The Duke ad Duchess of Cornwall shall be known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland. And so math shall be known as maths when in Great Britain.
That is why I don't judge one as better or superior but just different. It is (just like preferring OECs vs MRBs) a matter of personal choice and also what you learned in school. So comes down to cultural and personal preference.
oh, oh better go apologize to dh been yelling at him for the past 39 years that we say math not maths (drives me crazy when he says that lol) Yup 2 different school systems.
This depends on whether I'm referring to generic, indefinite (math) in an abstract sense or specific, definite (maths) in a concrete sense. It's the same situation with money and monies. Both are correct when they're being used correctly.
Abstract concepts are always singular. You would say and think freedom, not freedoms, unless you were prepared to list out which freedoms you mean, such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, etc.
But if you were prepared to think about the different maths, it's entirely equally valid a choice to list out the different maths instead of listing them individually. It would be equally valid and simply a matter of choice whether you say 1) onions and potatoes or 2) vegetables when asked what you put in the curry, besides meat. This is why, contrary to what The Guardian claims, the UK's broad usage of maths is no more logical than the US's broad usage of math.
I think most people are not thinking about whether they are referring to something in the abstract or in the concrete when they speak or write. Therefore, there's an uncountable number of mistakes in the usage of the word on both sides of the Atlantic. But come on, English is the bastard tongue, and every language has quirks that don't follow logical reason.
I was reading just recently how our American friends use Zs in the written word while the English etc do not (which is why i like to do it) while Prince Charles does
English is such a confusing written language and with my spelling ability i have deep sympathy for anyone trying to learn it as a 2nd language