What's wrong with math?

Question

Why do we see more math homework questions posted here than homework questions from all other subjects combined?

Is it because you need to be extra gifted to do math or because you need a better math teacher, or because of some other reasons?

What's your opinion regarding this phenomena?

No, I don't need help with math...
I was just wondering what makes it hard for others.

Answer 1

Math people are generally left brained, but the majority of the population is left brained, yet most people tend to dislike math. Math, like English or art, is a subject you are either gifted in or you are not. There is no go-between. Sure some people may be "good at math" when it comes to Alg. 1 and maybe geometry, but they'd be lost in higher math like Calculus or Mathematical Theories. Same goes for people who are good with langauges and compostion. People who are really good at math and stand out in the subject are good problem solvers and learn patterns easily.

People who aren't good at math are visual learners and needed to do something themselves, in their own way, to learn it. You can't team them, they have to teach themselves. Which is why most non-math people aren't seen as "smart" because most people don't have the will power to sit down and teach themselves something.

Teachers are also a factor, but only a slight one. The world's best math tutor couldn't get a non-math person to learn it the way someone who is naturally gifted at math could.

It all depends on which part of the brain dominates in control, learning habits, maturity and curiosity.

Answer 2

It's a good question and I don't think that there is a simple answer. I think that maths has much in common with classical music. You can get better to some extent with sheer practice but you need a certain innate ability to be really good. However, this does not explain why so many children find the subject hard from quite a young age. Perhaps the answer is that, more than any subject, you need to proceed at your own pace and our traditional school system with large classes is not suited to that.

Here in England it was not helped by the fact that until not too many years ago, primary school teachers did not need to have passed the subject at ANY level to qualify and so end up teaching it. Even now they only need a basic knowledge of it. Also, because of a shortage of suitably qualified people, even in secondary schools many classes are taught by teachers who don't understand the subject to a very high level themselves.

That said, it is by no means the whole answer.

Answer 3

A good question.

I think the major reason is that every high school student needs to take three years of math to graduate and math is still very challenging for many kids.

Answer 4

Math is generally a very challenging subject for people.

Answer 5

My guess is that there are two important factors:
1. Requires discipline, lots of it
2. Much of it does not readily apply to normal life, nor does it tell a simple story - its artificial and used in mostly artificail situations
3. It builds on itself - the weakest link in a chain problem
4. Social unease with "smart" people or smart "Girls"

Answer 6

The tendency of memorizing is the very much wrong idea with maths

Answer 7

Man hasn't really evolved yet to do math easily. Only some of us mutants can. Resistance is futile.

Answer 8

Because Math makes my head hurt,, Ha ha

Answer 9

math is sometimes very complicated. but chemistry is worse.

Answer 10

if you need help with math go to hotmath.com
math is wayyy to hard.
it sucks.