Four Valid Reasons to Hate Mathematics
Published by This article is not for geeks,nerds and whoever loving mathematics or algebra.
Nowadays I witness the whines of students much more. As a 31 year old experienced life student, 10 year old engineer and 25 year old mathematics lover, I searched on the reasons of hating mathematics. To do, I prepared a 10 question survey which involves many tricky questions. To my observations and answers of the students, I combined the reasons in a disciplined way.
1. Mathematics is a language
Most of the students say Mathematics is not a science or a scientific related thing. It is like a language which can only be taken at birth. It is not learnt then. It is something like English, French, Russian or Turkish and mathematicians are units of a common nation. It is a good way of defining life, people itself, nature and even behaviours. So, we hate it because we have no time for a new language. We are pleased currently and happy without mathematics or algebra.
2. I will never use it all my life so it’s pointless
Many students think that they are not involved in mathematics based jobs. For them, basic mathematical rules is enough to live. Most of them dream of being a lawyer or a public administer.
3. It is hard to learn
I think this is a remerkable reason because as an engineer I know the difficulties of learning and teaching mathematics. I really believe that it is a gift from God for some. It requires much more effort to study and you never really be sure about your mathematical senses and results.
4. Mathematics is for idealists, nerds and geeks not for money lovers like me
This type of students enjoy the things that may be converted to cash. Fluent speaking, talent in art, good communication is more important than a great knowledge of algebra. Mathematics is never converted to money.
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15 Responses to “Four Valid Reasons to Hate Mathematics”
On November 20, 2009 at 7:41 am
Once you get to college, most schools will offer a large amount of freedom in how you must satisfy that one math requirement. Some people can graduate from college without even taking a basic math class. Math classes will be designed in college for people like you. Therefore, they will be tailored in a different fashion and designed to be taught in a way for people who already hate math. Consequently, you won’t hate math entirely.
On November 20, 2009 at 7:43 am
The Most Important Learning State Is Often Absent.
“The teacher pretended that algebra was a perfectly natural affair, to be taken for granted, whereas I didn’t even know what numbers were. Mathematics classes became sheer terror and torture to me. I was so intimidated by my incomprehension that I did not dare to ask any questions.”
On November 20, 2009 at 8:24 am
I love math — always have, always will — so perhaps I shouldn’t have read (and I definitely shouldn’t be responding to) this.
There is a perilous short-sightedness when a student utters the words, “But I’ll never use this.”
Set aside all the formulas for understanding geometry; set aside all the calculus and its various application to real life solutions (calculus is even used in risk management for banking and insurance companies); set aside all the cool stuff you can do with modern (abstract) algebra like cryptography … and you still have the fundamental benefit of mathematics, namely that math helps the student learn how to solve problems (not just math problems, but any problem) … doing math problems as a youth will help with putting rational arguments together later in life …
Avoiding math presents many of the same dangers that avoiding history presents … set math aside and we forget how to draw conclusions; set history aside and we forget where we came from, along with the horrors of the past.
I’ll get off my soapbox now.
On November 20, 2009 at 9:18 am
We have students achieve success in reading and writing through individualized instruction, where they learn at their own pace, so why don’t we do this in math? I feel that the idea that this article circles is a great one. To learn math students need to participate in discovery learning. They need to understand the “why” of mathematics before they are really going to begin to understand and learn the concepts. Students also need to learn at their own pace. Everything is connected in mathematics and if students do not understand one concept before the class moves on to the next, pretty soon that student is going to fall way behind.
On November 20, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I agree with not using it in my entire life. Why do we have to learn it? Besides, who needs to learn mathematics when we can always use a calculator?
On November 20, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Those are some very good points. I mean, why learn mathematics when we can just use a calculator?
On November 20, 2009 at 10:26 pm
You begin to hate any kind of knowledge when you don’t understand it and it’s useless for your life. That’s the human’s brain behivior.
Math and other subjets with a high level of abstraction must be applied, or correctly structured with previous knowledge, to be understood and correctly saved in your memory.
At this point you’ll love mathematics forever!
On November 21, 2009 at 1:33 am
I remember loving math until I got to statistics – - I think whatever you prefer is a good thing – - the title made me laugh! *:)
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
On November 23, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I would like to share my experience with other mothers. My 8 year old son never liked mathematics even after I tried really hard for the last 6 years to develop love for the precise sciences in him. Obviously, you might call it a BIG statement, especially considering the young age of Andre. Still, I am sure, that the earlier you will start, the better your child will understand the subject. Beginning at the very tender age of 2, I began to teach my son to count. For our counting, I used any handy materials such as apples, pencils, toys and even cups, when we were at home. And, while walking outside, we counted birds, trees and cars. I admit that my son loved to count so-called real objects, something he could see or touch. Indeed, he enjoyed these kinds of creative games. But the moment I would open a book or try to explain to him the easiest rules of adding or subtraction, the struggle would start. He would nag, making any excuse not to sit with me, tell me he is bored, or that he cannot understand, etc. etc.
