Why People Hate Math

A hint: it has nothing to do with math sucking.

As a physics student, I often get asked why I would do something that involves so much math. I generally tell them that I actually enjoy doing math most of the time, and they are taken aback at such a statement. In a way, I completely understand why people hate math. The concepts are complex a lot of the time, and it is hard to visualize what the methods are doing. And I get that. But there seems to be something lurking beneath the surface here, that once explored, exposes the real reason everyone hates math.

First off, let’s understand what math is. Math is a strategic, methodical way to analyze, evaluate, and solve real-life problems. Virtually every situation we are ever put in can be broken down to mathematical components and the most logical next step can then be determined methodically. The beauty of math is that it reveals patterns in the world that we might not have ever noticed before. The same equations that determine population growth are used to determine velocities of a falling ball through air. The number that defines the curves of a tiny spiral seashell is the same number that defines the curves of the astronomically massive spiral galaxy. And all of this is awfully useful in so many ways that our society would not have advanced near as far without our deep understanding of mathematical concepts.

So why is something so useful not intuitive for all people? Why does it not come naturally to everyone who learns it? This is simple and straightforward: math is taught wrong in schools.

The biggest sin committed in teaching math is the restriction of method. When math is taught, rarely is more than one method to solve a problem taught. And even more rarely is any method but the one taught allowed to be used in practice, even if it clearly the less-efficient. This creates a total lack of tolerance for creativity in solving the problem, which then immediately discriminates against all those who are creatively inclined. I have yet to find a mathematical problem that has exactly one method that will consistently give the correct solution, yet we treat it like it is so. That easily leads many to consider math boring, especially if large amounts of practice problems are assigned, all requiring the same exact method to solve.

Boredom, clearly, is the last thing any truly passionate teacher would want a student to feel towards a subject, yet the very method math teachers use (or in some cases are required to use) creates boredom. Whenever a person is bored, they immediately cease paying attention, which then starts a vicious cycle of not paying attention in class, then struggling with the homework, then remedial classes or time spent on the same material, causing more frustration and boredom all along the way. The students then associate math with frustration and boredom, and the hatred develops.

It is no coincidence that many creative ones are among those who struggle to enjoy math, and it is no coincidence that those who enjoy math can at times lack creativity. It is instilled from the very beginning, with strict rules of how to solve problems, either because it is “the proven method” or because that is how the teacher prefers to solve the problem. This is a self-perpetuating issue as well; as creative people tend to avoid math, different methods of solving problems are left unexplored and unknown, creating a rut that everyone else in mathematics gets stuck following.

The solution to this is aggravatingly easy: flexibility in teaching and learning math. Students who are able to find different ways on their own to solve a problem should not be punished for using the “incorrect” method, if the answers are actually correct and the method is sound. A teacher should not be restricted, by themselves or by policy, to teach single methods on solving problems, and creativity should be encouraged. The fact that math is strategic does not mean that everyone can or should follow the same strategy, but they should be allowed to develop the best, most efficient methods and strategies for themselves, with guidance from a knowledgeable instructor.

The reason people hate math is not in the subject, but the way it is taught. The restrictions placed on students with regards to the manner they should solve problems cause boredom, confusion, and frustration. A simple, yet profound, shift in the way math is taught in schools could solve this issue easily, and everyone and everything would benefit in the much greater understanding and appreciation of math among the general population.