The Real Reason Why Young People Don’t Like Math

By Alex in Science & Tech on May 23, 2008 at 11:59 pm

Add this to the pile of excuses why young people loathe to study math: they think that mathematicians are slovenly and unpopular with women!

The research suggested that most students and graduates associate a mathematician with an old middle-class white man who is obsessed by his science, devoid of most social skills and love life. Besides, their notion of mathematics is distorted and restricted to elementary arithmetic.

The researchers found that most stereotypes reflect the way mathematicians and mathematics are represented in mass culture.

“Given this narrow and negative stereotype of a mathematician, it’s no wonder that few youths want go on studying this subject,” said Mendick.

Link – via J-Walk Blog | By the way, the photo is of Russian math whiz and recluse Grigori Perelman who actually turned down the Fields Medal (the math equivalent of the Nobel Prize)

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clinton robert labombard
May 24th, 2008 at 3:14 am
Actually, and especially when you were a gen-Xer living in the suburbs it was because of two things: math teachers, the material they ‘taught’ from, and the endless homework were more boring than watching television, and then there’s not much else to do in that situation than watch television and play some of the most mind-numbing video games ever invented. Applications for basic arithmetic? Sure, there were a few, but that was all. After that there wasn’t much hope. A few bright kids actually got somewhere with math, but not many and certainly not as many as there should have been.

Less materialistic places, such as small towns and third-world countries could make math an exciting thing, and that’s the important thing: if it’s exciting, then the children will soak it up and make use of it. But cultural image? Bullshit.
Peeves
May 24th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Same for techies..but I’d still assume the main reason is that breaking down the universe into numbers isn’t what most people think leads to finding beauty and excitement in the world.
CheeseDuck
May 24th, 2008 at 7:55 am
I always thought that Math was sexy.
bean
May 24th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I always hated math because it’s completely arbitrary. It has always been more philosophy than science. The concept of i? Seriously.
avist
May 24th, 2008 at 11:52 am
The writers of Numb3rs are apparently on the forefront of promoting a new image for mathematicians!
L
May 24th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Well, if they want more people to pursue advanced mathematics, they need to make it more attractive. Literally. If I saw a hot mathematician calendar, I’d be more likely to be interested. I probably still couldn’t do the math, but I’d at least be more intrigued.
maff
May 24th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
actually, bean, the concept of i := sqrt(-1) is actually not as arbitrary as you would think; the complex numbers are the “closure” of the real numbers, meaning every polynomial with coefficients in the real field has a solution in the complex field. Essentially, what the motivation for the definition of i is, is that the way math works would just be so absolutely convenient with it that it’s worth making what seems like a crazy jump in logic to have it.

And yes, math is sort of more like philosophy than physics, but this also means it has just as much elegance as the former; physics often has crazy constants that have what seems to be arbitrary values (look at the fine structure constant, for example), whereas mathematics has structure; even a number seemingly as arbitrary as e = 2.7182… has a wonderful representation as an infinite sum e = 1 + 1/1! + 1/2! + 1/3! + …
Ashley
May 24th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
My boyfriend is a mathematician and a hottie.
Aar000n
May 24th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Wow, at least for me and all the other people in the world I know who hate math, this is a complete lie. Most kids hate math simply because it’s hard for them because the ideas are too abstract. Not because they associate math with men who have no luck with women…
J of The Sandhills
May 24th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
a string of bad teachers at the basic math level can kill a kid’s positive attitude to math
iuwer
May 24th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Americans are dumb and lazy, news at 11.
Parker
May 24th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Re: maff, I got one sentence into this comment and had to force myself to just skim the rest. This is why math isn’t popular. ‘Polynomial’ and ‘coefficients’ are not terms to use to explain math to non-mathmaticians. Whatever they’ve been doing in our schools for decades is clearly not working to engage those who aren’t naturally intrigued by numbers..it’s not that Americans are dumb it’s that we value teaching kids a shitton else to concentrate on because careers in engineering 2 decades down the road is not the national goal.
Ola Amigo
May 24th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
BTW, iuwer, it was British research being written about in an English language version of a Russian newspaper. No Americans were hurt in their experiments.
Rosi
May 25th, 2008 at 2:50 am
Maybe they just don’t like maths because IT DESTROYS YOU!
Okay maybe I’m a bit biased because I am taking maths exams at the moment and I feel as if with every equation I solve (or more often than not, fail to solve) a tiny piece of my sanity slips away… It’s just very very difficult, and what makes people not like it is that some people have incredible natural ability in it (like most of my maths group) and make people who have to struggle to achieve anything feel really stupid. Also I don’t really like maths because, like Aar000n said, it’s really abstract, you only learn figures and equations, nothing that’s “real” in most senses. Also I definitely believe that there are some people who are good at sciences and some people who are good at academic subjects, and I am 100% in the latter category.
Yoda
May 25th, 2008 at 8:02 am
The cast of Proof says otherwise…
ted
May 25th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Math and science are fine and interesting. It’s when you get to that point where you think you understand something and they throw you that curve ball, and you realize it’s never going to end. It’s just an endless series of ever-increasingly-difficult plateaux. And they start talking gobbledegook, and you throw up your hands in frustration and disgust, and they say, “But it’s so obvious!” But it’s not, I tell you, it’s not!
the lord
May 27th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
MATH LOWERS UR SPERM COUNT
AND BLOCKS OVERIES
the lord
May 27th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
MATH LOWERS YOUR SPERM COUNT
AND BLOCKS OVERIES
cking
Nov 18th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I agree completely with clinton robert labombard. The reason people struggle with math is not because it’s so difficult to learn, it’s because they feel there are better ways to spend their time than pondering functions. While this may or may not be true, it can certainly be said that there are more fun ways to spend our time (for most people). As a student minoring in mathematics, I feel almost anyone could be great at math if they just took the time to learn the concepts and practice. It’s the lack of interest that kills us.
Zwik
Dec 15th, 2008 at 2:12 am
The main thing that affects my level of interest in mathematics instructor’s ability to communicate and explain mathematical concepts in clear,straight forward,easy to conprehend and simple language.You CANNOT be “teaching” math (or any other course really) and expect everyone to readily get concepts you attempt to communicate.

