Maths phobia and how to beat itFrom the Skills Team, University of Hull This guide aims to discuss the problems people have with learning and using mathematics, and explain strategies to counteract them. There are often different ways of doing things in Mathematics and the methods suggested in the worksheets may not be the ones you were taught. If you are successful and happy with the methods you use it may not be necessary for you to change them. If you have problems or need help in any part of the work then there are a number of ways you can get help. For students at the University of Hull Ask your lecturers. You can contact a Mathematics Tutor from the Skills Team on the email shown below. Access more Maths Skills Guides and resources at the website below. The fear of maths Many people have a deep-seated fear of mathematics, and maths tutors see a lot of scared students. There is not a ‘type’ of student that has a problem with maths; it could be anyone. They could be college leavers or mature students, first years or PhD students, local students or international students. There seems to me to be no discernible pattern to the students with this problem. The fear of maths may not seem as scary as a fear of snakes or tarantulas; but think about it - when was the last time you encountered a snake in the checkout queue at the supermarket, on your phone bill, or in your homework (biologists excepted from the latter). People who fear maths have to deal with that fear on a daily basis. Clearly it can be a major problem, and can seriously affect people’s lives. Maths phobia affects people’s lives by making them: lose confidence in themselves and in their academic abilities trust blindly any bills they receive, because they daren’t question the figures shy away from helping their kids with their homework avoid courses in case they contain maths leave courses when they encounter the maths element run up credit card bills as they can’t keep track of how much they’ve spent Web: www.hull.ac.uk/skills Email: [email protected] whether you’ve gone mad or been very frugal . No longer is there a great deal of one-to-one contact with your teacher. There are many reasons why people develop a fear of maths. the lecturer moves on to a different one. where you never forget how to do it. Because you had done so many examples. Now that you can pay for goods and services on your credit or debit card. It is more like a sport. and may continue on into maths phobia. or several of these causes. These range from bad school experiences. you knew where the mathematics had come from. but require a second opinion to boost their confidence. Even if you think that an issue doesn’t affect you. You have some idea of the total cost . it is no longer as important to add up the cost of your shopping as you go around the supermarket. what it was used for and how to use it.but probably couldn’t estimate the cost of your trolley load to the nearest £5. look at the solutions anyway. to suddenly having to use maths for the first time in years. Sadly. the majority of the people that I see have no real problem with the mathematics involved. or decide that they will not be able to complete their course successfully. just as you begin to understand the topic. At this point many students may panic. you felt confident with it. but if you don’t run for five years. Because of the sheer number of students in the lecture theatre. Most students find the jump to university mathematics difficult. The only way to get faster is to practice. My job is to help people who are struggling with the maths on their course or who want to improve their skills in mathematics. the very core of maths. In this way. so you discovered rules and theorems for yourself.The main problem seems to be understanding that. it was introduced slowly with lots of examples. you will slow down and find it harder. are largely ignored. However. it is fear that stops people. Whenever you tackled a new mathematical concept. but instead believe that what they are doing is wrong because they doubt their ability. for the most part. You may find that your problem stems from more than one. the everyday use of maths is decreasing. And then. Sometimes you did exercises that led you to the result. You may be the fastest sprinter in the county. as the world becomes more automated. Maths isn’t like riding a bike. This lack of confidence leads to a general lack of confidence in all maths. and you are lost. 2 . and we lose our confidence in using them. and using the method you had been taught became second nature. In the following sections various causes of maths phobia will be identified possible solutions discussed. as they may still help you. By learning topics in this way. You may even have had pictures and rhymes to help you remember formulae and methods. our basic arithmetical skills. and not a lack of mathematical skills. Possible cause 1: speed of delivery of university material Think back to when you were at school. They think they may have answered a question correctly. you may feel too scared to ask questions in case you look foolish in front of the other students. this makes it easier to ask your questions. As tutorial groups tend to be smaller than lecture groups. 7. It is always best to look at more than one textbook as different explanations work best for different people. there is less time to go over topics in detail. make alternative notes to refer to when doing exercises. so your tutor will expect to be asked questions.Possible solutions The thing to realise is that at university. Tutorials are normally taken by either a lecturer or a postgraduate student. Once you get used to this change. 