Blog 5 Mathematics in the Body

Math is an intergral part in the learning and understanding of the concepts of anatomy. Math is used to determine relative size of cells, tissues, etc. Many of these things are much too small to compare to anything else (i.e. as big as an airplane, thin as paper, etc.). Math is used to calculate the timing of our bodily movements. Many diseases slow reaction rate of a person, and math is used to detect these changes. The amount of anything in our body is usually at a set amount. Too much or too little of anything can prove detrimental to the health of our bodies. White blood cell count and the number of bones during childhood compared to adulthood are all put into a mathematical sense. Math is used in the description of bodily motion, i.e. a 45 degree tilt at the pelvis, or a flexion at the elbow of 10 degrees, etc. Heart rate, time it takes for a stimulus to be reacted to, etc. are all things that involve math in anatomy. The measurement of depth, such as for incisions for dissection or making slides for the microscope take math into account. And lastly, proportionality is something a healthy body needs, and math is a key tool to see if our body is in its best shape.