Why is mathematics boring/difficult to/for many people?

[frob2900]

No, it demonstrates the extent to which bijective functions do not preserve volume. Basically, this theorem says that bijective functions will not preserve volume even if you make it piecewise orthogonal with a finite number of pieces.

I was answering why I find it interesting w.r.t. physics. Never meant to imply that the mathematical side of it isn't interesting too

Okay, now that's interesting!

Yeah, perfection.

 

[TheBladeRoden]

While we're here, can someone solve this math problem for me?

A frozen pizza instructs that the oven should be preheated to 425 degrees F, and then cooked for 23 minutes. The oven takes 9 minutes to preheat from 75 to 425 degrees. If I start the oven and immediately put in the pizza so that I won't have to make an extra trip after preheating is done, for how long should I set the timer instead?

My calculations determined that I should halve the preheat time and add that to the total cook time, which would end up being 27.5 minutes. But then my food turned out undercooked.

 

[Ansar]

Oh, just follow the instructions!

Isn't that what math is about, anyways?

 

[frob2900]

While we're here, can someone solve this math problem for me?

A frozen pizza instructs that the oven should be preheated to 425 degrees F, and then cooked for 23 minutes. The oven takes 9 minutes to preheat from 75 to 425 degrees. If I start the oven and immediately put in the pizza so that I won't have to make an extra trip after preheating is done, for how long should I set the timer instead?

My calculations determined that I should halve the preheat time and add that to the total cook time, which would end up being 27.5 minutes. But then my food turned out undercooked.

Yeah, well, theres an argument for the fact that you did it right mathematically.

However, this is not a math problem, its a physics problem. You are basically assuming that each (degree above 75F)*minute is a "cooking unit" and then summing enough cooking units to get 23*350. If your food was undercooked, then the physical assumption you used must be wrong.

 

[Perfection]

Yeah, perfection.

But not to me, because I don't have the time to understand that.

 

[Gilder]

I blame the old crones we have teaching it. They're generally not anyone's favorite teachers. Out of the all the years I've had a math teacher, I've had one good one. The rest were all old, rotten women.

Ironically, the good math teacher was the only male math teacher.

 

[Ansar]

The Physics teacher at my old school was the best.

I don't know how, but he would make everything fun.

 

[Perfection]

The Physics teacher at my old school was the best.

I don't know how, but he would make everything fun.

Being absolutely kickass is generally a national requirement for physics teachers.

 

[wicshade]

the reason why math is so boring is the same reason why math has become 'so easy', it's the darn calculator.

very few math teachers i have ever had have ever even attempted to teach analytical math, it has always been "punch those figures into the magic box and then press graph".

i actualy have not enjoyed math untill this semester in coledge, taking calculus, have a good teacher, but it's because he requires us to know proofs and theorems, and he requires all work to show that you understand the mathmatical concept, not how to punch numbers into a magic box.

 

[downtown]

I don't like math because math stopped being easy for me around Calc. After that point, I stopped using it, and it wasn't very interesting to me in the abstract form, since I had little practical use for math after say, algebra II.

So I threw myself into other fields of study. I could ask the same question to you guys about music, or politics, or anything else that I happen to be interested in. WHAT? YOU GUYS CAN'T PLAY A FLAM PARADIDDLE? ARE YOU ALL STUPID???????/

 

[wicshade]

what if i told you i could play a 'flam Parradiddle', actualy drums IMO or any music for that matter is math.

 

[Integral]

Your avatar would be cooler with an actual integral, rather than just the definition. Here's an integral I always though was cool:

I like that one.

I'll eventually change it to the definition of the natural logarithm, if LaTeX will fit it into a 65x65 pixel space, and still be readable...

At first I did try to use brute force memorization to learn it. Once we started getting into its application I really loved it. Calculus will be very helpful to me in the future after I get my Finance and Business Economics degrees.

BTW, interesting mathematics forum.

Calc is fun! And like I've said before, applications make math much more bearable. I'm glad you got it; it seemed like you were having some trouble before.