3. The aim of tutorials is to reinforce the information given to you in lectures. all of whom will be able to answer any questions you have. Note . Remember. Make up some examples that are similar to those encountered in lectures or exercises and try to solve them. attempt every question. no matter how short.If possible try to stick to texts that use the same notation as that used by your lecturer. Problem sheets and answer sheets make valuable revision materials. There are many ways to tackle this problem: 1. Use tutorials and problem sheets wisely Whenever you have a problem sheet. read it. It will show you how best to answer all the questions that were set the week before and show you how the answers should be set out. so ask questions in tutorials instead. 6. you will find that the maths is not as hard as you first thought. Repetition When you understand a concept or method . You may surprise yourself by getting through a question you were sure you couldn’t answer. Work on exercises with friends You and your friends may have understood different parts of the topic. Sometimes all it needs is a couple of minutes to ‘get your head round’ a difficult topic. and possibly. 5. They will also explain where this branch of maths has come from. but which makes more sense to you? If so. If you are provided with a solution sheet. Ask questions You may not feel confident enough to ask a question during a lecture.use it. and they can help you. You could also swap these examples with colleagues to get even more practice. This means that you are learning mathematics in a different way. its uses. Is there another way of saying what they said. Ask your friends Very few people on your course will have the same mathematical background. 4.‘there is no such thing as a stupid question’. and where you are not sure. or learned something similar. Having someone nearby answering the same question can also provide a confidence boost as you can check if you both have the same answer. Any attempt. It is worth noting 3 . Rewrite your notes Chances are you’ll have made notes of everything your lecturer said and written them in the exact ways he/she said and wrote them. Read the recommended texts These will often go through the work in similar detail to that which you experienced at school. at a question will provide lecturers and tutors with an idea of what you know. if you have put the work in and still don’t understand a concept . so it is likely that someone you know may have seen the topic before. so you can help them. 2. it may not be clear how the final answer was reached. Your lecturer wants their students to pass their course and if there is anything which is preventing students from doing so they will want to know about it. Mathematics involves a lot of repetition to get the facts cemented in place. 2abcd 3acbd 12dcba 6. 9. In these cases it is good practice to work through these examples yourself and convince yourself of where all these lines of working came from. 3x 2 2 x x 2 x 4 On first glance. Organise a deputation If you find that all the previous ideas have not sorted out your problem. especially with algebra exercises. There are 6 questions. I will imagine that the other questions are not there and focus on the question I am answering. Remember. Self-talk Try to convince yourself of the following (true) statement: Yes there is an awful lot of algebra in the box. Here is an example taken from Algebra 1. so exercises tend to be quite lengthy. 4 . This is most likely because. they may be able to sort it out for you then and there. so the sooner you let them know about the problem the better. the better. then put the exercise out of sight. 3x 2 y 4 x 3 y 8 z x 6 y 5. Read between the lines Often in maths lectures (whatever your course). If it is not possible say so 1. you are less likely to be panicked by it. but it is not one huge impossible question. but I only need to do one bit at a time. go to see your lecturer. when you first see it. if it is a larger problem you may be able to arrange for a help session on the topic. Possible Solutions 1. one of the Skills team’s mathematics help leaflets: Simplify where possible. which together look bad. If it is a small problem. 2 p 2 1 p 3 p p 2 2 4.that examples given in lectures are often very similar to those used in the exam. the lecturer will skip lines in their working in order to save time. In time you will find that you can produce ‘shortened workings out’ yourself. this exercise looks quite complicated. lecturers are very busy people. Removing the whole exercise from your line of vision will help you to concentrate on the question at hand. 8. and there are a few of you with the same problem. 4s 2s 10s 2 8s 3. so the more practice you have of these. xy 7 xy 3x 5 y 2 xy 2. If you just look at the lines of working on the page. your brain tries to read it like a book. 2. Remove the other questions from sight If you are working on question 1. If you are faced with a sheet of paper that is blank except for one question. Possible cause 2: Information overload Too much information on a page can create a knee-jerk ‘I can’t do this’ reaction. write the question out on your answer sheet. There are calculators than can manipulate algebra. purely because they haven’t needed to work anything out in their head or on paper for a long time due to the universal dependence on calculators. If you don’t understand the theory. if you were working out . and so are ideal for those who are not confident with their mathematics. which are very valuable. You can use calculators to produce your final answer to a question. such as for . Calculators are wondrous little machines that you put sums into and always get the right answer. you won’t be able to produce an estimate for the answer. 