Arithmetic

Arithmetic,one of the oldest branches of mathematics, arises from the most fundamental of mathematical operations: counting. The arithmetic operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and placeholding—form the basis of the mathematics that we use regularly. In many countries arithmetic is the primary area of mathematical study during the first six years of school.

Although arithmetic itself is not an area of mathematics research, research on how best to teach arithmetic is crucial to the field of mathematics education. Models of learning and mastering the basics of arithmetic are often used in cognitive science—the study of the processes of acquiring, storing, and using knowledge. Cognitive sciences encompass a range of activities, including the design of computer-aided instructional systems and the study of artificial intelligence. Arithmetic and logic also form the basis for all computer software—the instructions that tell computers what to do.