Why do people hate math so much?

Question

What's the big mystery about math that makes it so hard to a lot of people. How the formualas are made should be no mystery. Theres a reason why the formulas are made the way they are. The reasons that I think that people hate class is
1) People sleep in math class
2) You are taught be a person other than a math teacher, ex. a football coach, that can add 2 and 2 together in the first place.
So if someone would tell me why they hate math then I would understand better. I'm giving the points to a really good explaination.

Answer 1

It's mostly how math is taught. Innumerate teachers create math-loathing students. If teachers took the time and real care to ensure that every single student mastered a few simple skills such as estimation, logical thought, and when to use addition instead of subtraction, multiplication, or division, students would have a stronger foundation on which to build the practical application of arithmetic and algebra in their daily lives.



In a rather dated book that miraculously rings true today (perhaps even moreso now than when it was published!), John Allen Paulos answers your question quite thoroughly. The book is called Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences (NY: Hill and Wang, 1988), and the applicable chapter is called Whence Innumeracy, although he treats the issue of why people hate math on and off throughout the book. And it's also a very entertaining read!

Answer 2

2+2=4

Answer 3

Because math isn't necessary for a lot of things. It is nothing but a barrier in peoples way to get to the things that people are good at. I was a English major in college and had to take math up to college algebra. I did very well with my English courses. However, the math was crazy hard. I actually had to cheat in the math class to pass it for my "English" degree. I paid a math tutor to do my homework and then I wrote what he did in my own handwriting. I did fail all the test from not knowing anything. However, I was still able to pass because what I cheated on was worth the most percentage of my overall grade. I now have a great job and make lots of money. I don't do a lick of math at all. First, see if you can pass the math on your own. If you can't pass the math, just cheat but know what your doing. Otherwise youll get caught.

Answer 4

Usually math requires thinking. People have to actually think. I know it sounds surprising but if you think about other subjects like literature. Literature has may explanations of one thing that are correct, on the other hand math is a subjet where most of the times the answer is only one. If you don't reach that answer then everything, what you thought is wrong. So math requires lots of attention that people nowadays don't really like giving. My conclusion is that, math has some hard topics to understand and are not easy at all, ppl think it's boring to learn something that they think it's nonsense and that most of the topics won't help them to do anything of hat they are going to do with their future. Learn the formulas by hard, without knowing their meaning usually make people sleep. I used to hate math because I was bad at it, I didn't understand it, I got low grades, it was too hard and boring to learn all the formulas and at the same time think that I was reading japanese and really didn't see it helping me with my future career, last but not least the teacher. She talked so slow and explained so bad that that was the main reason why I hated math. Now with a new math teacher, a new way of learning and seeing math I'm one of the top sets and I'm actually thinking of competeing in the math olimpics.

Answer 5

I can't understand why people hate simple math or are unable to do it. I can understand if someone has a learning disability, but other than that you should be able to do basic math.



I liked math until I started taking classes in calculus! Even with the formulas it can be complicated. You have to know when to use certain formulas and the formulas can be very complicated.

I also disliked taking math in college because none of the professors seemed to care what kind of grade everyone got. It seemed like they wanted students to fail. So perhaps that is why some college graduates hate math.

Answer 6

people don't see it will apply to their daily lives; it's hard to see that when you are reading a complicated reading problem that seems to have no meaning in your life!- -- right brains and left brains-- i mean i don't know why people spell so poorly; i can't understand! But i do know many very otherwise intelligent people that cannot spell worth beans! -- Now that being said i have to say i really don't use algebra much less calculus ever and definitely don't like math! The way it is taught is usually boring; usually not always , but the math instructor is an engineer type non people person who just can't get through to children-- There are a few that make it interesting like that Hispanic actor did in the movie where the inner city kids get high AP scores--

Answer 7

For me math isn't that bad as long as it's being applied to something useful. Like in a Chemistry class, everything you're doing applies to the class, therefor it's logical that you should know it, if you took the class. When you're in an advanced Math class, most of what you're doing doesn't apply to anything you're interested in. If you're not a Physics major, then chances are you don't know the formula for trajectory, and even if someone tells it to you or you look it up, it just feels like a waist of brain power. You only learn it because you need to answer a math question that deals with it, not because it means anything to you. I honestly think that math should only be a subject up through Algebra. After that, you should only learn what you need to know for other classes that you're in, and it should be learned as part of those other classes. If I'm a Science major, then I shouldn't have to waist my time learning about marginal average revenue, and if I'm a Business major then I shouldn't have to waist my time learning how to convert joules of heat into temperature. I hate it because I hate wasting my time.

