Mathematicas

Mathematicas is a term occasionally used to refer to the field of mathematics as a whole, or to the community of people who study and apply mathematical methods. In contemporary English, mathematics is the standard term; Mathematicas is less common and tends to appear in stylistic, historical, or fiction contexts, or as a coined label in curricula. When used, it generally denotes the body of mathematical knowledge and its practices rather than a separate discipline.

The scope of Mathematicas includes abstract theory and practical applications across sciences and engineering. Core subfields include algebra, geometry, analysis, topology, number theory, statistics, applied mathematics, and computational mathematics. The methods emphasize proof, abstraction, modeling, and computation, and often rely on formal reasoning supplemented by numerical methods and software tools. The field supports disciplines such as physics, computer science, economics, and data science.

Historically, mathematics emerged in ancient civilizations and evolved through the Middle Ages into the modern era, where formalization and axiomatization advanced rapidly in the 17th to 20th centuries. The community of Mathematicas students and researchers is diverse, including educators, theoreticians, and practitioners who contribute to research, education, and problem solving. While not a distinct academic department in most institutions, Mathematicas is recognized as a broad, shared enterprise whose advancements drive science and technology.

See also Mathematics; History of mathematics; Mathematical sciences.