Do you hate math?

[codygirl5150]

Hi! I'm doing a persuasive speech for my communications class and I am going to talk about how to make math more interesting and understandable for students. I need some facts to show what percent of people generally dislike or have trouble understanding math (either now or in school). Thanks to all who vote!

 

[PlutosFriend]

Hi! I'm doing a persuasive speech for my communications class and I am going to talk about how to make math more interesting and understandable for students. I need some facts to show what percent of people generally dislike or have trouble understanding math (either now or in school). Thanks to all who vote!

Count me in as one who HATES it. It never clicked for me. Thank God for calculators!!

 

[Tazicket]

I'm kind of weird - I'm pretty good at math, but I REALLY don't like it.

 

[helenabear]

You need an "other" When it comes to actual numbers, I totally suck. It took us until high school to realize I am somewhat dislexic and numbers are definitely NOT a strong point for me. Algebra was a hard one for me for that reason. However, when it came to "conceptual" types of math, I do great. I actually loved my pre-calc and calculus classes that I took. It's a whole other type of concept that I like doing. Statistics seemed easy for me as well because it focused more on concepts than just getting a number out in the end.

So I hate basic math and can't add in my head to save my life, but do not mind more complex.

 

[piratesmate]

As long as you don't include Geometry I've always enjoyed math! DD on the other hand, absolutely loves it, but she doesn't have a log in to vote.

 

[Froggyswife]

I hate math. I suck at it.

 

[Nikel]

Former math major here. I would gladly take a math or math heavy science class anyday over a history class. (Not that I dislike history, but except for one, all my history classes have been way dull, boring, and seemingly pointless.)

 

[fraggle551]

I HATE MATH. I cannot begin to stress that point enough. I just came from math class. We're learning how to convert numbers between bases. WHAT?! Are you kidding me? Im spending $1500 on this class to learn nothing that im going to need the rest of my life. Im earning a degree in elementary education with a reading certificate. (I would like to preferably teach kindergarten). The students are DEFINITELY not going to need to know how to convert 3456 in base ten to base sixteen. Nor am I going to need to know that after this semester is over! Trust me on that one. Ugh! Im paying all this money just to fufill a unviersity requirement on stupid stuff im NEVER going to need to know again.

ok rant over. Sorry, but I feel much better now!

 

[Froggyswife]

Former math major here. I would gladly take a math or math heavy science class anyday over a history class. (Not that I dislike history, but except for one, all my history classes have been way dull, boring, and seemingly pointless.)

Now History is something I love. I had great teachers in history class. I just like learning about the past always have. I do believe I was born in the wrong era.

 

[crzyred]

I HATE HATE HATE math. "Dislike" is not a strong enough word for how I feel about the stupid subject.

 

[Nikel]

Now History is something I love. I had great teachers in history class. I just like learning about the past always have. I do believe I was born in the wrong era.

Oh, I love learning about the past too. The vast majority of our vacations are to places of historical interest to us. Maybe I just had craptastic teachers though. (Except for my sophomore year hs teacher, she rocked!) IMO, the value of history is learning about what/why things happened in the past, not just cramming names/dates into my head to regurgitate come test day. The names/dates just don't matter much, IMO. It's the stories and lessons we can learn that are important.

 

[grlpwrd]

When I was in grade and high school, I didn't enjoy math. I did well, but I didn't like it.

Now I do. I even have a shirt from a teacher's organization that says "If you can do math, you can do anything."

I have been a Girl Scout leader for the past 7 years (and counting) and I personally emphasize science and math and as a career choice. I read a lot of material/info/studies proving that there is a lot more money and job security in fields that demand or require math, such as engineering, finance, physics, chemistry, and information technology. Math, science, and technology are where its all at. These subjects are the foundation our society's economy and future development and I think women should be a part of it.

I think if people know how it benefits them and at least appreciate math then it makes it more "consumable." Math is important for basic day to day functions (like cooking and carpentry) and all the way to career choices. Now I am not saying math is necessary to be successful, but it does mean it gives girls/women more opportunities.

This is a huge passion of mine.... thanks for reading my spiel. lol...That's another thing - teaching style is a big factor in liking math. I know I had teachers that didn't make it very exciting or explain why it was so important.

 

[Doe]

Hate it.

 

[shirleyb]

I love math, especially Algebra. I could do algebra problems for fun. Yes, I know that makes me a geek, and I'm ok with it.

 

[Robinrs]

I deSPISE it!!!

I was an incredible student, just couldn't get MATH without really applying myself. I skipped a grade, graduated from high school at 16 and had two college degrees by the time I was 20....

and I STILL could not GET math!!!!

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

I really love math. I love its constancy. 1+1 will always =2, and pi will always =3.14159 .

My son despises math. We're going through the "when will I ever use this" phase right now.

 

[yasmina]

A couple of things here:

1. I'm assuming that if you have a 5 yr. old daughter this must be a college-level course. Please correct me if I'm wrong. It seems to me that the question you are asking is far too basic for a college course. I should think you would want to know by age group, gender, level of education, etc. All of these factors are going to influence your results.

2. Alot of research is available about girls and the decline in scores on math and science once they reach middle school.

3. There is a new book out there by Danica McKellar (Winnie from "The Wonder Years", if you remember that show) titled "Math Doesn't Suck". I haven't read it, but plan to buy it for my 11 yo daughter for Christmas. It has great reviews online: http://www.amazon.com/Math-Doesnt-S...6238058?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194370288&sr=1-1

It sounds like this book might have alot of information you might be looking for.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

 

[disneymama73]

I despise math!

 

[Tinkerbell2002]

I like math when I can just put numbers in a formula and you get the answer. I like that if you follow the formula it always works. I don't want to understand why it works. Those kind of math classes were always very difficult for me.

 

[becka]

When I was in grade and high school, I didn't enjoy math. I did well, but I didn't like it.

Now I do. I even have a shirt from a teacher's organization that says "If you can do math, you can do anything."

I have been a Girl Scout leader for the past 7 years (and counting) and I personally emphasize science and math and as a career choice. I read a lot of material/info/studies proving that there is a lot more money and job security in fields that demand or require math, such as engineering, finance, physics, chemistry, and information technology. Math, science, and technology are where its all at. These subjects are the foundation our society's economy and future development and I think women should be a part of it.

I think if people know how it benefits them and at least appreciate math then it makes it more "consumable." Math is important for basic day to day functions (like cooking and carpentry) and all the way to career choices. Now I am not saying math is necessary to be successful, but it does mean it gives girls/women more opportunities.

This is a huge passion of mine.... thanks for reading my spiel. lol...That's another thing - teaching style is a big factor in liking math. I know I had teachers that didn't make it very exciting or explain why it was so important.

I think as a GS leader you do have the opportunities to help girls become more interested in math and science. I think that having a great GS leader when I was younger who did give us plenty of encouragement in these areas helped me succeed. My first Junior level badge was the "Math Whiz" badge. It was exciting and I still remember some of the work I did for it. I grew up and actually was a math major who now works in the IT field.

I also feel very strongly about the topic of girls being educated in the math/science areas. It is so important that young girls have great role models and understand that math/science are not necessarily "boy" subjects that they are not supposed to like or succeed in. So many of the young women I tutored in college had kind of been "brainwashed" into thinking they couldn't understand math. One of the best things I could do as a tutor was really to just blow away that myth and build up their confidence. The technical stuff always followed. I always said that if I won the big lottery someday I would put a lot of my time and effort into an organization dedicated to this issue.