Another thing is the pace at which one learns.Everyone learns differently;some fast,some slow.Maybe if more instructors atleast try to find some middle ground and not blast through material,more people would “get it”.

Thirdly,maybe if unlookers are given reason for/purpose learning a math concept they’de be more into it.Questions like,what can be done with knowledge of a math concept?How can such knowledge be applied somewhere to make sence?

Math is’nt and should’nt be difficult.Its how it is presented and communicated,the pace of the communication,and the adsence of reason/purpose which gives it that illusion.
mezz
Apr 27th, 2009 at 7:38 am
I’ve never liked maths for a number of reasons: its boring and mind-numbing, its just playing with numbers, its so trivial and useless, theres no room for creativity or spontaneity. It has to be correct or OH MY GOD all hell will pay. In high school I thought maths was created just so teachers could belittle me. So I associate maths with crabby teachers and feelings of depleted self-worth.
Tre
May 7th, 2009 at 3:46 am
And that pretty much just sterotypes young people. Good Work.
Avi
Aug 1st, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Most kids who do not like math usually have a certain reason. The reason is usually because the teachers use the same technique over and over and over again. Or mainly because it is boring. You’re doing the same crap everyday, and it is not creative at all. All the homework, and studying, and all the numbers mean nothing! Teachers do not make numbers represent real life. Want kids to love math? Then do something fun for a change. In school my teachers spent two days tops on a new math lesson. Then we would have a huge and hard test. We always had a fast pace and if you had bene a slow learner you failed. I swear math should be more like art. Creative, free, and of course passionate.
MathLover
Dec 31st, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Math is not about numbers, formulas, etc. it is about problem solving, critical thinking and opinion development. I find it sad that it is not emphasized and promoted more in early years of education as it would provide a solid foundation to future intellectuals and free-thinkers…
gobble
Jan 16th, 2010 at 11:10 am
math is communist hoy hoy hoy hoy hoy ohy hoy hoyh,
BICHO
Jan 16th, 2010 at 11:13 am
I agree math is communist. Math turns you gay if you get to involved with certain problems then you will see changes rapid changes to be exact. Hoy Hoy HOY GOOD CALL JACK SPARROW WHO DRANK ME RUM.
Tina
Oct 12th, 2010 at 5:59 am
I hate maths..its all irritating n disgusting….especially algebric expressions n equations…i cant understand all dat…
Can u give a specific reason of loving maths….its all boring…ah !!!!!!!!
I dont hate love stories BUT I hate MATHS…but i can say dat sumtimes its quite easy…..every1 has an own choice n i really respect for it…so best regards,
kirsten
Jan 21st, 2011 at 2:53 am
Math was my favorite subject in school. I never understood everyone else’s gripe with it. It was fun and reliable, stable and I loved it. It was my first homework I did every night. I found it easy so I guess that’s why I liked it. Just wanted to add my 2 cents.

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