Why do people hate mathematics?

[SexNotHaver]

I'm starting an applied maths and physics degree at the end of September. 30th September can't come soon enough. I love looking through the applied maths modules - the modules are mostly physics-related, some of them are applicable maths (e.g vector algebra, numerical methods, partial differential equations) and there are also financial maths and biology/medicine modules.

I was doing electrical and electronic engineering last year, but decided to change course. I liked applying some of the maths we were covering to electrical/electronic engineering. At secondary school, we would never really have to use any of the pure maths we were learning in other subjects, but it was good to be able to actually apply things like calculus and complex numbers.

[turtleswithhats]

I think math is fun, because it's like a puzzle to me. Also because it's made up of sheer concrete logic, and always makes sense.

[Amedot]

We're raised to hate math.

Girls are always told we hate math. Hell, even Barbie says math is hard, and what little girl didn't grow up playing with Barbie?

I don't like math because it's black and white, no grey inbetween. I'm actually good at it... if I really focus, really dedicate my brain to solving it (I kind of have think of it as a language, and I'm translating it), and I have a teacher who understands and is patient with me. I see the numbers, and letters, and funny symbols... they all blur, they make no sense, I know there's only ONE RIGHT ANSWER and I can't even understand the question. That's why I dislike math.

[Captain Darkhorse]

Girls are always told we hate math. Hell, even Barbie says math is hard, and what little girl didn't grow up playing with Barbie?

I didn't get to play with Barbie as a little girl. But that's because I would shave her hair and draw over her face with Sharpie.

I dunno. I use trig functions almost every day. But then again, I fix furniture.

[Guest]

We're raised to hate math.

Girls are always told we hate math. Hell, even Barbie says math is hard, and what little girl didn't grow up playing with Barbie?

It's actually that stereotype, that women hate/are bad at math, that lowers math performance for women. If you tell people before the tests that there is no gender difference, then the differences in math scores disappear.

[waffleupmynostril]

I hate it when I can't understand it. Certain problems are difficult and complex for me to understand. However, once I DO understand them, I don't mind them as much.

[Algorithmus]

Why people dislike it (not from personal experience, but that didn't stop me from trying to figure out why...)

-Because their teachers hated it, and inspired that dislike/indifference into them

-Because there's a stigma that says people find math boring and repetitive and/or too little focus given on analytical and critical thinking (which are necessary for an appreciation of math), and too much on rote memory

-Because people are not introduced to more interesting math problems that occur regularly in puzzles and certain games (see games like Professor Layton, Tetris, the rubiks cube, chess, card games and others)

-Because the education system in some places suck

-Because people never get to the point where they're told or figure out that it's actually useful

-Because people are never told there's often more than one way to approach a math problem, and never find the one that works for them. Or perhaps they're too intimidated to try.

-Because people think math means punching numbers into a calculator

-Because people don't even know what math is

And why I like it

-Because it's a very universal form of logic that occurs just about everywhere, no matter how trivial. You will find it in sciences, art, entertainment, computing, architecture, medicine, technology, economics, statistics, and many other things we take for granted. It's extremely useful.

-Because it is beautiful

-Because it is recyclable

-Because it encourages the idea that there may be more than one solution

-Because solving a challenging math problem makes me feel good

As for uses of matrices, this may have been touched on briefly, but linear algebra gets used a lot in computer graphics. Especially 3D graphics. You may have an API that does most of the 3D work for you, but someone still had to write the code for it and get it.

[SexNotHaver]

I just found out last week that I'll get to do two modules from the pure maths department this year - Numbers, sets and sequences; and Linear algebra and analysis. I had a look at the past papers, and a lot of it looks very different from the type of maths I would have done at school and in electrical engineering. The two applied maths modules I'm doing this year are going to be Vector algebra and dynamics; and Waves and vector fields. I really can't wait til term starts.

[gogg]

I disliked maths when I was in primary school but I have found that the more complicated the maths I learn, the more and more I've come to love it and also be good at it. I've actually found it easier and easier as I progress. I think this is down to the fact that I've never been a very numerical person and manipulation of numbers and figures in my head makes me want to scream and throw stuff. As you progress through maths it becomes much more of a problem-solving exercise and about the use of algebra and calculus and things. The actual number-crunching aspect vastly reduces, and I think this is maybe why people claim not to like maths; they are put off by the boring number-manipulation you do so much when you first learn maths, and this maybe sticks in their minds so that they always associate it with that.

