Education

[Griffon64]

Math makes my head explode. Which is really strange, since I intrinsically understand music theory and can analyze a Bach chorale...which is simply math. But I do not have a good grasp of the "shape" of mathematics...whereas I "see" the shape of music right away. Some kind of weird synesthesia.

That's where math and me doesn't mesh too well, too! I was an ace at geometry and trig, because the shapes were right there in front of me.

I could see them. I can also design complex algorithms, data structures and systems of cooperative "mini-programs" in my head and know that they will work right, because I can "see" their shape and relation to each other.

I can't see the shape in much of math.

But a fairly simple* algebra problem can completely throw me. It is maddening.

*Anything from about Algebra 102 onwards, and select bits from earlier algebra.

[anthriel]

Algebra. Algebra all the way. Algebra rools, Geometry drools.

[Primula Baggins]

I loved algebra. It's so orderly. You just stare at the problem until a bit you can solve pops out at you, and you solve it and look at it again and go on from there.

I even liked those problems where you have a tank of water and are running water into it even though there's a hole in the bottom and water is also running out, and after X amount has run out, how much water is left in the tank and what time is it? And who is going to clean up the mess and pay the bill, that's what I'm asking?

I actually use algebra in my writing. Inventing a planet calls for a lot of algebra if you want the gravity to match the size and density, and you want to know how long it would take a moon at such and such a distance to go around it, and you want to establish how long the planet's year is depending on how big the sun is and how far away it is, and that varies depending on how warm you want the planet to be. Almost none of which gets into the story in numerical form (at least not mine), but if anybody does check me on something like that (and some readers do), boy howdy, it's right.

(Oh, and the tides. How high are the tides? That's more important than I used to think.)

[JewelSong]

Geometry was the only math I was ever good at, or liked. However, many people I know who excel at maths (my daughter is one) HATE geometry.

It must be something to do with the shapes.

However, when I hear music, I can "see" the shapes in my head and visual the chord structure and form and everything. It's very vivid, like 3D living color.

Algebra was horrible, awful, torturous.

[axordil]

Geometry, at least as I was taught it, was less about shapes and more about proofs and raw logic.

[nerdanel]

In geometry, I had a hard time picturing whether particular planes and lines could ever intersect, etc. The proofs and such were fine, although I don't remember especially loving them. Definitely vote for algebra and single-variable calculus over geometry and multivariable calculus.

Based on my experience in organic chemistry, I think that the key to helping kids through geometry who are not good spatial visualizers is models, but this was never suggested during 8th grade geometry.

[vison]

Geometry is easy, man.

[Primula Baggins]

I know my kids benefited from graphing calculators. Unlike a static book illustration, they could fiddle with the equation and see how the curve changed as a result. That's the kind of intuitive work that would have helped me "see" calculus instead of rote memorizing the relationships. I was never better than a "B" student in calculus, and that grade doesn't reflect the "hanging on by my fingernails" feeling I had the whole time.

In fact, my husband's first memory of me is from high school calculus, when I got back a quiz I wasn't happy with and teared up. He wondered who this girl was who would cry about a stupid calculus quiz?

[Griffon64]

I'm with you on the calculus part, nerdanel, but as already stated, I'm one of the freaks who preferred geometry.

Prim - that's an interesting approach to algebra ... maybe I should try that. Sometimes when I program, I program exactly in that way ( bottom-up programming ) where I solve the bits that's most obvious first, and that starts a chain reaction that allows me to solve the whole thing in little bits, even though I started out being all that the thing could be solved.

So hey, it should work with algebra, too. If I make the chunks small enough, it should be able to fit in my brain long enough for me to come to a solution, anyway.

vison, I always found the "Find x" terminology strange. In Afrikaans, which is what I learned my math in, the terminology was "dissolve for x". In algebra problems, I would often wish the whole problem would just dissolve off of my page already, or I would ruefully think that I was actually very good at dissolving problems - by the time I was done scribbling a half page of math, the stupid equation was way less solved than it was when I started, so I obviously worked towards a dissolution, not a solution.