And the xkcd math forum rocks, but things go over my head pretty quickly there. I watch much more than I participate, though I've posted a bit more frequently in their other forums.


Integral

 

[frob2900]

I like that one.

I'll eventually change it to the definition of the natural logarithm, if LaTeX will fit it into a 65x65 pixel space, and still be readable...

Integral

The one I gave is much, much cooler than the definition of the natural logarithm

" log(x) = lim(n->infinity) n*(x^(1/n)-1) " isn't very hot.

 

[downtown]

what if i told you i could play a 'flam Parradiddle', actualy drums IMO or any music for that matter is math.

Sure...easy math. I don't even play a pitched instrument. The only real mathematical knowledge needed in order to play (or even compose) at a competent level is the ability to count, and subdivide, to 4.

I'm aware of the more complicated math and physics behind pitch and acoustical engineering...but it doesn't really matter in my day to day performance and maintenance of my drums

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I've not heard of a flam paradiddle, but I can play a paradiddle. (Dum Dum Tish Dum Tish Tish Dum Tish).

Pythagoras was the dude who documented the mathematical relationsip between size of anvils and the musical notes I think.

 

[Gaius Octavius]

Being absolutely kickass is generally a national requirement for physics teachers.

It ought to be, though in many cases it isn't.

I have found that after you take physics, math suddenly gets a lot easier. The first year I took physics, I asked my professor a question: which is harder overall, math or physics? (Well, honestly, what did I expect him to say? )

He didn't say physics was necessarily harder, just that taking it made math seem a lot easier. Why? Probably because it's the best way to see how math is used to describe real phenomena, aside from basic arithmetic. A derivative doesn't mean much to most people until they understand it's an expression of something, like velocity. So one answer would be that people can't relate to it, partly because they don't use it or see its relevance. (These two are, of course, entangled.)

Just about everyone learns to count; many people go on to face algebra and functions; far fewer take calculus, differential equations and beyond.

 

[Perfection]

what if i told you i could play a 'flam Parradiddle', actualy drums IMO or any music for that matter is math.

Then why the hell am I considered highly mathematically adept but can't play the goddamn drums worth a damn?

 

[MadScotsMan]

Maths is art. 'Nuff said.

Some people have mathematical brains and some people don't I guess. I'm useless at languages (except C/C++ and other computer programming languages).

My AP English class was like you. Out of all twele people, only me and one other person had an english brain. I don't like having to do math, because I know my future carrear(damn spelling again) will have nothing to do with math. Thus, I hated Algebra. I like trying to understand math though

 

[Fifty]

I don't particularly like math because it isn't relevant to what I'm interested in, and I don't find it all that intrinsically interesting.

The only math that really seems interesting to me is stuff that requires too much of a time investment on my part to study (since there are several uninteresting prereq classes).

I do have enormous respect for math though, and I really like symbolic logic, which sorta segues into set theory which I guess is math.

Math people generally annoy me unless/until they have actually studied enough math to know about the cool stuff. There is nothing more annoying than a highschool (or early college) kid who thinks he is some awesome math whiz because he took a few friggen calc courses or whatever, and who constantly throws out math terms (like "Integral" ) at every available opportunity as a sortof "OMG LOOK WHAT I KNOWS" attempt. I also get annoyed with math people (or even worse, computer programmer types) who think that their math/computer abilities make them very "logical" when it comes to attacking other questions. In fact, the i'm-so-cold-and-logical-and-skeptical-and-whatnot math/computer sci people are probably the 2nd most annoying know-nothings to deal with on philosophical topics (the worst being, of course, pomo/new-age types).

Spoiler Prediction :

Someone (probably one of the type of people I describe) is going to come up with a description of an annoying person that attempts to encapsulate me as a reply to this post

 

[Erik Mesoy]

I like maths because people can't weasel their way out of being wrong by redefining words, arguing over definitions, appealing that their answer is "nicer" in some undefined way, or doing anything of the sort.

This is probably why so many people hate it.