Answer 8

I thinks it's as simple as some people are just math people and some are english people. For example I am much more literate than logic. That's just the way my brain functions. I'm okay in math in that I was able to make it to an AP math class but I struggle. It's just hard for me to remember every single rule and every single exception and every single formula. It's that I'm lazy. For me to actually understand everything I need to be shown more than once so.

Answer 9

Because its a difficult, unnecessary subject that is never used in the real world and people know it. Its only an unfair way to take opportunity away from people who don t think analytically, which in my opinion is stupid. All the advance maths necessary to get a college education such as algebra and calculus is almost never used in the real world. My dad was a computer science major at USC and had to take calculus all the way up to level three. As a Cyber security analyst, he mentioned to me that he doesn t use any of those maths besides basic addition and subtraction and maybe a little trig to calculate security pockets related to his job. I consider myself to be very good with math and get mostly A s in it. However, I think its a waste of time to learn even if you are good at it if you ask me. I know people who couldn t graduate college because of a few math courses. Society is so messed up and cruel to the point where people get criticized for not getting through math courses. I ve seen it and its totally messed up because those people who struggle with math have no desire to go into a math related field where they will never need to pick up a math book and still make six figures.

Answer 10

I don't hate math now, but I regret that I am not very good at it. I did hate it in school, because it was hard for me to get my head around the abstractions. I managed with Algebra (basic) eventually because I could see more or less that x and y corresponded to numbers I could recognize if I did the problem right. But when it came to more advanced concepts, I lost all sense of what was being represented in the formulas. Essentially it was a language I couldn't understand and couldn't find the key to, either because of my own mental processes or because of not having terribly great teachers, or at least ones who had not had to struggle with the concepts or "language" as I did.



I would love to have someone come along who could help me "get it."

Answer 11

I used to like math until I got to high school and my teacher couldn't even add. Then once I struggled through that class I had another teacher who would never answer questions (because she didn't know how). Then the teacher after that didn't even teach the class. He wrote our homework assignment on the board after he showed up at class five minutes late every day and then left the room until class was done.



So basically I have no math skills higher than what I learned in junior high. Luckily I was taught a lot then so I did fine on my ACTs. But then when I needed my high school math in my science classes I really struggled and yeah... enough is enough!

Answer 12

The reason that ppl (i think) hate math, is because its so hard for other ppl.. and it makes you use your brain.. something some kids dont know they have. And i have to admitt some teachers teach math good.. and others don't.. So for those who don't get very lazy Students.. I hate a wonderfull teacher. But everyone else didn't think so, they just wanted to play and do whatever else... And yes Math has a lot of formulas.. so it makes it longer and more complicated unless you KNOW the formulas.. Hope this bit of info helps ya!

Answer 13

It's pretty important that math be taught in a logical sequence ... sometimes disorganized instruction has made mastery more difficult for students than it should be. The worst things are changing fads in what topics are introduced, and subtle discouragements still present for girls. It might help to bring in some side info on the lives of mathematicians, to provide context and history. Too much subjects are taught in isolation, as if not interconnected. Actually I always loved the subject --- shows one what elegance is!

Answer 14

Maybe, some people's fundamental/basic knowledge is very low. So people think that they don't understand maths. Or people hate math is just a kind of stereotype, I think.

Answer 15

I think it's left brained people ( I could be wrong...but it doesn't matter too much) that have more "creative" tendencies. I tend to place myself in this category. People with this mindset see things with plenty of options, for example, if you are writing an English paper, there are numerous ways to write it, all that could be right. In math, things are pretty much black & white. There's no credit given for "being close". Also, as in writing, if you kind of understand something, that can be enough to guide you through an assignment, whereas if you screw one thing up in math, the entire problem is wrong.

Or maybe it's just because I'm stupid. =P

Answer 16

i think people hate math because of - self fulfilling prohecy.

i mean children are conditioned from early on that math is so horrible and hard... and thus, people go into math classes assuming that they will have hard time and thus they do end up doing bad in math, and hating it.

