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)
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.
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! + ...
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.
AND BLOCKS OVERIES
AND BLOCKS OVERIES
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.
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,