools to collect data and establish certain guidelines regarding disciplinary actions and they must also come up with a system to register complaints to combat bullying within their schools. We will write a custom essay sample on Bully Prevention Program or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, since this is not a law that has been enacted, Brent Burnham, a school counselor at Midway Elementary School in Midway, Utah has decided to implement her own school wide bullying prevention program at her school. The bully prevention program at Midway elementary was implemented 7 years ago. Within the program, Burnham has developed four core principles that she believes has made their program successful. The first of the four principles is, lead to systematic change. This principle says that there must be a change within the school at all levels and there must be a change ithin the community as well, because in order for the program to be successful, you must change the culture of the schools environment. The second principle that Burnham implemented was garner commitment for all. This principle says that all of the schools staff, including the school bus driver, should be on board with the implementation of the program for the program to be a success. The third principle in the bully prevention program is, to teach comprehensive strategies and skills. This principle says that effective programs must be comprehensive and there are certain skills that are required by the staff so that they can identify a bullying situation. And the final principle is to continue year after year. In order for the program to be a full success, it must be consistent in what it provides. Often times, schools will start a program but will not follow through with it year after year and the program will then fizzle out. The bully prevention program at Midway elementary also has key components which are implemented sequentially. These components are, administrative support: you must have the support from the staff and the school administration, and a strong support team. Data: proper record keeping must be kept; also the program should be evaluated. Staff training: all staff should be trained on how to recognize and identify bullies and their victims and also be able to determine if a situation is a true violation of the no bullying policy that has been set forth. Student awareness and education: all should be fully aware of the bully policy and clear on the consequences if the policy is violated. There should also be lessons taught to the students about bullying and bully prevention. Critical social skills training to the students: Once the basics have been taught to the students, they will still need additional training on this policy so continuous guidance lesson plans will need to be developed and taught throughout the school. Lastly, targeted intervention for bullies and victims: by keeping proper records of the bullying incident that occur within the school, it will be easy to identify bullies and their targeted victims. Once these children are identified, there will be specific programs for these children. The bullies will express why it is they bully and help will be provided to those students and the victims so they can try to get over the fear they may have. After reading this article, I find that there are some pros and cons to this type program being implemented at inner city schools in Philadelphia. One pro of having this type of program would be to lower the crime rate within the schools. Often times, children bullying other children lead to more violent crimes, for instance, the shooting that happened at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. Two students embarked on a massacre killing 12 of their classmates and one teacher because they were fed up with being bullied. By having this type of program and addressing these issues early, these types of crimes or less serious crimes can be prevented. Another pro to this type of program is that it teaches children social skills and teach them how to manager their anger and behavior. This program can increase the children’s level of awareness on how bullying can extremely affect their victims and themselves. Another pro to the bully prevention program is that it offers training to the staff. This is a great idea so that everyone will be on the same page in the fight to eliminate and prevent bullying. Also, providing intervention to the bullies is great as well. You have to teach children things while they are young. If this type of program is successfully implemented in elementary schools and in middle and high schools, bullying can be virtually eliminated. However, with pros, there are also cons to the program. One con is trying to get everyone on board. Within the city of Philadelphia, it is historically known that many parents do not partake in their child’s education in the manner that they should, this is one reason why the high school dropout rate is so high. So; trying to get parents on board for the no bullying program may be hard. Since this program is set up for all stakeholders to be involved, without parents help, the program may not be as successful. Another con to this program is the term and definition of bullying being misunderstood and misinterpreted by the staff that is to put into action the consequences for this behavior. What you do not want to happen is, children who are simply horse playing or just kidding around with one another being accused of bullying when that was not the case. The training to the staff must be thorough and put into clear plain terms so little is left to be assumed. With bullying becoming an epidemic, I believe this type of program is definitely needed and has the potential to be successful within all levels of schools within the School District of Philadelphia. The program may need to be tweaked for each grade level (elementary, middle and high school) but if it is implemented properly it could be a success. School counselors are in a unique position with having to put in place such a program and to be sure that it work, but this is why they are trained very well to address these types of social emotional behaviors. Although the pros of having such a program out weight the cons, the major problem that could be a potential road block for implementing the program is funding. The School District of Philadelphia has reached a plateau in its budget deficit and recently laid off many of its employees including the superintendent. However, with the right proposal for the program, I can not see this being turned down by the board. I think this is something that is definitely needed so that we as counselors can save our children and our community. References Burnham, Brent. (2011, July 1). School wide bully prevention program. http://schoolcounselor. membershipsoftware. org/article_content. asp? article=1215.