2. you will have no way of knowing if your answer is sensible. Sometimes it is not clear which part of a function is done first. If you use a calculator you cannot get any method marks as you’ll only produce an answer. Most exams give method marks for answers. Revise If you have tried the 2 options above and the question is still bothering you. If you round both numbers up. Calculators do give the right answer if they are given the right instructions in the right order. Why should I have to know the theory behind the formulae when my calculator can solve equations and integrate functions? Why you shouldn’t rely on a calculator for exams 1. whereas if they were both rounded down. Care should be taken here though. the brain realises that we don’t need to store all the number facts any more and we find it hard to work without a calculator. you could estimate that the answer will be around that of (the real answer is 1323). but before you can do this.3.g. Possible cause 3: reliance on technology There are many labour-saving devices around that can do your maths for you. are any of the numbers in the question close to numbers that are easy to work with? e. Over time. you need an estimate for the answer. 3. you can expect the true answer to be larger than your estimate. 5 . your estimate will definitely be larger than the true answer. If you have not produced an estimate. you would be unable to put this into your calculator correctly. 4. The best solution to calculator reliance problems is to learn how to estimate. There are computer packages that do similar things. 5. draw graphs and perform calculus. Calculators that can manipulate algebra and perform calculus will certainly not be allowed in exams where they can be used instead of the methods taught in lectures. then it is time to look back over the topic and ensure that you understand it fully before proceeding. If you were unaware of how this function works. especially if your answer is wrong. Ask yourself. and so won’t know if your answer is sensible or if you have pressed the wrong button. We rely very heavily on technology. A lot of mature students face mathematical problems in their first year at university. Possible Solution Calculators are no replacement for learning mathematical methods and theories. Your batteries might run out during the exam and you’ll be stuck. your average will always be within the range of that data e.g. you should expect a positive answer.In order to make estimates. This notation is used because it allows the equation to be presented unambiguously and in as short a form as possible. what was once a familiar concept is now unrecognisable. if your data values went from 3 to 27. If you are looking for an average from a list or table of data. In lectures and problem sheets you may find that certain types of calculations produce certain values. Remember: it is very easy to press the right buttons on a calculator. thus making it easier in the end. they both say the same thing. new formulae or equations will have been spelled out explicitly in words when you first met them: i. Often the question will give you a clue as to whether your answer is sensible. In the second case. as you cannot have a negative distance. 3 figures. If you are asked for a length or distance. If the question involves things like a person’s age. You can use this information to check your answers. This is not an easy habit to break. at most. Possible cause 4: mathematical notation When you were at school. you need to know the theory. in fact I sometimes get these feelings myself and I’m a maths specialist. Further work on statistics will continue to use the same notation. Examine the question. Mean = Sum of all values number of values Once you get to university it is assumed that you no longer need to be gently introduced to new formulae and you can meet things like: 1 x n n x i 1 Now although this looks very different from the first definition. The problem with this change in notation is that. but it is equally easy to press the wrong ones. for many. an average of 30 would be impossible. standard mathematical notation has been used. Look at the equation and ask yourself some questions: 6 .e. Possible Solution The temptation when faced with complicated looking mathematics is to immediately think ‘I can’t do that’. it is clear that the answer will be positive and. such as probabilities always being between 0 and 1 inclusive. before you try to lay the next set of bricks. Ground maths in reality. This problem is probably the most common. add. We get this kind of information from an early age and it is constantly reinforced. you are revered as some kind of genius. all the maths you do will normally be taken one topic at a time. or missed a line of notes. to write it out in your own words. 2. it’s accepted. equations involving fractions. subtract. You may find it helps you. However. go back a step. much like a wall. if your course is modular. and future courses may assume that you know it. It is possible that you missed a verbal explanation in the lecture. 7 . maths has been put on a pedestal as ‘very hard’. Without arithmetic. arithmetic is simply the four main operations. Have I seen any of this notation before? Were any of the letters in the equation defined earlier in the lecture/week/course? Do any of the letters have a logical connection with the text above it. one vital part of mathematics is arithmetic. say. You may have come across a couple of problem topics and now you are convinced you know nothing at all about anything. in that you are not supposed to like it and if you do. still learn the original form of the equation as it will be the form that you will be expected to produce in the exam. We are taught directly or indirectly by relatives and the media that maths is hard. formulae and equations could not be solved and so a lot of maths would not exist. giving you a fair idea of what your equation might mean. you need to ask someone. no-one likes maths. such as P occurring when you have been looking at numbers of People? If you still aren’t sure. it’s the norm. people think you are strange. However. Maths is a subject which builds upon itself. If you can. Once you know what the problem is you can revert back to earlier work on the topic and work on that until it gets easier. Possible cause 5: maths is something only geniuses can do In this country maths has a similar image to that of cabbages