[ObsessedWithCats]

I disliked maths when I was in primary school but I have found that the more complicated the maths I learn, the more and more I've come to love it and also be good at it. I've actually found it easier and easier as I progress. I think this is down to the fact that I've never been a very numerical person and manipulation of numbers and figures in my head makes me want to scream and throw stuff. As you progress through maths it becomes much more of a problem-solving exercise and about the use of algebra and calculus and things. The actual number-crunching aspect vastly reduces, and I think this is maybe why people claim not to like maths; they are put off by the boring number-manipulation you do so much when you first learn maths, and this maybe sticks in their minds so that they always associate it with that.

That's a good point I've never considered. Likely some truth in that.

[marki]

I never liked math because I would always go through the motions and think I was doing everything correctly but then would find out I had made a mistake and everything was wrong. I never was able to grasp the basic stuff and it always has been a strugle for me....My last math course I had to take was actually kind of fun though it was called finite math and was all about calculating poker hands and other practical stuff! I actually got a B- which was my best math grade ever! Only because I went to tutoring though for every day before class. However I always have been great at history and I know people feel the same dislike and frustration I have for math with that subject and I never could understand why...to each their own! My friend is a math genius and it does really seem cool when he explains things about math in terms I can relate to.

[Blood-of-Cherries]

I don't know much about math since I work more with statistics and stuff like that. I don't hate math and I don't think people hate math, I think a lot of people say that but at least in my country almost all of them end up studying math (not that field, but fields related) at university.

[Keelah!]

My affinity for math has been dependent on the style of teaching. I enjoyed geometry and precalculus because the teachers taught it in such a way that connected the formulas and concepts to visual, real-world examples and problems. Physics was similar, and I guess this is partially the nature of the subjects that allows for such visualization. Algebra and later stages of calculus seemed too un-grounded. Had horrible algebra and calculus teachers - first algebra teacher (older man) called girls in the class "honey" and "sweetie" and when a girl called him out on it, he got angry and yelled at her. Calculus teacher also had a very quick temper, terrifying man, stabbed pencils into the bulletin board when frustrated.

But aside from that, I was constantly questioning, "How does this apply to real-world scenarios?" and was never presented with anything that would give me reason to be interested in the more abstract fields. Took a year of calculus in university, took statistics, then never revisited math again.

[UghIHateThisPart]

I think a lot of people hate it because they have had bad teachers. I hated math until I discovered khan academy. I highly recommend this tool to everyone.

[AlexPeyton]

I never liked it because A) I think it's flat out boring B) I think these days your ability of mathematics seems to define your intelligence, thus making me feel pretty stupid.

Even though i didn't do badly in maths in school, it was my worse grade.

I always wanted to go into the medical field or a science but because I didn't get a B in maths they never allowed me to take any science A levels despite getting A*'s for physics and A's across all the sciences at GCSE. The requirements say C for English, but they raise it to a B for maths as if saying 'you have to be more intelligent to do this, clever people only, you're average at maths, you're thick, sorry'

it's kinda single-handedly ruined my life ambitions, and i was a few marks off qualifying, but no matter how much I tried to convince them that science is my absolute passion they wouldn't have it. pfft. now i have no idea what to do in life because that -.-

oh and my friend wasn't let into A levels at all when she got a fail in Maths and passed everything else, despite her wanting subjects that didn't require mathematics at all she felt she was "stupid" just for this and she's called it alot

[TripleA]

Math requires some people discomfort, for in math you can't BS your way around with long words that may sound smart, like in most literature feilds. Math requires one answer-you know it or you don't. The fact that there's no leeway to interpretation and you're forced to think methodically turns a lot of individuals off.

Certainly turns me off.

[shockkkk]

Can we drop the whole 'there is only one right answer in math'? I mean it's true that there's only one right answer to a question like x^2 + x - 6 = (x-2)^2 or something like that, but in actual math that is centered around proofs, there can be multiple ways of solving a problem.