Scatterplot

Scatterplot graphs may not mean much to most people, but to an educated statistician, or a trained psychoanalyst, a scatterplott graph can tell a person much more than meets the eye. A scatterplot graph allows us to take two separate sets of data, and use a graph to compare and contrast them. If one wanted to show the correlation between two different test scores, they could simply plot the scores on the graph, and either see and immediate correlation, or see that the two are totally not connected in any way. Statistics help us see things that we could normally miss very easily. Using scatterplot graphs properly can show significant consistencies in many things. Graphs like this help show the actual extent to which two things relate. In psychology, this is a very important tool. Psychoanalysts can use scatterplot information in many ways. First, anytime two tests are given, it allows doctors and teachers alike to see if there are consistencies in test scores. This can prove to be a very useful tool. For example, if there is a correlation between SAT scores and LSAT scores, then you can say that a student who does better on his or her SAT is more likely to do better on his or her LSAT also. This may not always tell the exact truth, but assumptions can go a long way. By using a graph format, we can see consistencies and correlations much easier than if we were just looking at a list of data. The main advantage of using a scatterplot graph is that two things which would ordinarily not have any correlation to one another may have more correlation than expected. This means, that from the graph, a person has the ability to find out things that they were not even necessarily looking for Scatterplot graphs also allow a psychoanalyst to predict what will happen in the future. People have their own averages. If a student who normally does well does poorly on an exam, he wil...

Group Design and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Group Design and Management - Essay Example According to Suh, (1995), Axiomatic design provides the designer with a theoretical foundation based on processes which are logical and rational thought. Axiomatic design can also be used to create Functional Requirements (FRs) and Design Parameters (DPs). The creation of these two ensures that all necessary elements of design are incorporated thereby making it possible to narrow down to possible solutions. The other elements of axiomatic design inline with these are the customer attributes (CAs) and Process Variables (PVs). According to Cochran, et al. (2000, p. 12), the customer domain is characterized by the customer attributes that the customer is looking for in a process, product, system or any other object to be designed. Cochran et al continue to clarify that customer attributes are specified in terms of functional requirements and constraints in the functional domain. Therefore, functional requirements represent the real goals and objectives of the design. Expression of how o ne need to satisfy the functional requirements is done by design parameters. Then lastly, systems variables are stated in the process domain incase in order to arrive at a design solution specified by design parameters (p. 13). ... 13). Application of axioms calls for breaking them down in a structure that is hierarchical. This therefore means that in order to engineer a design, there are three essential elements. These elements according to Suh (2001) are: the axioms, the structure, and the process of creating that structure. Suh (1990) suggests that the axioms are decomposed into rules upon which design is governed. Structures are decomposed vertically into design hierarchies and laterally into design domains (Suh, 1990, 2001). Suh (2001), states that the processes comprise of decompositions by zigzagging between the domains of designs downwards to the leaf levels or nitty-gritty. This simple means that it ends up with the most detailed fundamental level of the hierarchy of design, and the physical integration and composition of the final design. The playing field of design is understood to be the lateral decomposition while the rules of design are the corollaries, axioms, and theorems. The process domain and the customer domain represent the domains as a whole. The relationships between Design Parameters (DPs) and Functional Requirements (FRs) in physical and functional domains are emphasized by design exercises and the process domains. The process domain is used to check the existence of manufacturing processes and process variables that are reasonable. This is of great use in concurrent engineering. Tool design and manufacturing processes are recast as product design problems aligned with the right customer DPs and FRs. A good design calls for proper definition of FRs. It is not possible for the final design to be better than FRs. In addressing problems, there is usually a tendency by engineers to

Short and Medium-Term Loan in the UAE Policies and Procedures Research Paper

