What exactly makes Math hard to some people?

[Crothian]

Agreed, but you have to admit that there are people more talented at math then others. It's that way with all skills (even you funky ones).

That is very true, but in Math more people seem to defeat themselves then are defeated by the Math. And while confidence helps out in everything, in Math I've just seen a lot of people self defeated.

 

[Algolei]

I'm really good at subtraction, but my addition sucks wind. That must be why I prefer THAC0 over BAB.

Or wait--maybe it's the other way around: I'm good at subtraction because I prefer THAC0?

 

[Umbran]

Something to do with us being slightly crazy/abstract thinking. We asked too many 'why' questions.

Oh, like all the scientists and engineers who made the computer you type on possible don't ask "Why?" I'm a physicist. There are days when I use more math than I use English, and the whole point of using the stuff is to ask "Why?" Same goes for pretty much every sicentist on the planet.

Don't confuse aptitude with attitude.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Oh, like all the scientists and engineers who made the computer you type on possible don't ask "Why?" I'm a physicist. There are days when I use more math than I use English, and the whole point of using the stuff is to ask "Why?" Same goes for pretty much every sicentist on the planet.

Don't confuse aptitude with attitude.

I think the most common use of 'why' that I remember involved things that were considered absolute in math. Can't think of anything off the top of my head, but the fact that some things just plain were THIS WAY with no explanation other than 'Because it is' always bothered me.

Its not really a matter of being good or bad at math...I just plain don't like it. Or at least, the higher up crazy Calculus and Algebra that will never be used in most people's day to day lives.

 

[Thanee]

It's the ability of abstraction and translation.

If you are able to look at a problem and find the little components it is based on, then translate that to another problem you already know the solution of, and then translate the solution back to the problem at hand, then you are good at math.

Math is reducing huge unwieldy problems down to small already known problems, and to see beyond their surface and right into the structure of them.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Henry]

I did fine in Math, Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus; it was integral calculus that stopped me cold in college. In fact, it's why I changed majors from Chemistry to Computers - Integral Calculus screwed with everything I thought I knew about Calculus; as a result, my Physical Chemistry work bombed.

 

[der_kluge]

Please let me be the first to kick you in the junk and take your wallet.

If it's any consolation, I have no idea what I posted. I just google-searched for "equation" and found something that looked complicated.

Furthest I got in college was Business Calculus, which I think was more or less equivalent to Pre-Cal. I didn't care for it much, but I think I somehow managed a B.

Boolean Algebra did me in. I had to switch catalogs to avoid that class. A whole bunch of us CIS majors switched from the 98 catalog to the 99 since it was no longer a requirement. Thank god. I'd never been able to graduate if I had to take that class. It was a nightmare.


And I don't subscribe to the right-brain/left-brain theory. I majored in computer information systems in college, with a minor in music. I dropped the minor after the first year since it was just a waste, but I've always had a strong love for both of them. Brain theory would indicate that people should prefer one or the other, but not both.

 

[Simon Collins]

Hi

I'm a psychology graduate and I have to disagree that there is only one factor behind why people are good or bad at maths. I think it's a mixture of at least two major influences on the brain:
1. Nature/Genetics - people are born with a natural proclivity to make the most of certain areas of their brain, which relate to different skills.
2. Nurture/Experience - when we're naturally good at something, we tend to spend more time doing it and vice versa. If we're criticised in school or at home for being bad at a particular skill, that influences both our willingness to spend more time doing it, and the openness of our mind to taking on board new ways of thinking and doing.

So that natural proclivity is likely (though not certain) to get more practice and more encouragement, engendering a more positive attitude (with a correlating greater likelihood to take on new concepts). There are a few people that break this theory - those that are determined to work hard enough to overcome their natural weakness in an area despite emotional and intellectual setbacks as they grow up.

In other words, to make up for a natural weakness in a certain area, you have to spend a lot more time and be pretty emotionally tough to balance up against the skills where you are naturally stronger.

Maths being an important part of RPGs, it would seem worth spending the extra time to improve one's maths skills - I know I've had to, as my maths skills were always fairly weak (despite my father being a maths teacher - bleh!!! ). The motivation should be there already to improve your RPGing!

Good luck.

Simon Collins

 

[Voodoo]

Its not really a matter of being good or bad at math...I just plain don't like it. Or at least, the higher up crazy Calculus and Algebra that will never be used in most people's day to day lives.

But then again when was the last time you used Shakespear, costal erosion patterns, or the reproduction cycles of bacteria in 'day to day' life. Most of what you learn at school you will never use once you've left education. Thats not to say its pointless at all, because if someone hadn't stuck at maths then there would be alot less technology in the world. (hmm, perhaps not such a good thing)

Also being good at maths doesn't make you good at all maths, I have a math degree but my basic multiplication sucks. Differential partial equations - fine, empowering fireballs - poor.

I agree with Storyteller01 about Howard Gardener's theory. If you have a player who struggles adding up 10d6 try getting them to switch their dice from dots to digits (or digits to dots). It wont work for everyone by any means but it can be suprising how much it can help.

 

[Scribble]

Math is a self fulling prophecy. If you think you are good at it, you are; if you think you are bad at it you are. I was a tutor for many years and the biggest excuse I heard from people claiming to be bad at math was because "they were bad at Math". Math is also one of those subjects that the more you work at it the better you are. People don't take homework seriously and they get into it what they put out.

I agree with this to a point. For instance with me, no matter how much I tried, I'd always miss SOMETHING. The devil is in the details as they say. And so was my distaste for math.

And I don't subscribe to the right-brain/left-brain theory. I majored in computer information systems in college, with a minor in music. I dropped the minor after the first year since it was just a waste, but I've always had a strong love for both of them. Brain theory would indicate that people should prefer one or the other, but not both.

Actually, music is described as sort of the sound of math. The two a very much related.

That said I'm not a die hard follower of that theory. But it does make sense that you would have a dominant brain side. You pretty much have a dominant everything else side...