Also, math can be extremely arbitrary. Take for example the issue of Russel's paradox which goes something like this:

Consider the set R := {X | X is not an element of X}. Or in English, the set R which contains all the sets X such that the set X is not an element of X itself. For example the set A:={1,2,3} would be in the set R, because the set A={1,2,3} does not appear in the elements of A (1, 2, or 3). Then we have the following conundrum:

Consider the set R. If R is an element of R, then by definition of the set R, R is not an element of R. If R is not an element of R, then R belongs in the set R, and thus R is an element of R. From this we conclude that R is an element of R if and only if R is not an element of R, something that makes absolutely no sense.

So how did mathematicians get around this paradox? By coming up with a set of rules (of which there are many) on how one is allowed to form sets, under which it is impossible to form the set R discussed above. There was no objective truth as to whether or not a proposed set of rules was correct or not, it was just arbitrarily picked by a group of mathematicians.

[SexNotHaver]

I disliked maths when I was in primary school but I have found that the more complicated the maths I learn, the more and more I've come to love it and also be good at it. I've actually found it easier and easier as I progress. I think this is down to the fact that I've never been a very numerical person and manipulation of numbers and figures in my head makes me want to scream and throw stuff. As you progress through maths it becomes much more of a problem-solving exercise and about the use of algebra and calculus and things. The actual number-crunching aspect vastly reduces, and I think this is maybe why people claim not to like maths; they are put off by the boring number-manipulation you do so much when you first learn maths, and this maybe sticks in their minds so that they always associate it with that.

That's what I think, too.

[Falconer]

For me it was just having bad teachers. I know that seems loaded because other people seemed to learn math fine with the same teachers I had but some people learn differently and I'm one of them. I had one math teacher in high school who I really liked and he was the closest to ever getting me to understand it and those were the best grades I ever had in a math class (they were probably like B-C's, I never got an A in math classes but everyone was aware I struggled with math). When I was in elementary school I had the same math teacher for several years though, so I blame it on bad foundation for learning.

I really wish I wasn't so bad at math because I love science.

[gogg]

I think a lot of people hate it because they have had bad teachers. I hated math until I discovered khan academy. I highly recommend this tool to everyone.

Omg, Khan Academy! I LOVE that website! :)

[Unbanned]

Beyond that, I hate things that are formulaic and uniform. Mathematics, at least until you get really deep into it, has only one answer and I find that boring. Day to day stuff like making change, averaging, being able to measure out fabric or angles for Steampunk projects or ingredients for dinner, yeah, I'm happy to have and it's useful, but doing math for the sake of math? No thanks. It's too dull for me. I'd rather have the opinions and unpredictability of the fine arts.

This, pretty much. The formulaic nature of mathematics is just so boring to me. I do find science interesting, because it seems to have a more direct connection with the world around us. However, the arts are the most interesting of the three. I just like the way they can be interpreted in different ways by different people. And they are constantly being taken in new and interesting directions, without the need to compare with previous forms (unlike in maths and science where one must use the same basic principles even when examining new and complex ideas). They're so flexible and, unlike maths and science, their purpose is less obvious. Maths and science are about discovering our world and the universe, but what are the arts about? The "soul"?

[James Bond]

I never liked it because A) I think it's flat out boring B) I think these days your ability of mathematics seems to define your intelligence, thus making me feel pretty stupid.

Even though i didn't do badly in maths in school, it was my worse grade.

I always wanted to go into the medical field or a science but because I didn't get a B in maths they never allowed me to take any science A levels despite getting A*'s for physics and A's across all the sciences at GCSE. The requirements say C for English, but they raise it to a B for maths as if saying 'you have to be more intelligent to do this, clever people only, you're average at maths, you're thick, sorry'

it's kinda single-handedly ruined my life ambitions, and i was a few marks off qualifying, but no matter how much I tried to convince them that science is my absolute passion they wouldn't have it. pfft. now i have no idea what to do in life because that -.-

oh and my friend wasn't let into A levels at all when she got a fail in Maths and passed everything else, despite her wanting subjects that didn't require mathematics at all she felt she was "stupid" just for this and she's called it alot

Hi, i've just registered here to reply your post. I'm from Russia. just here to support you.

First of all you have to think much broader: remember, if you want to learn something, just go for it and don't listen to anyone. All people will discourage you, yet never give up that easy. If you really want to study science, just sit down and make up the plan of how you can implement it and what particular results you want to reach. May be you want just work at scientific organization, but perhaps you want something bigger, like discovering something new in particular field of study. So what you have to do is to define your goals clearly for yourself. After that you need to find ways of making your dreams come true. Never listen to people who keeps you down saying that you have to stop dreaming. NO! Try to find different opportunities for implementation of your dreams and desires.