Short and Medium-Term Loan in the UAE Policies and Procedures - Research Paper Example The financial institute considered for the purpose of this report is HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd. This bank for the purpose of granting the loan to the company shall make a complete review of the financial position of the company. The financial analysis would include a cash flow analysis, analysis of the various ratios like profitability ratio, liquidity ratio and gearing ratio, an analysis by the long-term creditor and examination of the collateral securities that the company has to offer to the bank for the loan purpose. The cash flow analysis flashes a detailed view of the inflow and outflow of cash into and from the business respectively. Pertaining to the income statement the operating cash flow shows the increase and decrease in cash. The cash flow showing the investments depicts the increase and decrease in assets. The various kinds of ratios are studied thoroughly to bring out the actual position of the company. The ratios that are studied, contributes to knowing the various as sets and liabilities and their impact individually and as a whole on the business unit. The various ratios studied are profitability ratio, liquidity ratio, and leverage ratio. The analyses of these ratios provide a clear picture of not only the company’s assets and liabilities but also forecasts possible profits and losses of the enterprise. The various provisions provided by HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd. are studied and the various kinds of loan that this bank has for its customers are also keenly observed. According to the requirements of an individual or a business customer, loans may be chosen by the customer from the bank. The processes and procedures involved in obtaining the loan are closely observed and recommended accordingly. The business environment of UAE and the various provisions for the foreign investors are enumerated in details. The various aspects that UAE takes a heed of apart from facilitating business activities in the country are also keenly studied. The f acility of free zone is largely talked about including its advantages and also the various barriers that a foreign investor may face in UAE are discussed. The advantages of local rather Emirati–owned business unit over the foreign investors are also included in the discussion. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 The Nature and Purpose of Loan Requested By the Customer 6 Bank’s Policy In Terms of Granting Loans 7 Types and Nature of Financial Information the Customers Are Required To Furnish To Support the Purpose of the Loan 10 Types of Analysis the Banks Usually Do 11 Types and Nature of Security the Bank Usually Ask For 14 Impact of the Most Recent Downturns of the Economy and Massive Business Failures of HSBC Bank Middle East 15 Bank’s Specialization on Handling Such Loans 16 Any Government Incentive And Or Support the Banks Receive In Handling Such Loans 17 UAE’s Business Environment Facilitating Emirati-Owned Businesses 17 Conclusion 19 References 21 Introduction The lending institutions are generally seen to offer loans for different periods based on the purpose of the loan, such as short–term, long–term, and medium–term. In the context of business, the short-term loans that are offered by the banks are usually to curb the needs of working capital of the business. These working capital needs of a company may range from raw materials purchase, electricity bills to be paid and payment of taxes among others.  Ã‚  

Operations and Logistics Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Operations and Logistics Management - Essay Example Supply chain gap analysis is explained in the essay to analyse the problems faced by Tesco regarding SCM. The operational issues and the business functions of Tesco are evaluated throughout the essay with regard to supply chain. It has been consequently observed from the essay that the effectiveness of the business largely depends on a strong SCM along with the productive relationship amid the partners. The businesses around the world are inclined towards strengthening their supply chain management (SCM) in order to attain greater competitive traction. Supply chain is the cohesive activity that brings not only the product in the market place but also generates satisfied customers. SCM domain covers a wide range of activities in the functional area. In other words, SCM includes all the activities that are associated from the procurement of the raw materials to the production and transportation of the finished good to the end customer. The business in order to be effective and successful in the marketplace uses the SCM model to eliminate the wastage of time and effort with the aim to deliver he finished goods in timely manner to the end customers. The major assumption behind incorporation of SCM model is based on the belief that the sooner the products reach the customer the sales of the business will increase. The supply chain includes various channels such as the manufacturing, ope rational, transportation, warehousing and then physical distribution of the products. Supply chain is established by the company to create value for the stakeholders by providing required value to customer in the right time at the right place. In this regard, it can be stated that Tesco is effective in the market with wide customer base due to its low price products which has materialised primarily owing to its strong SCM (Beamon, 1998). Tesco Plc is one of the leading global retailers with various retail stores serving millions of

Islamic Law In Saudi Arabia Sociology Essay

