Ten reasons why maths is so hard - Part 2 of 2
This is the second post in a two-part series. If you haven’t already, be sure to read the first part before continuing.
Why memorising maths won’t save you in an exam
“We didn’t cover that in class,” she said firmly. One of my students had been able to solve all the exercises we’d gone over during lessons and had thoroughly worked through all the extra maths problems I assigned for self-study. So, when she sat down for the exam, she was completely baffled that it wasn’t just a subset of these questions she had diligently practised.
Relying on memorising formulas or solutions without grasping the reasoning behind them is like memorising a cookbook without understanding what the ingredients do. Sure, you can follow steps and get a decent outcome sometimes, but the moment the problem throws you a curveball, you’re lost.
Maths isn’t about following set instructions; it’s about problem-solving, critical thinking, and understanding how the components — numbers and concepts — interact. Without that foundational knowledge, you’ll find yourself stuck, having memorised tons of facts but unable to apply them when faced with something new.
Why gaps in maths understanding will come back to haunt you
Maths is a bit like building a house — every single brick you lay matters. Miss a few key bricks early on, and by the time you get to the roof (hello, calculus), the whole structure collapses, and you’re left wondering where it all went wrong.
That’s the sneaky side of maths: one teacher who didn’t quite nail explaining fractions, or a tough period in your life where you fall behind, and suddenly, your maths exam grade tanks. But the real disaster? Those little gaps in understanding don’t just vanish into thin air. Fast forward to next year, and bam, you’re face-to-face with your old mistakes — now in the form of terrifying maths problems. In essence, every building block of maths matters, and skipping the basics can lead to bigger challenges down the road.
The myth of the ‘maths person’
Mathematics, with its abstract concepts and demand for precision, often feels like a journey full of obstacles. The path can get bumpy, requiring deep understanding and attention to detail at every step.
For those with a fixed mindset, these bumps can feel like confirmation that they’re simply not “maths people.” It’s as if they’ve decided that maths is a mystical talent reserved for geniuses, and they’ve already lost the battle before they’ve even picked up the pencil. Maths becomes this elusive realm where they’re mere mortals, destined to struggle.
But here’s the thing: maths isn’t about some hidden superpower — it’s about practice, patience, and yes, sometimes making mistakes before finding the right answer. Those with a fixed mindset might hear an inner voice telling them they are doomed to a life of avoiding numbers, calculating tips on their fingers, and awkwardly nodding during budget meetings. Yet if they embraced a growth mindset, they’d realise that maths is far less about innate ability and more about perseverance and learning from those bumps along the way!
Why maths anxiety is the real problem — not the maths
For those with maths anxiety, solving maths problems can feel less like an intellectual challenge and more like living through a horror film. The moment a problem appears, the panic starts — sweaty palms, heart racing — and suddenly, even basic arithmetic feels like mission impossible.
It’s not that they can’t do maths; it’s that anxiety has taken up residence in their brain, whispering that one small mistake will spiral into mathematical disaster. This fear hijacks their ability to work through problems calmly, turning what should be a logical process into a stress-filled scramble.
Over time, this anxiety can lead to avoidance and underperformance, even in people who are perfectly capable of succeeding in maths. The panic becomes the biggest barrier, not the numbers themselves. [1]
Houston, we have a PR problem
While actors, dancers, and singers have charismatic role models like Beyoncé or Ryan Reynolds to look up to, math’s poster child is… what? A man covered in chalk dust, scribbling equations on a blackboard with intense silence? Not exactly inspiring.
You never see anyone passionately talking about how maths saved their life in a heartfelt interview on late-night TV. There’s no “maths idol” competition or a viral TikTok of someone solving quadratic equations to a roaring crowd. The public image of maths is all about stuffy professors and complicated symbols, when in reality, maths underpins everything from tech innovation to space exploration! If maths had its own Ryan Gosling or Taylor Swift, maybe more people would be lining up to solve for “x.” Until then, the blackboard scribbler stereotype is doing maths no favours!
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[1] Research in educational psychology shows that about 15 to 20% of the population experiences high levels of maths anxiety. [Ashcroft (2002) and more recent analyses]