WHY is MATH SO HARD?!

[Alysser]

I don't know what I'd really call this thread, but really, I can't STAND math any more!!

I am a Freshmen in High school and I am in one of the easiest math courses, but I still do a crappy job! WHY do I have to find math so difficult? If it wasn't for math I wouldn't have so much stress in my life, if it wasn't for math I wouldn't be off the honor roll for the last 3 years! All my other classes are easy A's or B's. I have good grades in Language Arts, Spanish, Social Studies, Music, Biology, Gym..and the only bad grade..you guessed it: MATH! It makes me so mad that I find it so hard. My current average is a 69 and I have a quiz tomorrow. This is a chance to bring up my grade. But guess what? I have no freakin' idea what I AM DOING!

My average last semester was 78 which is a C+, which is good for me, and my parents are fine with that.

I don't get it, I try SO hard. I study for every test, every quiz, I do all my homework, I pay attention, I do all the classwork. WHY can't I just get a decent grade for once.

[Giselle]

I've been told by several highly educated folks that women tend not to do as well as men in math. However, it is suggested that men tend not to do as well as women in language. There's been a wide variety of studies on the difference between the two genders and their propensity towards language vs. math.
http://today.uci.edu/news/release_detail.asp?key=1261

However, that's no excuse. Math is a unique subject in that some people just really "get it" whereas others need an alternate way of looking at it.

I'm one of the latter. I take *forever* to understand a mathematical concept and apply it accordingly. My best advice to you is to get tutoring from *your teacher*. Nobody knows the curriculum better than your teacher, and s/he is an invaluable resource. FWIW, although I have my own hardships, I'm currently in AP Calculus, so I definitely know what you're going through

[Catty1]

I did really well in math - as well as anyone else - till I and and the rest of the class got a very poor teacher in grade 9. It was so bad that the students were going to the OTHER math teacher for help, and the principal had to put a stop to it, as poor Mr Hogan was getting worn out.

In grade 10, with geometry and algebra, I had no background to fall on...and just caved horribly.

My teacher, a really nice lady, talked to my parents, who told me that I was going to have tutoring a couple of times a week. I felt SO ashamed, like I must be REALLY stupid to need tutoring.

But just an hour or two a week, the one-on-one of explanation and no time pressure worked wonders. My marks went from 50's and 60's up to the mid 80's! (I think I got over 90 on one geometry test!)

Another thing the tutoring showed me was the neat logic in how all this works...like a basic sketch of how the universe and its planets and stars are all connected, if that makes sense. I took a real interest in it!

If your teacher doesn't have time - could another student work with you once or twice a week?

Check it out...tutoring made it really interesting for me, and WORKED!

[Karen]

Some people's brains process numbers and math better than others. I agree with Catty1 - see if you can get tutoring, if there is someone who could explain things in a different way that you would understand better.

I'm good at meth, but my sister is GREAT with math. Same teachers all through elementary school, so I attribute it to natural aptitude. That doesn't make math any easier for you to understand, but it may make your own self a little easier to understand.

[mousie]

I'll have to agree with the others, some people's brains work differently. It's a very long story, but I'm 13 and a junior in high school, as I skipped three grades. I go to a normal high school and take normal classes but take an AP (advanced placement) calculus math course. I really enjoy math and it comes easy to me. But it doesn't for everyone. I'll be done with all the math offered at my school and probably will be going and doing a PSEO for math next year. However, even though I'm good at math doesn't mean I'm good in all my other classes. I may get A's and B's, but I struggle immensely with classes like American Literature and even US History. Having a good teacher really, really helps so if you're teacher is good, I'd try asking him/her for help. If that's not an option, I would recommend getting a tutor. I am blessed with a great math teacher who is completely willing to help kids that have trouble with math. However, we do have a really, really bad math teacher who teaches Algebra 1, Geometry, and some other classes. I've been fortunate enough not to have him.

Good luck though! And you also must take this piece of advice, and that is that when you're learning algebra at first, it can be extremely challenging. However, stuff will start to make way more sense once you get the basics down, so I promise you it will get better. Keep it up though, and don't stop trying if you don't get a concept, that's what I do!

~abigail

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'm sorry to hear that you are struggling in math. I would suggest getting a tutor (maybe your school will provide someone) as this can really help you make the connections in math. Good luck!

[sumbirdy]

I am just like you! Math was so hard and everything else came so easily. In 9th I took pre-algebra and did okay because of an excellent teacher and in 10th I took Algebra 1 and passed with a C only because I had a friend in the class who was good at it. But my last two years I took Applied math which is supposed to be the easiest stuff and struggled some with that. Quite honestly, I still don't know how I managed to get out of high school and through all that math (Class of '07!) But I did it, and I'm sure you will too.

[slleipnir]

I hate math too...I think you need to practice it EVERYDAY...so that means, do your homework every night. Just doing that will probably help some. I used to do really bad in math til grade 10 or something when my teacher would MAKE you do your homework every night. She'd do checks and all that. My grades went from like 50-60 to a high 80 just from that o_O Imagen, homework actually having a purpose lol. I still find math hard, especially since I haven't used it much since school (other then the basics)

[Freedom]

Everyone has different aptitudes. Math uses a part of the brain which some other courses do not.

Check into tutoring. You may never be the brainiest Mathematician ever to visit our planet, but you CAN improve your skill set!

I found Math to be easy. I majored in Mathematics in College and seldom spent more than the minimum homework time involved. Until I hit Analysis. UGH! I eventually dropped the course, in order to keep up my GPA. I stayed with Modern Algebra, "floating" around in 13 dimensional space, absolutely LOVED it. Statistics didn't do much for me, I took the required courses and that was it.

Best wishes!

[Pawsitive Thinking]

You have my sympathy! I was an absolute dunce when it came to maths - in fact I got a "U" for my exam (didn't stand for "Unspeakably brilliant" either....)

My daughter struggled too so we did find her a tutor for a couple of evenings a week and he got her through her exams with a good grade

[Pawsitive Thinking]

You have my sympathy! I was an absolute dunce when it came to maths - in fact I got a "U" for my exam (didn't stand for "Unspeakably brilliant" either....)

My daughter struggled too so we found her a tutor for a couple of evenings a week and he got her through her exams with a good grade

[smokey the elder]

I think math is something that requires a lot of practice for some people. I know in grade school we got TONS of homework, basically I think they acted like mental "pumping iron" for the math part of the brain. For higher math, I found that if I could link it to a real world example (these abound in physics, lol) I had much better luck with it.

But I think you need some unhurried, one-on-one time to find whatever mental "trick" might work.

[pitc9]

There was nothing harder for me in school than math was, omg... I thought it was going to be the death of me!!
I'm so sorry you're having a hard time with it.

[jennielynn1970]

I'm not a big fan of math.... I'm doing tutoring with a girl who is on homebound instruction right now, and she's taking Algebra 1. I can't believe the stuff I don't remember!! Luckily, there is an online tutoring program offered by the publishers of the math books. Did you try to see if there is something similar with the math book you are using?? Sometimes getting it reinforced through examples by someone other than the teacher can make it a little easier to understand.

Are there others in your class who are also having problems and would want to form a study group??

[jackie]

ugh, you just described me at your age to a T.

The ONLY reason I got through math was going to math summer school, three hours a day, five days a week during summer holiday. I really recommend getting a tutor and doing a couple hours a week.

Hope you do better.