From the beginning of time, the human race has used math to understand and interpret the various aspects of life. While many things have changed throughout our history, one constant variable in humanity is the use of math to unlock the keys of the universe, see why things are, and understand how to optimize the human experience. The vast majority of invented technology, especially in recent times, originates from implementing mathematics to something natural. Computers run off of calculations under the binary system and various mathematical processes. Buildings are created using mathematical rules to optimize their structure and minimize the amount of material. Even preparation of food requires calculations on how to prepare and how much of each ingredient to use for the best result. The list goes on. I love math for many reasons, but first and foremost, I love it because of its ability to unlock the world around me, just as it has done for the entirety of the human race. Since the time I was a young child, I found math to be very appealing. I was constantly curious about number theory, numerical patterns, and the various uses of mathematics in the real world. I would spend much of my spare time experimenting with numbers and continue to do so, both physically and through technology. But the question at hand is, why is it that I find numbers so appealing? The human mind has an innate curiosity of itself. We, as intelligent organisms, naturally want to know how we work, why we do what we do, and what leads us to favor one path over another. Thus, we naturally attempt to decipher our minds. However, this cannot be done without some medium through which to do it. Math is that medium. Math is how we gain all knowledge that applies to the general universe and its minuscule parts. By applying math to natural occurrences and phenomena, we learn about the tendencies of the mind and prove them through mathematics. By applying math to chance, we determine how frequently certain events will occur under controlled circumstances. With math, we can learn why things are what they are and how to make a difference. Math serves as a medium to interpret and optimize the natural world, and in turn, it helps us to optimize ourselves. And that is why I love math.

For as long as I can remember, I have had a deep and innate love for math. From the time I was very young, I have enjoyed playing with numbers. Back when I first learned addition, I added 1+1, then 2+2, then 4+4, all the way into the thousands. Math has always amazed me, and it always has more than what I know. Thus, it allows my curiosity to run free as I explore the wonderful world of math. I remember back in 4th grade, I spent my recesses experimenting in a math notebook. I'm not a very social person, and so I figured, why play with others when I could learn on my own? At age 5 I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a type of high-functioning autism often correlated with above-average intelligence and mathematical reasoning. Surely, part of my love for math can be attributed to my Asperger's Syndrome. I have always had a love of numbers and a curiosity about their properties, but that love would not be gone even if my brain were normal. It is interesting to note that few people seem to love math. In fact, it seems to be one of the most hated if not the most hated subjects. Why then, do I love math? I love math because it holds the keys to the human mind, because it unlocks the secrets of the universe, because it allows me to learn. The human brain runs on binary, with neurons either firing or not firing. Thus, our brains run on math, just a different type than what we're used to. Much of the brain runs logarithmically, whereas in school we generally do not learn that way. However, all mathematical approaches to the world around us are significantly beneficial in understanding said world, and so, to truly understand who we are, we need to understand the math behind it. One time, my 15-year-old brother and I were having a debate about the importance of math (as he doesn't like math and I do). After I explained how the entire universe runs off math, he replied that math was simply created by humans to understand the universe. And maybe he's right. However, even if math is just a complex idea of the human mind, math is what allows me to act on my natural curiosity about the universe, and that is why I love math.

Over the course of my life, I have commonly found interest in all things intellectual. I have a strong love for learning that has brought me very far in both home and school, and so I think I would be a great fit for the house of Ravenclaw. It is, after all, a house mainly based on wisdom and intelligence. The Harry Potter series generally focuses on Gryffindor and Slytherin as Harry is part of Gryffindor and as there is a lot of controversy surrounding whether Harry belonged there or in Slytherin due to his earlier encounter with Lord Voldemort. Thus, Ravenclaw doesn't amount to much in the series when it comes to the actual plot of things, but I think it is much more than that. Intelligence and the will to learn are very important characteristics because what you accomplish in life and what happens to you and those around you is almost entirely a result of what you learn and why you learn. I have always loved learning. I think I would be a great fit for the house of Ravenclaw because of my intelligence, my love of learning, and my drive to live up to my full intellectual potential. Since the time I was born, I have always been very smart and have loved to grow smarter. I've been reading quite well since the time I was 3, and I've always had a great love for numbers. On one particular occasion, I had just come home from Kindergarten, having learned addition, and so I decided to do some powers of two in my head. "1+1=2, 2+2=4, 4+4=8, 8+8=16", and so on up into the thousands. I've always had a great talent for mental math and just intellectual aspects of life in general, but I feel that the intelligence we are born with does not nearly amount to the net growth of our intelligence and our motivation to make it grow. I love to learn, and so I have always tried to learn as much as I can and to push my brain to its limits to help it grow. As I have already addressed, I love learning and always have, which is a substantial part of why I feel that I would be a great fit for the house of Ravenclaw. I have always been curious not only about what things are, but why things are, how the human brain works and why it does what it does, how the world around me affects me, and how I affect the world. In order to act on my passion for learning, I have always enjoyed reading books that teach about these things. For example, when I was 6, I was obsessed with geography and astronomy. While everyone else was getting picture books at the school library, I was busy with intellectual refinement. My love of learning still continues. I am and always have been very driven to live up to my full intellectual potential. As I strive to strengthen my brain and expand its reaches of knowledge, I find that it makes me even more curious about what I don't know. I work very hard in school to learn all that I can--I took 4 AP classes last year and am taking 5 this coming year--, and so as I learn, I always want to know more. I truly believe that knowledge is one of the most important things in this world. I love to learn and to understand the world around me, and that is why I believe that the Sorting Hat would place me in Ravenclaw.

