'bad at math' is a myth

I gave a talk at my high school today and it got me thinking again about my experience of being labelled "bad at mathematics" and eventually doing my PhD at the University of Cambridge.

Btw, just because I think people will be confused, my field (quantum computing) is cross disciplinary, but at Cambridge it was in the maths department. I never know whether to call myself a physicist or a mathematician.

[tonglu]

I think the biggest problem in math education is not math itself, it's that we stopped teaching students how to fail. Math is one of those areas where you have to face your own failures head-on, without any excuse to spin it.

[ReynaSingh]

I feel the same way when people say they’re bad at art. There’s initial talent when it comes to everything, but as with most things, it just takes a willingness to learn and belief that you can improve

[muttandjeff]

You are an inspiration to all of us who secretly wanted to achieve a dream but were told we didn’t have what it took. That we were stupid and told to go away. I love that you put in the hard work and learned what you needed to despite opposition. You have my respect.

[vitchrubasik]

Damn, how much I resonate with this.
I almost failed high school because of math. Luckily, I was decent at English (second language) and discovered Khan Academy. The motivation from Sal Khan (his TED talks and the Beauty of Algebra video) and the gamified platform changed my world. Fast-forward to today, and I'm about to start my PhD in STEM (my field is applied fuzzy logic).

[davidnoelwinder]

I was totally useless at maths, failed at English school ‘O’ level. Then had an Indian maths teacher on my building construction course and reached ‘A’ level standard. Went on to University to study BSc Civil Engineering. Our maths teacher, Dr Rangachari was Indian. Partial differential equations became easy. I owe my success to my Indian maths teachers because somehow they transmitted their faith in the subject to me whilst the others simply made me feel as bored with maths as they were. You have a very promising future .

[LookingGlassUniverse]

Btw, just because I think people will be confused, the field I did my research in (quantum computing) is cross disciplinary, but at Cambridge it was in the maths department. I never know whether to call myself a physicist or a mathematician though

[KyleKabasares_PhD]

I had a very similar experience in my high school years! Nearly failed first-year geometry and swore off math/science forever, only to be shown the beauty of math through my physics course in my third-year. Was also very into humanities at the time and was convinced I would major in History in undergraduate, but ended up doing a physics bachelor's and am now entering my final year of my PhD! There definitely needs to be more emphasis in schools that the ability to do mathematics is not some talent that only a gifted subset of students inherit, but a skill that can be developed, honed, and improved upon with the right mindset and patient educators.

Also, 11:20, I'd cry over missing complex numbers too because complex variables/analytic functions was one of my favorite courses in undergrad ;)

[harry.tallbelt]

I've done a master's degree in computer science, and while the level of education is rather low where I'm from, I have still seen some glimpses of what actual math looks and feels like. Anyway, some time ago I decided to revisit a bit of school math just for fun, thinking that now it will all look like a piece of cake to me, but it turns out it still looks as dense an imposing as I remember it. Except now when I look at it I'm just angry that stuff is explained is such a bad way (if ever), yet in school I had no option except to think myself an idiot.

p.s. crying over complex numbers is perfectly acceptable

[coffeedotbean]

You are indeed a role model to me. I recently graduated in physics and I am a quantum enthusiast. Your words give me so much hope and encouragement and I just wanted to tell you this. I have a lot of insecurities when it comes to my abilities that if I do good at an exam I consider it to be pure luck and not bcs of my skills haha. Thank you so much for this video<3

[planetvnus]

Gosh, I relate so heavily to your story. I've always fallen behind in Maths because I grew up undiagnosed ADHD and Autistic. It makes me so, so upset that Maths is the only subject I can think of where the grade you get, determines how smart or dumb you are.

I can also relate to not being taught more difficult concepts because you were placed in a lower class. I just learned about quadratic equations and i'm 21.

Have you heard of Math anxiety? People say they don't know where it comes from, but it's not hard to look at our current education system and see why some people feel anxious doing Maths. The teachers who don't see your potential, parents who get angry at you for not understanding a concept that's being explained....your classmates who compare grades or look down on people who struggle to do "easy" Math questions. Why wouldn't you feel anxious doing Maths and not see the fun in it if its taught to you that way?

[mikej]

Well said.I had a love/hate relationship with maths at school (in the UK, 1970s). I was fascinated by physics quite early. But I found school maths either boring or hard enough that I felt slow. What helped me was independently learning about recreational maths, reading books by Martin Gardner. Here were all sorts of intuitive and deep ideas that fascinated me (fractals, symmetry, number theory and more). I went on to do a physics degree and my favourite part was learning some GR (via the maths dept).

[PaulFWatts]

I have had a lifelong interest in Science (especially Quantum Mechanics and Cosmology) and Technology but always felt I was bad at maths due to my schooling.
Your videos have inspired me to finally act on addressing this in 2023 and have also provided a road map for me to level up in Maths.
Thank you so much for taking the time to do these videos!

[johnnyckrock]

I think this is one of the most important videos you've ever made! As a "bad at maths" person who is now doing a part time degree in mathematics, I couldn't agree more. I just wish I had known earlier that I could do this. BTW you should call yourself a mathematician because that way when you talk about mathematical physics you'll seem to be making mathematics more interesting instead of making physics more boring :😜

[lastangrypolarbear]

Thanks so much for this. I think it is really going to help my daughter who has been having a similar experience - loving and good at physics but struggling with her IB maths.

[gayathrisathyanarayanan]

You're a role model, Mithuna. I'm a college student in prospect and your videos are the reason to why I took higher-level subjects during my IGCSEs (10th grade) so I can actually be good at them. I share a very similar story, and thank you. I feel so represented.

[drago]

Thank you so much for putting this video up, it has quite literally caused so much anxiety for me that I decided to take a career path completely away from numbers. Now I’m facing my math demons in a new job.

[harimadhavan]

I thought I was good at maths, but realised that I was fast and nimble in exams and schoolwork. I didn't really "understand" what I was learning for the most part, especially from ages 17 and above. It's only much later that I am understanding some of it.

[matveyshishov]

Hi Mithuna! I often have similar questions to yours, as in - it often seems like some decisions in math or physics are arbitrary and almost require memorizing, but then there are these light bulb moments when you see the problem from the other end, and you realize how it can be stated in a simple yet revealing way, which make me seek understanding, seeing how scientists came up with the mental models.
Shadowing your thought process is very refreshing and helpful, as you are both very smart yet humble and enjoy understanding how the world works for yourself, it fascinates you. A couple times in your videos you left little keys which came to my mind at the right moments, helping to unlock the confusions I had.
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful mind and helping people understand, appreciate and love math!

[eccentricOrange]

I've also had a very similar experience helping my classmates (at highschool). Most cases where someone is struggling, I've had success by explaining them the beautiful side of math — most of which always came from the later (supposedly more complex, pun intended) parts of the books. Funny how the system wants to throw more rote work at the most demotivated — you gotta give them a reason to care about that work!

[culwin]

I'm not that good at math - I'm good enough, but it was probably my worst subject. I still needed to take tons of math in college for my engineering degree, and I got through it. The main problem is, I don't really like math that much. I like the idea of it, but actually doing the work, is too much work. I can be good at math when I need to be, but it's hard to be "good" at something you don't really care about. Sometimes it's not a question of skill or intelligence, it's just motivation.