Mathematics

And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it."

Speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment.

Mathematics - the building blocks of life - connect to make an immense sculpture. The cells in our body fit together, and the sperm and egg bond to become a zygote. Cells build next to and on top of each other. They develop to form skin, hair, organs, teeth, nails, and so on. Mitosis, the process when cells divide, is a form of multiplication. The cells do not divide to become separate entities, the divide in physicality, and in that essence, one becomes two. They still work together with the same wisdom, but for different purposes. The cells that started together as the sperm, egg, and zygote become other cells that make your nails different from those that make your hair, although they come from the same source protein - keratin.

In this lesson, we learn the workings of multiplication and division, they produce a product. To multiply two sets of quantities, it creates another product. When two or more people work together, connect with ideas, it makes a product. Consider cement. It is a strong material, strong enough to carry heavy equipment and house families. It becomes more potent when sand and crushed rock combine to multiply its factors. It becomes concrete. However, concrete alone is not the most effective when building lasting bridges because concrete crumbles as it stretches. It cannot bend. Engineers have learned that you have to combine (multiply) steel and (by) concrete to make (equals) steel-reinforced concrete. Steel is strong in tension but weak in compression that can bend. It has strength in tension, but concrete is the opposite. Combining them, you get a new material (product) strong enough to hold up buildings and flexible enough to sway without breaking. They literally and mathematically complement each other and compensate for the other's weaknesses.

In a relationship, are you able to compliment and complement each other? Do you compensate for each other's weaknesses, thus making each other stronger? That is multiplication, and the successful division of labour and tasks bring each other together and multiplies your strength. Adam Smith's division of labour is a stalwart in the capitalist ideology. It signifies how to establish wealth. When you successfully divide the work and become specialists in your endeavours, people will seek your specialism. When you become a specialist in a specific task, you become better at what you do, and your productivity to produce that particular skill keeps improving and improves productivity. If everyone in a society specialises in a specific task, the society keeps improving, bringing a developed civilisation. Remember, when people become specialists in a field, they can offer their particular service to others and receive a payment as a reward for a job well done. This exchange in payment increases wealth. As we go on in these math lessons, you will realise coincidence rarely happens, but most things happen mathematically.

Consider raw cacao powder; it is the basis of chocolate; however, if you were to mix it with water, you will notice the refined grains cannot be absorbed successfully by water. The two structures do not complement each other; instead, another element needs adding. If you were to mix it with full-fat milk, they'd dissolve because they prefer connecting with the fatty globules. With water, you will see clear distinctions between the layers. The cacao being lighter, will rise to the top, while water molecules are heavier and fall to the bottom. The two naturally separate. Cinnamon, like the cacao powder, cannot be easily absorbed by water. When the two mix, it will create a slimy, gelatinous substance. Something needs to go in between the two structures. Another element multiplies the volume, weight, and depth and ensures all particles bind easily.

In the multiplication grid below, each number has to work with each other to produce a more significant volume. Also known as repeated addition, multiplication is about consistency. In life, consistency is needed in your practice to multiply your skill. That is how we improve and grow in value. If you consistently multiply a number by itself, it creates a phenomenon called 'powers.' A number always multiplied by the same amount will generate greater powers, the exception is 1, as we cannot grow with individualistic ideals.

Example in point: five to the power of 2 equals 25.

5 to the power of 3 equals 125.

Multiplication represents consistency or 'repeated addition.' The more consistent you are in honing your craft and developing your skill, your value increases and gets more 'powerful.'

Using the grid below, all these numbers develop a relationship and this is colloquially called the times tables. Look at the pattern in the ten times tables. It will always end in a 0. Look at the two times tables; it always ends in either 2,4, 6, 8, or 0. You will see patterns in 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12. These numbers form a bond, relationship and start to reflect each other in the form of patterns. That is humanity in the form of multiplication.

However, some things in life do not mix; they may need an external influence to mix and absorb each other. When water absorbs a solute, it becomes a solution. The solvent must absorb the solute to provide a solution. If you cannot fully absorb someone in arguments and disagreements, you cannot produce practical solutions. In this world we need more solutions than problems, remember this point. Multiplication signifies that an individual cannot be fruitful with someone who acts as an individual. Look at the multiplication grid again. Every number multiplied by 1 remains the same. Meaning we stay in the same place and cannot form a relationship with someone similar or has different components. If the person is selfish, they will produce the same results. If you have several individuals and interact with each other, they work and absorb each other's thoughts; You will create more.

M. Olayinka