Who is scared of math?

Question

I know I am. Scariest thing... especially algebra.

Answer 1

Math isn't scary, it's super-fun! Or maybe I'm the only one who feels that way about it. You use math everyday.

Answer 2

Math can be and often is extremely daunting for even the most experienced. It is one of those subjects that if you did not fully learn and understand the material prior to that which you are currently working on you will get lost. On the other hand if you get lost it is most important to go back however many lessons it takes and make sure you understand what came before. It has been said before that music and math are closely related and that a student of one often does well in either subject though this is not ALWAYS the case. All I can tell you is that you should not be afraid of that which you do not understand. Face it head on with the attitude of "I will learn how to do this no matter what". A side note that must be included is believe it or not you do and will use math your entire life. Yes, even algebra. We often search for unknowns, algebra is a way of doing just that. Ever sat down and looked at something you wanted to buy at a store or online, then looked at your bank account and thought, hmmm this is how much i have, these are my expenses and then figured out how much you have to save and for how long to make the purchase? Guess what -- you just used algebra. SURPRISE:) :)

Answer 3

For me it's not scarey, it's just difficult.

I don't deal well in abstracts and algebra ends up in all abstracts.

Now you give me something real world based and I have no problems with it, so long as I get a full explanation of how to solve the problem.

This is the problem with algebraic things

On IQ tests you are given a flattened object and then asked with 3-D object it fits. Ok, so you have a FLAT world and a ROUND world to work with and then you visualize.

Going into abract math reduces the 2-D flat drawing to a set of equations and FROM this you are supposed to pick out the 3-D world.

Worse, it's SIMPLIFIED.

E=mc2 is a simplification of a blackboard full of other equations.

When you boil them down

Now the question is how do you use this in the real world.

The answer is an A Bomb and to get an A bomb requires three blackboards filled with equazations about how radiation interreacts, what mass is required to achieve the energy output.

I doubt seriously, there is a person HERE on this site that can tell me the solution for M is if I give you an E level

If I say I want to generate 12 Ergs of energy, C is the known constant, now SOMEONE TELL ME what M is

See, that's a REAL WORLD PROBLEM

And you can be a total EXPERT at ALGEBRA

But it will take you months figure out how to MAKE M work

YOu need to tell me WHAT MATERIALS what type of MASS works and how much of it and how you make it accelerate at the speed of light to give me my 12 ERGS

If you can't do this with E=MC2 then it's a bogus formula. It has no reality. It applies to nothing. It's like saying God=ALL. That's nifty, but what can you do with it!

And I doubt a soul here can REAL WORLD IT:

I want 12 ERGS of energy, now make it for me

Design me a POWER PLANT using Einstein's formula.

This is why high school math is sometimes SO BOGUS

There IS no possible visualization for the equation.

You can't put it in to APPLES and ORANGES by reverse engineering.

Not withoput a PH D in Physics

So an Alegaric expression is MEANINGLESS without the higher studies

It's simply a means to a way, without a concerete way

And I have problems with that, plain and simple

That's known as ABSTRACT THINK Vaid, but NOT everyone can grasp it and NO ONE should be denied an education because they can't grasp it. It's like saying you won't ever be allowed to learn music at school becuase you are tone deaf.

So with apples and oranges I have NO idea at all what

z=z-x2/z+x2 means

OR how it works

or if it works

So the gobblygook makes no sense to me

If it doesn't make sense to a person how can they master it and work with it

Some people can easily work with this motif

Some people can see the abstract therom and find beauty in it

Without relating it to apples and oranges, its simply Greek to me.

If I were to re-take algebra, I'd do it on a computer using Excel or BASIC and real world the thing as best as I could to see if I can understand how the thing functions

If I can't see how it pulsates, I have a problem with it

And a lot of other people do too and if you can't master it they deny you the right to go on to advanced Chemistry and Physics, which is a pratical real world usage of algebra

My personal feeling is that Phsyics or Chemistry should be taught concurrently with Algebra and Geometry and other advanced course more abstract should be taught only to those choosing to go into math intstead of a real world usage.

I think it would make Algebra and Geometry easier to understand if you worked out motion and body problems.

In computer programming I had immese problems fully understanding circle (wave) harmony until I realized a surfer is an expert at it. They know exactly where the tangent is, at what sine or cosine. They know the secants, cosecants. if they don't they wash out.

See, all you get from someone who only went to college for 4 years is that Sine and Cosine is a ratio

Which is an oversimplied defination, but not anywhere near what it's all about.

Once you start to see how engineers made TV work using sine and cosine of the AC wall socket as a synchronization means for distance and travel of an electromagnetic current to scan a helical path.

The same applies to drawing a circle on a computer. You use sine and cosine to find squares on the X,Y plane to make your polygon

Unfortunately you need to get into a masters program in college to fully learn that. They don't teach that stuff to undergraudates as a general rule.

MAth teachs elementary abstracts without tell you WHY are you using them only HOW to use them

If you ain't got a brain or don't go into a MAsters program you won't figure it all out.

So the WHY is meaningless without a brain or grad school

So my only advise to you is to grow a brain and figure how HOW as well as WHY and maybe it will make more sense to you.

Otherwise follow the other advise here and just ROTE yourself with the HOW.

If you take that approach then it takes NO BRAINS to do Alegbra, Geometry, Trig or Caculus

It takes BRAINS to use it to do something

But no great brains are required to MEMORIZE IT.

The use of THAT is not about memorizing your times tables, it about figuring out sales tax.

It's not a how, it's a why.

MAth is about how, they can care less about why

That's someone elses job.

And I have a big problem with that way of teaching.

Answer 4

I am! It's because I always look at the negative sides like it's tiring, a brain twister, etc.
However, if you look at the other side, it's interesting and fun to do. That's what I've learned now... and if given another chance I'd take up BS Mathematics.
and mind you surpassing Math is an accomplishment!

Answer 5

Not really scary, but was always a pain in the butt. I have this thing with numbers (OCD) so it made math such a challenge for me even if I actually new how to do it and the answers. Thank god I have worked through that.

Answer 6

I don't find math scary. However, excluding physics, I have found it kind of tedious since I don't see the practical applications. Algebra isn't scary, it's just different and you have probably been doing it since second grade.

Answer 7

Maths is a wonderful subject, by profession i am a maths teacher. alzebra is the easiest topic among all other topics in maths. practise makes man perfect. go ahead, sure u wil enjoy doing math problems, if u can spend some time for practise. all the best.

Answer 8

If you ever plan to go to college, you'll need to get over that fear of math, because you'll need algebra to get into college and to graduate from college. It's not that hard, especially compared to what's coming next (calculus).

Answer 9

Remember this....math is about learning how to solve problems. Don't be scared about learning how to solve a problem. Before we can solve a problem, we must learn details and arm ourselves with problem solving tools. Math is a great way to get there. You will find yourself solving problems you never dreamed of and you will be so pumped up over it. :)

Answer 10

Science is much more scary. There are so many people who breeze through Calculus and struggle with Physics.