2010 Articles

Hua Loo-keng and the Movement of Popularizing Mathematics in the People’s Republic of China

Richard, Jean W.

This paper examines the mathematical and teaching practices of the renowned self-taught Chinese mathematician Hua Loo-keng in the movement of popularizing mathematics in the People’s Republic of China. In this movement, Hua Loo-keng taught industrial workers and peasants with a low level of education how to use fairly advanced mathematical methods in their workplace (agriculture, transportation, or industry). This paper explores the mathematical concepts that Hua Loo-keng taught the workers and farmers and how they applied them in their workplace. An important element in the movement of popularizing mathematics in the People’s Republic of China is the non-traditional methods by which Hua Loo-keng taught the workers andfarmers.