2025 – The mathematical year!

For math lovers, this year is truly special.

2025 is a squared number. The last time a year was a squared number was in 1936, and the next squared number year is 91 years away. That means that in our lifetime, this will be the only squared number year we will ever experience. So, if you were considering ditching your new year’s resolutions, think again. This year is special, so let’s make it count. (Pun not intended)

I have always had a passion for mathematics. Solving a challenging math question always leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. I have a very competitive nature which has driven my passion for math. If I don’t know how to do it, I will learn and work on it until I can. I didn’t always find math easy; I remember grade 11 being a particularly difficult year. It was for this reason that I became a math teacher and have taught math for the past 15 years. I wanted to show my students that math can be fun and exciting and that it’s not just a school subject but a way of viewing our world. Most of what we know today has been built on the backbone of mathematics. The field of math is so vast that one person could never accomplish all of its disciplines in a single lifetime.

On the topic of making 2025 count,

and it being such a special year, what am I doing this year that’s new or exciting? Well, I have started a new job at SMD Technologies as a relationship manager for SHARP Calculators. This means that I get the opportunity to visit you and your school and share how SHARP are working hard to support you as an educator by providing you and your students with resources to make math just a little easier and hopefully fun and exciting. As a high school educator, I often made use of the free SHARP worksheets as an additional resource and was blown away by the features of the SHARP EL-W535SA calculator. There are even free math videos teaching you how to get optimum use out of your SHARP calculator, not to mention you can download their calculator (an emulator) for free to use on your laptop. I found this such a powerful tool in the classroom.

As we step into the new year, I find myself filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead. There’s something incredibly refreshing about the start of a new chapter, and I look forward to the opportunities, challenges, and experiences it will bring.

I look forward to meeting and engaging with you this year. I hope you start this year feeling encouraged, empowered and valued for the dedication you give towards your students. By working together, we can make a positive impact one student at a time.

I hope that you have an incredible mathematical year. Together, let’s make it count 😀

Warm regards

Andrew Naude