What’s so Hateful about Math?

Do people hate math? If you asked one hundred children at a local elementary school, they’d tell you of course people hate math, but I’d argue that people don’t hate math, just how it’s taught and presented. Here are seven reasons why people hate math:

It’s like learning a new language

With all the foreign signs and symbols that litter high-school algebra homework, you might as well be attempting to learn a new language. Not only do you have to grasp how math formulas operate, but you must keep track of all sort of abbreviations and signs that mean different things in different contexts. The overly complicated nature of the jargon prevents students from ever truly grasping the concepts.

Why should I care about my “X?”

The most common question brought up in math classrooms is, “how is this going to help me in my real life?” It’s a valid question 90% of the time. How is know what “X” means going to help you fill out your taxes? Learning “X” is just going to remind you of how your ex Jenny broke your heart at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance. “X” is depressing, and nobody wants to learn it.

It’s cool to say “I hate math”

It’s something of a trend that math is a supreme waste of the precious hours we have on this planet. The unfortunate fact is that math teachers across the world have yet to find a way to buck this trend, as the way math is taught now is the same way it was taught when your parents were still smoking cigarettes in the school parking lot. If this stigma is going to go away, teachers must come at math with a fresh, more digestible perspective.

No room for debate

2 + 2 = 4. There is no ambiguity or personal interpretation to occur here. The pressure to do everything exactly right so you come up with that exact answer provides a pressure that makes math homework a dreadful experience. The hard work you did to achieve your wrong answer is unimportant, just the almighty correct answer.

Horrible teachers

If students are having trouble with a subject, it comes down to the teacher’s inability to teach the said subject. Using my experience with math teachers as anecdotal evidence, most math teachers are more content with explaining complex concepts in the most boring and unengaging way possible and piling on homework. If you are having this problem and find the math homework you are given impenetrable, why not head over to the SolutionInn tutor page? There are plenty of capable, relatable tutors that will help you work through your issues at your pace.