I know my kids benefited from graphing calculators. Unlike a static book illustration, they could fiddle with the equation and see how the curve changed as a result. That's the kind of intuitive work that would have helped me "see" calculus instead of rote memorizing the relationships. I was never better than a "B" student in calculus, and that grade doesn't reflect the "hanging on by my fingernails" feeling I had the whole time.

*twins!*

I get what you say! How seeing the curve change would have helped, and especially that "hanging on by my fingernails" feeling even though my grades were not always as bad as I felt they would be.

[River]

A couple thoughts...

First, in today's world, typing is sort of a survival skill. Right up there with swimming. You can avoid learning it, but you'll suffer for it. I never took a formal typing class. My parents, who knew which way the wind was blowing, insisted I learn a good year or two before I was in the right grade to take a keyboarding class. They then insisted I learn how to draft at the keyboard.

I'm glad I learned to do that. Seriously. I can't imagine drafting my thesis on paper. That thing was over 200 pages. Typed.

Second, I wonder if the issue some people run into with math (and its not just girls) is the abstraction in the way its taught. I'm wondering because of my experience with learning physics. The lectures on lasers were completely impenetrable at the time and then, when I started my current job, I had to revisit lasers because guess what, I'm working with them and they fail all. The. Time. But then I realized that lasers aren't so different from musical instruments, except instead of resonating sound you're resonating light. Suddenly, it made much more sense.

vison, that's one of my favorites. So been there. And the other is the algebra (or maybe calculus) homework problem that ends with a cartoon figure hanging off a square root symbol.

[anthriel]

I even liked those problems where you have a tank of water and are running water into it even though there's a hole in the bottom and water is also running out, and after X amount has run out, how much water is left in the tank and what time is it? And who is going to clean up the mess and pay the bill, that's what I'm asking?

Jeez I love you.

And I think that is what I liked about algebra... and calculus and integrals and linear equations, actually. I liked that it felt like a puzzle. Solve for X, and maybe there is more than one answer, and maybe some of them are imaginary. It's just fun (although hard, btw. I got a B in calculus my senior year, and I know that hanging on by the fingernails feeling... )

I didn't hate Geometry, but it definitely was less fun than the other maths. It wasn't the shapes that got me... I like how one formula can describe a parabola, for example, and other fun and nifty facts. What I hated were the proofs.

I *know* that A equals A. D'oh. Why do I need to memorize that that is the "reflexive" property? Do we CARE what the property is? A always equals A, even if I never could come up with the name of the property. I always felt like "let's just get on with the math, shall we?"

[Frelga]

Geometry all the way!

For the record, not only was I the top math student in my high school, a boy from my class and I took first and second place in math competition in the school district. He was first, but only because I realized right after I turned in my work what I did wrong, and managed to warn him. And he was an exceptionally intelligent guy.

In general, for all the crap I had to deal with growing up where I did, "girls can't do math" or "dumb is cool" was not on the radar. Sexism asserted itself in other ways, but not that one.

Also, the fact that boys were drafted into army shortly after high school really tilted the field toward girls in higher education. After serving, boys ha certain privileges in admission, but many found it bard to get back to studying after a two-year break.

[Cenedril_Gildinaur]

Algebra and Geometry. The good old days before I got to real math. Then there was Algebra II and Trigonometry, almost there.

Then, finally, Calculus, the black belt of mathematics.

Most people don't know that a black belt doesn't mean you are elite or anything like that. It simply means you've learned all the basics and can finally move onto learning for real. The same with Calculus. For most people it is "I really know math, I took calculus", but for some of us it is "The basics are finally over with and I can get on to real math."

Calculus, which is a synthesis of algebra and geometry. Such fun. I'm taking an on-line refresher just because, and rather enjoying it. While most people viewing the videos are probably trying to learn the subject as something new, I'm using it to say "you know, if you look at it this way" or "this would be an interesting different way to do that problem."

Sorry, my praising of calculus is a little off topic. But it was a fun class.