The second crucial thing is - If you feel you will need mathematics or applied mathematics to make your dreams come true, just find good tutors or websites like Khan Academy where math is explained in a simple way and where people who just started studying math are not discouraged by arrogant people who already good at math. You have to bear in mind that most of science and math people think they are smarter their counterparts. It's general trend which has something to do with bad upbringing and lack of culture in social behavior. They were grown up with the thought that their are "special".. but in fact there are no special people. There are just ones who started to dig math earlier and as a result the person understands the subject well. So my point is if you need math in your work, don't give up on it. Just take a good book and don't listen to arrogant haters in your surrounding.

The third thing is - If you don't need math, don't focus at it. Math is logical, but logic is not the center of our life. Math is not the center of the world. It's language, it's just set of rules which humankind just created for themselves and believe it as if they believe one God. It's lame. It's scientifically proved that logic doesn't necessarily work everywhere. There are always exceptions which mathematics is unable to explain, at least at its modern level of development. And please don't be discouraged by the people in educational system. Educational system is a thing created by the government to educate people however authorities needs people to be educated. Schools and Universities are just institutions which were initially created to run and keep track of people. Just don't believe them, when they tell you, you can't do something. It's not true, human can do everything. There are no impossible things, even Andrew Carnegie said that.

At last, i will quote Albert Einstein:"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

Before taking a science as major, think twice whether it's really what you want and what you need. May be you can reach what you want with the help of self education and your work will not be as boring as most of scientist's one. So think good before dedicating your life to the one thing. And remember, it's your life, we live only once in this world, life is short, so make sure if studying science really matters to you. Don't listen to anyone, there are no people smarter than you even if they think they are. Everything is relative. Someone may think he's smart, but in reality he has no idea what the life is and how to live it and may be he will understand it only when turns his 90.

I hope people who will read it are smart enough to see life objectively as it is and not advise anything to anyone. Everyone has his/her own unique life with lots of circumstances. Stop unifying people. Everybody is individual first! Everyone is different and has his/her brain which is no more stupid than yours.

[Frac]

I'm cool with math and find it rather easy but I hate physics for some reason, which is stupid because they're almost the same thing.

I just can't remember all these stupid constants and whatnot. What's even funnier, I love chemistry and think it's both easy and fun even though it's essentially physics except you have to do dishwashing afterwards.

[randmzr198]

.:Deleted:.

[Kelly]

I like maths. <3 I use them as much as I can at work.

Snapshot @ Scientific American

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We Hate Math, Say 4 in 10 a Majority of Americans

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LOLs.

[Doremi(fa)]

Who hates math? Math is fun! (especially calculus, I love calculus)

[MoraDollie]

I normally learn things with relative ease. With that being said, it takes at least 4x longer with me and math. I get frustrated with myself and it's just argh T_T I'm an artist at heart, so sevens look like noses to me, if that explains anything XD

[.........................]

I think people would just not favor it, instead of hating it, if they weren't forced to learn it. That being said, in high school I didn't feel like that many people hated math. There were also many people who hated history or languages with a passion. I liked all subjects, because I was a nerd. At some point, I even considered majoring in Math. But later I found out I didn't really understand math, I just memorized how some kinds of problems could be solved. I wouldn't be able to come up solutions for new problems that weren't so similar to what I solved until that point. I still like basic math and statistics, because it's fun.

[Tanwen]

I used to think I was being stupid because I had serious problems with maths; my teacher was amazed when I took to calculus like a duck to water but on the whole...no. My parents had to pay for a tutor to get me through my GCE, the first exam I passed in my 5 years at high school was my 'mock' GCE and I can still hear the delight and surprise in my teacher's voice when she was announcing the results. I may have only scraped a pass - but it was a PASS!!! :D

I could follow examples, see where all the data came from and work though the calculations BUT when it came to applying it I was . A few days ago I learned it has a name - "dyscalculia" . Oh well, no point in dwelling on 'might have beens'

[Guest]

Math is hard for me. I had to try pretty hard to do well, and at a certain point I wasn't able to keep up anymore. I took and dropped Calculus twice. That apparently was my brain's mathematical limit.