On November 23, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Unrealized by many, mathematical skills are necessary to fully hone the potentials of our minds. On the most basic level of analysis, mathematics sharpen our *critical thinking skills. Concepts like postulates, axioms, and integrals are designed to challenge the functional structures of our minds to solve analytical problems, from the simplest to the most complex ones. Mind draining as it is, mathematical concepts and theories test our mental abilities in terms of logic and sound judgment. Being subjected to excruciating math problems helps us realize the immeasurable horizon of our powerful mind. The rationale of the complexities involved in utilizing the ideal and most appropriate problem solving strategy to arrive at the right answer, or at least, the one closest to it, extend beyond the completion of educational requirements. The end goal of requiring us all to learn math is to make each and one of us a better human being.
On the more practical level of analyzing its importance, having sound mathematical skills makes us a better entity in the many dimensions of our social existence. During pre-school and elementary years, the simple skills of addition and subtraction trained us to gradually gain independence from our parents. It trained our minds to handle the simplest problems we encountered from our day-to-day interaction in the society. It equipped us with the necessary mental kit for a smooth integration and subsequent adaptation to social activities that mostly, if not all, involved computing and quantifying, like buying a candy or a chocolate. At the latter stage of our lives, mathematical skills gain more importance. As we grow old, we face more difficult problems that are both personal and social in context. As such, the need to make sound judgments is more amplified. We cannot all the time be emotion-based in making decisions. Actually, most situations we face in our adulthood years require logical and objective ways of dealing. Where else can we get that competent training for logical thinking and critical analysis but through the math courses we have undergone through the years.
On December 19, 2009 at 11:50 pm
“I am accustomed, as a professional mathematician, to living in a sort of vacuum, surrounded by people who declare with an odd sort of pride that they are mathematically illiterate.” – David Mumford
On February 7, 2010 at 8:04 pm
This is interesting. The so-called reasons apply equally well to History, Biology, Literature, or Art, but I don’t go through life *hating* them. The first reason (”it is a language”) is especially concerning — do people really *hate* Italian or Spanish?
Quite possibly, what people hate is not Mathematics itself but the traumatic experience of forced mathematics lessons — they do not like what they are made to do at school, and mistakenly assume it has anything to do with real mathematics. Mathematics lessons are awful, even mathematicians agree, and everyone should read Lockhart’s essay A Mathematician’s Lament (PDF)/(HTML)
Mathematics is an important part of human culture, nevermind its usefulness. It is only too sad that the education system does not convey this.
On February 7, 2010 at 8:07 pm
This is interesting. The so-called reasons apply equally well to History, Biology, Literature, or Art, but I dont go through life *hating* them. The first reason (it is a language) is especially concerning — do people really *hate* Italian or Spanish?
Quite possibly, what people hate is not Mathematics itself but the traumatic experience of forced mathematics lessons — they do not like what they are made to do at school, and mistakenly assume it has anything to do with real mathematics. Mathematics lessons are awful, even mathematicians agree, and everyone should read Paul Lockhart essay A Mathematicians Lament (PDF)/(HTML)
Mathematics is an important part of *human culture*, nevermind its usefulness. It is only too sad that the education system does not convey this.
On February 7, 2010 at 8:09 pm
This is interesting. The so-called reasons apply equally well to History, Biology, Literature, or Art, but I dont go through life *hating* them. The first reason (it is a language) is especially concerning — do people really *hate* Italian or Spanish just because they are languages, rather than being simply indifferent to them?
Quite possibly, what people hate is not Mathematics itself but the traumatic experience of forced mathematics lessons — they do not like what they are made to do at school, and mistakenly assume that it has anything to do with real mathematics. Mathematics lessons are awful, even mathematicians agree, and everyone who (thinks he/she) hates mathematics should read essay by Paul Lockhart: A Mathematicians Lament [http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_03_08.html].
Mathematics is an important part of *human culture*, nevermind its usefulness. It is only too sad that the education system does not convey this. Really, read the essay linked above.
On February 7, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Sorry for the repeated comments, everyone! I got error messages when I tried to post my comment, and resubmitted.
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