Islamic Law In Saudi Arabia Sociology Essay Islamic law, or Sharia (termed Syariah in Malaysia), refers to the sacred holy laws of the Islamic religion. Sharia mingles with multiple fields addressed by secular law, which may include economics, crime, and politics, as well as personal matters such as  hygiene and sexuality. Sharia mainly derives from two sources, of which the 1st one would be the heavenly revelations in the Quran, and the 2nd being examples and sayings laid down by Prophet Muhammad within the Sunnah. In addition to the above mentioned sources, secondary sources are also adopted. One example of these secondary sources is the ijma of various prominent ulamas in the Islamic world. In regards of the topic at hand, I shall explain how Islamic law is practiced in Saudi Arabia. Before I go into explaning how Sharia is practiced in Saudi Arabia, I would like to point out that this essay will only touch on the developments and the ways in which Sharia is implemented in the Third State of Arabia, also known as the current Saudi Arabia. Sharia was officially enforced in Saudi Arabia by the Basic Law in 1992. The Basic Law of Saudi Arabia is a charter written in Arabic which bears marking resemblance to a constitution. It is divided into nine chapters, and consists of 83 articles. It is based on the Salafi school of understanding of Sharia and it does not bypass the fiqh. In Chapter 1: Article 1 of the said charter, it is expressly written that, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a sovereign Arab Islamic state with Islam as its religion; Allahs Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet, Allahs prayers and peace be upon him, are its constitution, Arabic is its language and Riyadh is its capital. In Saudi Arabia, criminal cases are tried under Sharia courts. These courts exercise authority over the entire population. In other words, people who are not of Islamic faith are still subjected to the criminal laws of Saudi Arabia. Cases which involve small penalties are adjudicated in Sharia Summary Courts, whilst more serious crimes are tried in Sharia Courts of Common Pleas. In events where either party finds the decision made was unsatisfactory, the said party can also appeal through the Court of Appeal. For civil cases, it could also be tried in Sharia Courts, but with one exception: Muslim of the Shia denomination may try such cases in their own courts. Other civil proceedings, such as those involving claims against the Saudi Arabia government, and claims on the enforcement of foreign judgements, are held before a special panel in certain specialized administrative tribunals, such as the Board of Grieviences, and Commission for The Settlement of Labor Disputes. In strict adherance to the Saudis sources of law, the system prescribes  corporal penalty or capital penalty, which in the Sharia sense may include  amputations  of limbs for certain crimes such as  homicide,  rape, robbery, drugs trafficking, adultery, and  homosexual/bisexual activities. It is to note that petty theft is also punishable by the means of amputation of the hand, although, it is rare for first-time offenders. For less serious crimes, such as drunkenness, the courts may impose less severe punishments, such as  floggings. Under Saudi law, when someone commits murder, accidental death, and/or bodily harm, the said person is open or subject to punishment from the victims family. Retribution may also be, and are usually, sought through the method of  blood money. It is to note that the blood money being payable for causing a womans accidental death, or, that of a Christian male,  is only half as much as that for a Muslim male. All the others (men or women of different faiths and believes other than Islam) are valued at 1/16th. The main reasoning for this, according to the Sharia, men are expected by right to be providers for their families and thus are expected and assumed to earn more fiscally in their lifetimes. The blood money by a man would be expected to be enough to sustain his family, for at least a short period of time. Honor killings are also not punished as severely as murder. This generally stems from the fact that honor killings are within a family, and done to compensate for some dishonorable act committed.   Saudi Arabia is also the one and only country in the world where women are prohibited to drive on public roads. Women can only drive in off-road conditions and in private housing compounds, some of which extend to many square miles. The ban may be lifted soon, although with certain conditions. The Saudi government regard its construction of Islamic law as its sole source of guidance on human rights, and Sharia has failed to evolve and develop to ensure the rights of women are protected. In addition to prohibition on driving on public roads, women are not allowed to travel around without the permission, written or verbal, of their closest male kin. This resulted in women being restricted from travel by their sons and/or younger brothers. Divorcees are required by law to return to the home of their father, and any form of travel must then be approved the father. In other words, under Saudis law, women of 30 or more years old cannot make independent decisions without the approval of male relatives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.MORE TO COME. QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PRACTICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SAUDI ARABIA Human rights  in  Saudi Arabia  are based on  sharia  laws  under the rule of the  Saudi royal family.  The Saudi Arabian government has also been known and criticized for its lack of regard for the religious political minorities,  homosexuality, and  women. The Human rights of Saudi Arabia are specified in article 26 of the  Basic Law of Saudi Arabia, the constitution of Saudi Arabia, as mentioned earlier. Then, in October 1997, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ratified the  International Convention against Torture according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The first independent human rights organization in Saudi Arabia, the  National Society for Human Rights, was established in 2004.  