Mathematics
Functions (Mathematics)
Quick fact
The concept of a function was formalized in the 19th century, but functions themselves have been used implicitly for thousands of years, from ancient Babylonian tables to Galileo's law of falling bodies.
Why this is interesting
You’ve seen a vending machine: you press a button (input) and get a snack (output). Functions work the same way — but with numbers. What if I told you this simple idea unlocks most of modern mathematics?