Overcome Feeling Discouraged in Math

[mathwonk]

the wisdom i see emerging here is that one should try not to let genuine frustration, at not solving a particular problem or whatever, turn into discouragement, which is a loss of motivation to continue to try ones best.

 

[Chrono]

They almost expect to carry on learning at the rate they did at high school (with the American meanings of phrases like that) or even as freshman. That cannot happen, especially when one goes beyond learning a method and application to what I am biased towards calling real maths (ie with proof).

I've learned that, but it was a good thing I did. Y'all probably don't remember, but I nearly failed algebra in high school. When I got into college I made nothing less than a B in math. Now I'm starting to consider going for my Masters in it. I now think I'm good at math and that's one of the best things that's happened to me.

 

[Sweet & Intellectual]

I get stuck all the time, and my first instinct is to give up and go on to the next one, but then I just look at it and talk to it. Tell it's a big bad problem and I can break it down into parts

Getting a tutor is helpful, but I typically only get stuck when I am home alone with nobody to help. Go figure?

I just take it in steps-- go back to the book, look at notes and examples, and before I give up on it, I write questions down, make sure I can't answer them on my own -- and email my instructor.

 

[Parth Dave]

One thing that I find really helps is reading ahead. This is especially true for physics, if you have a lecture, find out what its about beforehand, and read about it. It's not too bad understanding if you have some basic understanding of what you are taught.

Oh and for problems, the best thing you can do is take time. First of all, the more problems you do, the better you will be at them. Secondly, if you find a problem that is really killing you, than leave it. Just come back to it later when your mind has had time to refresh and relax. Sometimes you could just be making the smallest stupidest mistake without realizing it.

 

[Theelectricchild]

but we are all forgetting physics is a much harder subject than math...

 

[JasonRox]

but we are all forgetting physics is a much harder subject than math...

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Math is much farther ahead than physics, and for all we know the final theory might already be in our hands.

 

[mathwonk]

I know very little about physics, but as I recall from freshman year in college, physics was more difficult for me personally because the assumptions were not clearly stated in advance. I.e. in a physics problem one was expected to make reasonable assumptions that rendered the problem doable, but which had not been stated in the problem (for example [false] assumptions such as "space is homogeneous"). In math that kind of thing is never done: all assumptions are clearly stated. To me this gave physics problem solutions a feeling of: "well that's cheating, they never said you could assume that!" But for someone with that more flexible turn of mind, these problems were more doable. So for some people physics is harder and for other people math is harder. Certainly a lot of physicists come to mathematicians for technical help, and many mathematicians these days are looking to physics for inspiration. As for comparing the subjects globally, what does that mean? I.e. there are math problems (such as Riemann's hypothesis), that no one alive can do, nor has anyone been able to do for over 100 years. So what does it mean to say physics is harder? Math and physics enrich each other, and both offer extremely intractable problems.

One may say physics is more free wheeling, with more speculation and perhaps more imagination. In math on the other hand, the standards of precision and accuracy are higher, in that results must be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt. Thus in physics the results and assumptions of prior ages are sometimes discarded by new generations as flawed theories, whereas in math the results even of the ancient Greeks still stand as firmly as ever.

At professional meetings I have attended, physicists sometimes argue as to which theory is more plausible. Mathematicians never argue for long. They just read the proof.

 

[Chrono]

Math is much farther ahead than physics, and for all we know the final theory might already be in our hands.

We're not getting into that again, are we?

 

[Silverious]

I get that feeling once every week. If there's a physics problem or something I can't figure out, I feel like such a failure. But if I do figure something out on my own, it's the greatest feeling in the world. I guess it balances out. You just have to remember your self-worth, and if you do poorly in a subject, maybe that's not what you're meant to do?

 

[Sweet & Intellectual]

Well to me, I think they are both very difficult.
And I still need help with my math -- I tried asking in the homework help area with NO luck, so I just erased it. So if you're bored and you're good at math. Send me a message! "BubblyAngelica"

And yes, I'm desperate!

 

[splitendz]

desperate?

 

[JasonRox]

I get that feeling once every week. If there's a physics problem or something I can't figure out, I feel like such a failure. But if I do figure something out on my own, it's the greatest feeling in the world. I guess it balances out. You just have to remember your self-worth, and if you do poorly in a subject, maybe that's not what you're meant to do?

I don't know what you mean by "not what you're meant to do?".

I do agree with the "greatest" feeling in the world.

 

[Chrono]

You just have to remember your self-worth, and if you do poorly in a subject, maybe that's not what you're meant to do?