In 2008, the  Shura Council  ratified the  Arab Charter on Human Rights. It is to note that Saudi Arabia, is one of around thirty countries in the world with that still practices  judicial corporal punishment. For Saudia Arabias judicial corporal punishments may include  amputations  of either limbs  for robbery, and  flogging  for smaller crimes such as drunkenness. The exact number of lashes is vaguely prescribed by the law; it is varied in accordance to the judges discretion, and may range from dozens of lashes to several hundred, which is usually applied over a period of weeks or months. In 2004, the  United Nations  Committee against  Torture  criticized and deplored the Saudi Arabian law over the  amputations  and  floggings  it carries out under  Sharia. The Saudi delegates, responded, unfazed, in the defence of legal  traditions that has been held since the birth of Islam 1,400 years ago, and rejected interference of any kind in its legal framework. For serious law-offenders, Saudi Arabia also engage themselves in  capital punishment, which in Sharia include the likes of public executions by  beheading.  Beheading is the punishment for rapists, armed robberers, drug traffickers and of course, murderers, according to strict interpretation of  Islamic law. In 2005 there were 191 executions, in 2006 there were 38, in 2007 there were 153, and in 2008 there were 102. To illustrate how serious is human rights infringement in Saudi Arabia, I would like to draw a simple reference to a spokesman for Saudi Arabias National Society for Human Rights. He reasoned that numbers of executions are rising because crime rates are rising, that prisoners are treated humanely, and that the  beheadings  deter crime, saying, Allah, our creator, knows best whats good for his peopleShould we just think of and preserve the rights of the murderer and not think of the rights of others? WOMEN RIGHTS/GENDER ISSUES Religion affects all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi women face  discrimination  in many aspects of their lives. The Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia, which is about 90% of the population, are governed by strict conservative interpretations of Islam. Saudi Arabia is a patriarchal society in which women are treated and seen as 2nd class citizens only. And because of that, they continue to become victims of discrimination, everyday. They have lesser say than men in family matters; their freedom of movement is very limited; and their economic opportunities and rights are restricted. In addition, womens actions and choices depends on the permission or wishes of their mahram. Saudi Arabia also applies rules of strict gender segregation and unrelated men and women are separated in all public places. Women also, do not enjoy the freedom of dress, but are required to cover themselves completely from head-to-toe. The usual dress-code includes a jet black cloak-like garment (abaya) and a matching face veil (niqba). Women who deliberately choose to not cover or as they say, protect, themselves fully, which r ates is increasing in certain parts of the country, run the risk of being provoked and harassed. Although they make up 70% of those enrolled in universities, for social reasons, women make up just 5% of the workforce in Saudi Arabia, the lowest proportion in the world. These treatments of women has been referred by social scientists as Sex segregation  and gender apartheid. Even implementation of a government resolution supporting the expansion of employment opportunities for women, met strong resistance from within the labour ministry, from the religious police, and from the male citizenry. In most parts of Saudi Arabia, it is thought that a womans place in this world is in the home, tending for her spouse and family. Rooting from tradition, there is also segregation inside their own houses as some rooms have separate entrances for men and women. Before 2008, women were not allowed to enter hotels and furnished apartments without a chaperon or  mahram. With a 2008 Royal Decree, the one and only requirement needed nowadays to enable women to enter hotels are their national ID cards, but the hotel must let the nearest police station know of their length of stay and room reservation. The driving ban for women was unofficial until 1990 when it was introduced as official legislation after 47 Saudi women drove cars through the streets of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Even though illegal, women in rural areas and other areas outside cities do drive cars. It may sound made-up, but according to credible studies, many Saudis believe that allowing women to drive could lead to Western-style openness and an erosion of traditional values. Womens rights calls for reform in Saudi Arabia calls that are testing the Kingdoms political status quo. International, as well as local womens groups are also forcing the government to react, taking advantage of the fact that some rulers are eager to project a more progressive image to the West. WOMEN/FAMILY LAW While the Saudi Arabian law is silent on the legal age of marriage, the practice of forced marriages was prohibited by the countrys religious authority in 2005. Nevertheless, to be fair to the case, the level to which said bride is involved in decision-making in regards of her own marriage varies between families. According to Saudis family law, the marriage contract is between the mahram of the bride and the husband-to-be. An estimated 16 percent of girls between 15 and 19 years of age are currently married, divorced or widowed in Saudi Arabia. Polygamy is allowed under Sharia and a Muslim male could take as many as 4 wives, given that he can give equal support and treatment. The practice is reportedly on