Percetange of lefties in mathematics?

[Matt Jacques]

I'm just wondering, is the split between lefties and righties in mathematics proportional to the population?

 

[matt grime]

In my experience there are a greater proportion of good undergraduate mathematicians that are left handed than one would assume if lefthandness were independent of mathematical competence (to a certain level). A discrepancy that seems to roughly accord, on a very small sample, to those who are better than average musically, and sportingly. Yet I also would contend that there are no more musically adept mathematicians than one would expect in any sample of a well educated population, and a damn sight fewer sportingly talented.

I have also noticed that, given the previous paragraph, there are fewer lefthanded lecturers than one might suppose, but then the sample becomes even less reliable than before.

 

[Hurkyl]

Does it count if I'm a righty, but I do some tasks better left-handed?

(I'm of the opinion that I would be ambidextrous if I practiced things equally with both hands)

 

[cookiemonster]

I can play ping pong left-handed, does that count? And it was also reported in the local newspaper that I'm a lefty (even though I'm not), so that's got to count for something.

Lefties might have an advantage because of their lefty complex, i.e. they have to prove to the arrogant righties that ridicule and shun them.

In sports, on the other hand, they have a distinct advantage because you have to find a lefty in order to practice with a lefty, and their spins and stuff typically go the wrong way. You just get so used to seeing right-handed spin come at you. Except in goofy sports like bowling and golf, where they try to hit stationary objects and not other people.

cookiemonster

 

[Laplace_Wy]

I'm either lefty or ambidexterous. I can write better with my left hand but I can play ALL sports better with my right.

And my math is better than the righties and the lefties at my school :)