2 Mathematics is not only about computing

If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is.

After passing through high school, students believe that mathematics is nothing but a set of computational procedures (algorithms). But this idea is quite far from reality. The aim of this chapter is to introduce the reader to a more realistic perspective.

2.1 Computation and abstraction

2.2 The structure of a mathematical text

2.3 What is a proof?

2.4 A few examples of proofs

2.5 What is not a proof?