the decline, but both for demographic and economic reasons. Women are discriminated against with regards to parental authority as, legally, children belong to their father. If divorced or widowed, a woman is normally granted custody of daughters until they reach the age of nine and sons until they reach the age of seven. Older children are often awarded to the divorced husband or the paternal grandparents. Women cannot confer citizenship to their children (if born to a non-Saudi Arabian father). Female genital mutilation is not a general practice, but reports suggest that there is some occurrence of the practice among Shia Muslims in the Eastern Province, and possibly among some Bedouin groups. Violence against women is common and there are no specific laws addressing the issue, nor any adequate protection for the victims. Incidents of domestic violence are rarely reported or even talked about publicly. For instance, the so-called honour crimes, whereby a woman is put to death or punished by male family members for having put disgrace to the family honour, are also prevalent. The suspicion alone of a womans wrong-doing is often enough for her to be subject to violence in the name of honour. Women, as well as men, may be subject to harassment by the countrys religious police, the mutawwain; torture (although outlawed); and physical punishments, often without having their case presented in court. Islamic law provides for detailed and complex calculations of inheritance shares. A woman may inherit from her father, her mother, her husband, her children, and under certain conditions, from other members of her family, but her share is generally smaller than a mans entitlement. A daughter, for example, inherits half as much as a son. This is commonly justified by the fact that a woman has no financial responsibility towards her husband and children. Women, particularly in rural areas, are often deprived even of their entitled share as they are considered to be supported by their fathers or husbands.

The History of Math Essay -- Mathematics Education Logic Numbers Essay

The History of Math Mathematics, study of relationships among quantities, magnitudes, and properties and of logical operations by which unknown quantities, magnitudes, and properties may be deduced. In the past, mathematics was regarded as the science of quantity, whether of magnitudes, as in geometry, or of numbers, as in arithmetic, or of the generalization of these two fields, as in algebra. Toward the middle of the 19th century, however, mathematics came to be regarded increasingly as the science of relations, or as the science that draws necessary conclusions. This latter view encompasses mathematical or symbolic logic, the science of using symbols to provide an exact theory of logical deduction and inference based on definitions, axioms, postulates, and rules for combining and transforming primitive elements into more complex relations and theorems. This brief survey of the history of mathematics traces the evolution of mathematical ideas and concepts, beginning in prehistory. Indeed, mathematics is nearly as old as humanity itself; evidence of a sense of geometry and interest in geometric pattern has been found in the designs of prehistoric pottery and textiles and in cave paintings. Primitive counting systems were almost certainly based on using the fingers of one or both hands, as evidenced by the predominance of the numbers 5 and 10 as the bases for most number systems today. Ancient Mathematics The earliest records of advanced, organized mathematics date back to the ancient Mesopotamian country of Babylonia and to Egypt of the 3rd millennium BC. There mathematics was dominated by arithmetic, with an emphasis on measurement and calculation in geometry and with no trace of later mathematical concepts such as axioms or proofs. The earliest Egyptian texts, composed about 1800 BC, reveal a decimal numeration system with separate symbols for the successive powers of 10 (1, 10, 100, and so forth), just as in the system used by the Romans. Numbers were represented by writing do wn the symbol for 1, 10, 100, and so on as many times as the unit was in a given number. For example, the symbol for 1 was written five times to represent the number 5, the symbol for 10 was written six times to represent the number 60, and the symbol for 100 was written three times to represent the number 300. Together, these symbols represented the number 365. Addition was d... ...eat impetus to areas of mathematics such as numerical analysis and finite mathematics. It has suggested new areas for mathematical investigation, such as the study of algorithms. It has also become a powerful tool in areas as diverse as number theory, differential equations, and abstract algebra. In addition, the computer has made possible the solution of several long-standing problems in mathematics, such as the four-color problem first proposed in the mid-19th century. The theorem stated that four colors are sufficient to color any map, given that any two countries with a contiguous boundary require different colors. The theorem was finally proved in 1976 by means of a large-scale computer at the University of Illinois. Mathematical knowledge in the modern world is advancing at a faster rate than ever before. Theories that were once separate have been incorporated into theories that are both more comprehensive and more abstract. Although many important problems have been solved , other hardy perennials, such as the Riemann hypothesis, remain, and new and equally challenging problems arise. Even the most abstract mathematics seems to be finding applications. Word Count: 4793