Mathematics is the discipline that deals with concepts such as quantity, structure, space and change. It evolved, through the use of abstraction and logical reasoning, from counting, calculation, measurement and the study of the shapes and motions of physical objects. Mathematicians explore these and related concepts, aiming to formulate new conjectures and establish their truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions.

Mathematics is used throughout the world in many fields, including science, engineering, medicine and economics. These fields both inspire and make use of new discoveries in mathematics. New mathematics is also created for its own sake, without any particular application in view, a common practice in the branch known as pure mathematics.

The word "mathematics" is often abbreviated math in the U.S. and Canada and maths in Britain, Ireland and many Commonwealth countries.

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