Re: Why do so many people hate or have trouble with math? Your input is needed!

LearningNerd wrote:
I'm starting to relearn math on my own (I'm taking a year off before
college), and I'm planning to write an introduction to learning math on
my blog. To get some ideas, I'd like to hear your answers to any or all
of the following questions:

Why do so many people hate math?
Why do they have trouble understanding it?

Most (98%?) of people can't (or haven't learned to) think conceptually.
Since in math, all we do is teach concepts, these people never really
learn what the teacher is trying to teach. Instead they pass their math
classes by trying to memorize the solution to every problem the teacher
might ask on an exam. This disconnect between what is being taught and
what they are learning results in them hating math and not understanding
it.

I recommend reading the book review by Peter Ungar in the March 1986
American Mathematical Monthly pp. 221-230. In particular, see his "Point
of view" section on page 222.

--
David Marcus
.

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