and sprouts. if you can’t do it. multiply and divide. These are all operations that can be practised as you do the shopping. For example. no-one can do maths well. Remember. but the majority of school and college level maths can be contextualised in every day life. Because of all this. Possible Solutions 1. Find the root of the problem If you find you are having problems with. Think about whether it is the fractions holding you back or solving equations in general. so it is vital that you are happy with one level. maths is pointless. your reality Higher mathematics can be very difficult to understand or even visualise. for instance. once you’ve ‘translated’ the equation so that you know what it means. Luckily maths is a subject that changes very little. You could also involve a child in this process. It takes a lot of work to produce the muscles. So if you ask your child to explain something. Ask them to explain to you what they are working on. and if you don’t use them. Although the courses taught at secondary schools today will contain different material to that which you studied. Grab a leaflet or two The Skills team have a collection of mathematics help leaflets which can be downloaded from the Skills website (www. but are not confident enough to use your maths.3. to the child it may seem like you are just taking an interest in their work or that you are testing them on the topic. You may think that you’ve forgotten most of your course. Also over time. 2. the core of maths.uk/skills). and as a bonus. like muscles. One important fact about this is that the person explaining the concept gets as much out of it as the person having it explained to them. There are many sources of help. Ask a child If you are a parent. 4. Get hold of a school maths textbook. These cover various topics including basic algebra and calculus. Overall this leaves them with a greater understanding of how the topic works. and the majority are aimed at people in your situation. It is very easy to forget mathematics that you haven’t used for years. 8 . the rules and techniques always stay the same. you have a fantastic opportunity to have a look at your child’s textbook. but it may be that you can remember. less likely to forget that topic in the future. Most also have answers at the back. A full list of the topics available is on the website. a lot of the harder topics have been taken out of school and are taught at college. Possible cause 6: ‘I haven’t done maths for years’ In a way. but luckily. it is never too late to learn the basics. so you can be sure you’ve got them all right. study it yourself and then explain it to them in your own words. As stated before you’ll benefit as much as they do. You help someone. This is where the school textbook is ideal. and possibly find a few different ways of explaining it. The best (and free) sources of these texts are the University’s libraries. 3. and to learn alongside them. you become more confident. so the chances are that you already have some A-level knowledge of maths. It’s never too late If your expectation of failing maths at school caused you to fail. Possible Solutions 1.ac. Tell people what you know If you have a partner or friend who also has a problem/fear with maths try to explain to them one of the topics of which you have a good grasp.hull. They introduce each topic slowly and in detail and follow up with copious amounts of similar exercises in which to build confidence. building maths confidence and knowledge is like body-building. This is because the ‘explainer’ has to put their concept of the topic into words. If a child is struggling with a certain topic. you both learn from the experience. they slowly waste away. you can get it all back with a bit of work. you can. then choose the past papers. a full revision of the topic with exercises. as long as you pay for the exam paper.hull-college. edited by Jacqui Bartram The information in this leaflet can be made available in an alternative format on request – email skills@hull. choose the full revision guide. It is best to call a few institutions beforehand to find out which offer this service. Web: http://www. there is nothing to stop you from re-sitting.co. 7. and register in good time.uk/ Tel: 01482 329943 Scarborough 6th Form College. See a private tutor Private tutors are a good idea if you don’t have much time for study. They normally come in two forms. If it is the theory that is the problem. they are inexpensive. The one I’d recommend would be http://www. colleges and adult education centres now offer GCSE maths courses in the evenings. Web: http://www. The one drawback with a private tutor is the expense.ac. and they will cover the topics you need to cover. and a past papers book which contains past papers and small chunks of revision.ac. If you understand the topic but want more practise. Scarborough. Web: http://www. Written by Lynn Ireland. which is handy if you have young children. These courses will usually take up two or three hours a week.uk Tel: 01723 380745 6. Websites for school and college students There are many great websites out there for students about to take GCSE and A-level examinations. to just taking the exam.ac. and there are many concessions available.bbc.ac.scarb-6-form.wyke. You can arrange for a private tutor to come to your house for an hour or two.uk/schools/.5. These are ideal if you just need a quick recap. Revision Texts Many companies now produce guides for examinations.uk 9 . Hull. Take a course If you took maths but didn’t get the result you wanted. This can involve anything from taking a full year’s course. Again. If you would rather study at home and then take the exams. Many institutions will allow you to come in just for the exam session. you are the one in charge. Many schools. 8.uk/ Tel: 01482 346 347 Hull College. They provide you with quick run-throughs of a topic and then interactive exercises. Hull. It may be worth approaching: Wyke 6th Form College.