Answer 17

I hate math it gives me a headache, there are number of things that seem to block the fun of it for me. First I realize I could draw in grade school and I could not get creative with fixed number ideals. Then I had one good teacher who take the time (one on one) in class to make simple for me to learn what I can do. Wish there were more teacher like him. He told me that everyone do not learn the same way, one size do not fits all.

Answer 18

I'll take a wild guess and say you are not in college yet.



When you have professors who can barely speak English trying to explain differential equations to you, then you may learn to hate the subject.



When there are more Greek symbols in your textbook than English, then you may learn to hate math.



When your professor tells you about this awesome theory for simplifying problems, but that you just need to memorize it because the math behind the theory is too complex for you to understand, then you may learn to hate math. For example: http://planetmath.org/encyclopedia/ProofOfGreensTheorem.html (This is actually a pretty easy proof, but it was the first thing that came to mind, and I think it is complicated enough for you.)



When the problems get so complicated, the professor makes the test only 1 question long because that is all he can feasibly expect you to do in the hour long class period, then you may learn to hate math.

Answer 19

People hate maths.. sleep in Maths class becuase it's boring 99% theory... that has nothing to do in our painful practical life... it's useless in our life except in computer programming..... + it's quite logical need to use brain... so people feel it difficult and start hating maths... i don't though .... although i'm not that much good in Maths!

Answer 20

Let's look at this with culpability on all sides... the lack of personal initiative, courage to deal with the "complex" etc., have all been raised... but look at how math is often presented... not as something dynamic and life-giving, but as cryptic, dull, and devoid of human interest...dealing only in the esoteric, and not as a discipline that decribes phenomena of universe. Do we tell them that like everything, math is the language of science with propositional rules in the syntax and universal properties of space-time relations? How do we peak the interest levels of students? Applied mathematics holds the most promise here... leave the pure math to the died-in-the-wool mathematicians who seek to find the new intersections & integrations within the abstract. So, the more interactive and engaging that we present math the more student are going to "catch on" to the importance of this beautiful language of nature herself!

Answer 21

Maths is a real fun.



But if you got the wrong teacher.. its different.



I started to hate maths since high school. The thing is my teacher is not very talented in teaching. I couldn't understand what we were learning. Well, I have to admire that she is a math wise but.. if she wants to teach. She should do something with her teaching skills!



Doing maths excercises is very important. It's the only way you will learn. If you are not too lazy. Do a lot of maths questions.



(Unfortumately, I am)

Answer 22

Because they are afraid of numbers. We have different talents and skills so it just so happen that Math is not their forte. You may excel in Math but not good in English or in Science.

Answer 23

Math is really hard. I hate numbers and I am not good at it. I wish I was though!

Answer 24

I'd agree with clit_niblr28 - bad teachers.

I've tutored a number of students in algebra and calculus. They always hated it until the understood it.

Answer 25

Because math is so hard! That is why! I mean it's not because we are lazy, it is harder for some people! I mean, like not adding subtracting etc.! But the formulas! I understand there are reasons behind the formulas for being that way! But the way peoples brains functions differ, person to person!!!! I hope you understand what I am saying!

Answer 26

i love math more than i love myself, i took a math book out for the summer. in my school, the kids hate everything, and there are a select few in the elite math classes. they just don't care, that's all. they figure they won't need all of the formulas for later on, and why should they learn it if they don't have to apply it? they are letting their minds rot.

Answer 27

It takes six seconds for the Y.A. web page to display for me to be able to click on the [add your answer] box. is my laptop slow?

Answer 28

Bad teachers who can't really break it down in terms most people can understand.

Answer 29

Whenever I post a question, even if it's the simplest one, they cannot provide me a good informed answer here. Wtf happened to people who actually take the time to write an answer??

Answer 30

i dont hate math... i enjoy it some

Answer 31

lazy u know too much steps, and like i can't remember all that

Answer 32

Math is the only perfect science, and most people consider themselves less than perfect.

Answer 33

because we dont like taking the time to get our answers.

Answer 34

math is easy

Answer 35

Cuz its so boring

Answer 36

Lazy and don't want to work for it. That is most of the time, but there are other reasons.