I always thought you just had to work harder in that subject.

 

[Theelectricchild]

You guys are right, math is harder than physics.

 

[singleton]

I don't know what you mean by "not what you're meant to do?".

I do agree with the "greatest" feeling in the world.

Check your PMs please ;)

 

[JasonRox]

Check your PMs please ;)

I didn't get any.

You must have sent it to the wrong person.

 

[Silverious]

I don't know what you mean by "not what you're meant to do?".

I'm just saying that if you have particular difficulty with math, you may want to switch to a field you may find more enjoyable and natural.

Of course that's a stupid thing to say on a calculus forum...

 

[JasonRox]

Of course that's a stupid thing to say on a calculus forum...

Very true.

You said that you should switch to something enjoyable, but what if you enjoy math. Regardless if it's difficult or not, as long as you enjoy it, continue what you're doing.

A student can be a Math major who loves math, but can barely pass Calculus 1 and still love it. The student should continue regardless of how many tries it takes because he/she likes it.

You can bring the reality check, but I can also bring in the reality check of the fact that life is going to suck if you don't stick with what you love.

 

[Chrono]

You said that you should switch to something enjoyable, but what if you enjoy math. Regardless if it's difficult or not, as long as you enjoy it, continue what you're doing.

A student can be a Math major who loves math, but can barely pass Calculus 1 and still love it. The student should continue regardless of how many tries it takes because he/she likes it.

You can bring the reality check, but I can also bring in the reality check of the fact that life is going to suck if you don't stick with what you love.

I couldn't agree more. I do enjoy math, but right now Calculus III is killing me. I plan on sticking with it.

 

[Theelectricchild]

You cannot integrate e to the x squareD!

 

[motai]

I used to feel discouraged back in elementary school, and math wasn't particularly my forte. My arithmetic was not that great and I still take longer than my classmates at number-crunching in my head. I prefer to take out a pencil and paper and work it out from there at my own turtle pace.

I don't have lightning-fast math reflexes (which hurts me at the SAT) but I enjoy doing math. Most of the band people look at me strange when I call acceleration by the name of "second derivative of the position function" and give me equally strange looks when I end up derivating functions on the entire whiteboard in band. Some of them emphatically said to me "What is THAT??!" and then I end up (trying) to teach them basic calculus, but most of the time they end up not listening to me and continuing with their business.

Im not so concerned about my GPA as much as I am focusing on learning the material. If it is understood, it will come together by itself. As stated by other members time and time again, ask questions. It seems like struggling over questions is part of the learning process, but it is the best way to make one better at this subject.

 

[mathwonk]

If all continuous functions are integrable, and if e^(x^2) is continuous, then what are we to make of the statement that "you cannot integrate e^(x^2)"? [eh?Theelectricchild]

 

[Theelectricchild]

fine i forgot the square root.

 

[trancefishy]

i just want to say, i just got done with a problem that was particularly challenging. looking back, i don't really see what was so difficult, now, but, when you're in the middle of it, you question things...
anyhow, i got done, and wrote "solved.", which was really nice. but then i stood up and was like "hmm, now what...". i love the feeling of solving things, along with the discouraging crap that goes along with it, roads that lead to nowhere, etc, but then, afterwards, i feel like, empty, without something to work on.

another thing, solving integrals using new methods in the textbook are boring. it's like, ok, i got this definite integral in 16 steps and 3 substitutions and a triangle, and here it is. the answer. how boring. anything involving a story or words is really fun though, because you get to construct information and and relate things to one another in new and exciting ways. now I'm rambling. sorrry..

 

[Chrono]

I used to feel discouraged back in elementary school, and math wasn't particularly my forte. My arithmetic was not that great and I still take longer than my classmates at number-crunching in my head. I prefer to take out a pencil and paper and work it out from there at my own turtle pace.

I used to be the same way. Still am, actually. People in my class take only seconds to do things like that and I'd have to think about it for a minute or two.

 

[JasonRox]

I used to be the same way. Still am, actually. People in my class take only seconds to do things like that and I'd have to think about it for a minute or two.

Forget about girls, than you can calculated lightning fast!

 

[Theelectricchild]

Thats not necessarily true! Sometimes thinking about them can help you concentrate!

 

[Chrono]

Forget about girls, than you can calculated lightning fast!

Usually, I include them in the calculuation. The critical points of her curves are...

 

[Theelectricchild]

Boooo! Hahha.

 

[Chrono]

Boooo! Hahha.

You made me lose my concentration. Now I have to start over again, which isn't a bad thing concerning how good she looks.