I believe that as long as I continue to strive to accomplish all that I can and become the greatest person that I can be, I can and will become a wonderful person with the ability and the drive to change the world.

For as long as I can remember I have taken a strong interest in math. Numbers just speak to my heart. Since the day I first learned about numbers I have spent a great deal of time experimenting with anything I can to find out more about math and the wonders it holds. Because of my interest and curiosity in the field of mathematics, I would like to pursue a degree and career in math so that I can learn even more about math and how I can use it to change the world. When I was 5 years old I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a type of high-functioning autism often associated with poor social skills, speech problems, and best of all, being a nerdy math genius. Because of the advanced intellect and interest in the field of math that people with Asperger’s often acquire, they are driven to extreme curiosity and often go on to become great and influential people, such as Albert Einstein, Paul Dirac, and many others. Having Asperger’s, I am driven by this same curiosity about math and have spent a great deal of time experimenting with numbers, looking for patterns. Back when I was in 4th grade, rather than playing outside during recess, I would stand there and experiment in a math notebook looking for patterns. I still look for patterns and continue to find many amazing things that pique my interest in math even more. Math holds so many amazing secrets, and I have always loved finding them. To me, math is more than just a subject in school or a field of education. It’s a life-changing phenomenon that has the capacity to do anything and everything to change the world if its power is utilized properly. Many people perceive math as nothing but an area of school they can’t wait to finish, but I don’t see it that way. When I look at math, I see beauty in its purest form. Everything in nature and the world, in general, can be traced back to math, so deep down, everything good comes from math, and if math is the source of all good, I know I can use it to do good and change the world.

Throughout my life, I have taken a strong interest in mathematics. From the day I first learned addition in kindergarten, I randomly decided to calculate powers of 2 up to 65536 (1+1=2 2+2=4 4+4=8, etc.) in my head just because I’m a nerd. I have always excelled in math and spend much of my spare time experimenting with mathematical series attempting to find patterns, especially by using derivatives. Due to my excellence in math, I would like to pursue a degree in it to learn further the things that I have not already learned or taught myself. I have always been very motivated to work hard in school and have an interest in many subjects. I enjoy learning just about anything and thus enjoy school because of the knowledge it brings me, but I have found that I enjoy math far more than anything else. Outside of math, I am still a very hard-working student. I am currently a junior in high school and have a 4.0 GPA. I’m taking 4 AP classes, one of them being AP Calculus AB. Because I work so hard, I have the potential to accomplish great things in the field of math if I continue to put in the effort, and since I am very motivated with learning and education in general, I know I can put in the effort needed to do well in life. With how hard I work in all aspects of my education, I will no doubt be able to motivate myself to work even harder in the field of mathematics as it is my main interest, my passion, and my brightest future. At age 5, I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, which is often strongly correlated with mathematical abilities. My case of Asperger’s is no different, and because of this, I am extremely talented at math. I am very good at mental math, hence the calculating powers of 2 up to 65536 at age 5, but in addition to this I am very good at learning new mathematical concepts as well as finding them through experimentation. As for Asperger’s, I believe that it can be extremely beneficial to my mathematical potential as many of the great geniuses of mathematics, including Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and many others, likely had Asperger’s. Seeing what they were able to accomplish by working hard and pursuing their interests, I feel confident that if I work just as hard as they did to become more knowledgeable in the field of mathematics, I can do the same and contribute significantly to mathematics and the world if I put in the effort and do all that I can to pursue my mathematical interests by pursuing a mathematics degree so that I, like many others, can use math to change the world.