Is harder to learn math as you get older?

Question

I always like to calculate since I was little girl, however is getting harder for me to learn it as I get older.

Answer 1

yeah it is

Answer 2

It might be because you're learning harder math, but are too young to put what you're learning into perspective.

It's pretty easy to find an example where addition, subtraction, multiplication, and subtraction apply. You use it whenever you shop, whenever you cook, whenever you divvy out how big a slice of cake everyone gets, etc. In other words, the math makes things you already know make even more sense.

Eventually, you hit situations where the order seems reversed. You learn the math before you learn the subject that uses it. With no feel for how you're going to use it, the math seems a lot harder.

Just an aside: I finally went back to school to get an engineering degree at 50. With 20+ years of work experience, a heck of a lot of the courses are easier for me than the younger folks, including math. It's the same situation where the math makes the things I already knew just make more sense.

Answer 3

I think the notion of age and learning having some negative correlation is bogus. There may be some "circumstantial" evidence that suggest older people learn slower or what have you.. but academic subjects have the great property that the return on effort investment is usually quite mesurable. (Unlike physical pursuits, for instance, in which there is only so much you can do before you hit a wall).

It should be noted that many of the greatest matehmaticians and scientist continue their work (which involves learning many new things on a daily basis) well into their "golden years". In fact, if you look at the contributions in the sciences, many come from retired faculty. They do add to the body of knowledge.

but there is a catch, these guys spent the last 30+ odd years of their life trying to learn things. For them it was their way of making a living, and as such an every day occurence. Hence they were very used to the ammount of effort that is required to master any subject.

I think that the difficulty learning has little to do with how old your are, and much more to do with how long it's been since you really tried to learn something. Asses the time lapsed since you sat down a really tried to read a math book?

As an counter example, I took one semester off while in my early 20's during my stay at the university. When I tried to get back into it there was this huge disparity in my ability to concentrate because I hadn't done it in so long.

The common misconception is that learning just happens. This is not true by any sense. To learn requires you to be in the apprioate frame of mind to accept the new ideas, and then piece them toghter with what you already understand. This is a skill tha t can be cultivated, but is by no means "natural".

I guess the moral of my story, is that the only way to get better at learning is to keep trying. Once you find the "groove" (and since that so personal a thing, I really have no idea what to tell you on where to begin looking for it), you'll learn at a pace much faster than when you started. After a few months compare what you understand now, to what you did when you started. I bet you, there will be a pleast surprise.

All that said, Math is much more than just mere calculation. Goto any university library and look at the math section. (Typically there is another library just dedicated to math). I bet you'd fall over thinking, wow there is that much to read.

One more pice of annectdotal evidence to demonstrate my point. Can you recall learning how to drive. Can you recall how hard it was at first. Now look at your self in your car. Years of expirence later, and think back to when you were afraid to press the gas pedal.

You know you truly understand when you begin doing before you realise you're doing, and then stop and say. Oh yeah.. I'm driving. Wow...

Answer 4

Definitely not. I have taught for years, and find that older students learn just fine. In fact, often they are more self-aware, more dilligent, listen better, and have better metacognitive skils. I have taught all levels from high school through graduate level mathematics. Higher mathematics must be learned differently from just memorization (which can be enough to learn times tables and procedures), so it may feel new and more difficult at times. The difference is that you are really learning at a faster rate than you think. Ask your teachers to tell you what you have gotten RIGHT, so that you can encourage yourself by reviewing it. Then, tackle the part that needs improvement. Remember to take courage from seeing how far you have come, frequently, so that you do not lose sight of your true capability. When you climb a mountain, and you are half-way up, you can usually look down and see how far you have come. Try to find a way to do the same, here.

Answer 5

when you grow older you have more experience . But when you are young of course you have more energy. Like in other domains. Even so, assuming that you are still young( say under 35) you don't have to worry that you learn harder. Anyhow math is not the same with calculations.

Answer 6

Well, I am 74 years old and I am still learning new concepts in math just as an avocation. I have not detected learning new concepts any more difficult now than when I was in high school or college or in my main career as a computer scientist.

Now there is no question that as you delve deeper and deeper into mathematics that you will run into things that are difficult to understand at first, but that's because they are more difficult to understand -- not because you have grown older.

Keep going. It keeps the mind sharp, and besides, I think its fun.

Answer 7

There are already some very good answers here, and I can't top them. I'll just say something related to chess play: I have been playing chess socially for about 35 years, and chess ratings offer a pretty objective measurement of how good you are. Based on my experience, I am not as good at very fast play (say, five minutes for the whole game) as I used to be. However, I seem to be just as good at the slower time controls. So, as I get older, it appears I can't think quite as fast, but I analyze just as well.

Answer 8

I went to a graduate school to study applied math at the age of over 30 and still got straight A's in all math courses I took.

Therefore, I don't think age is a problem in learning math.

Answer 9

From my experience the answer is: NO! If you are used to learn new things all the time you won't have any problems with that as you get older!

Answer 10

17 isn't that previous. ok so the finished minds were given an early initiate yet considering math is used for existence, why would or not that's too late. you may continually study stepped forward options. i actual am nonetheless studying some stepped forward options and seem at my record.

Answer 11

Everything is harder to learn when you get older. That's why you have to learn as much as you can before you really get old, like 25.