<p>According to an Ap poll, math is the most unpopular subject in school. 4/10 adults hated math in school. </p>
<p>----I have to agree with the report; I dislike math very much.</p>
<p>I like the subject itself, but I personally found that highschool math classes are disaster. It's not really an exciting subject to discuss in the class, imo. Although, I found math is A LOT more easier than English like the guy said in the article.</p>
<p>" 'When you got all done, you got answers. With English you could say a lot of words that mean different things, my interpretation might be different from any of the teachers. But with math, there's no interpretation -- two plus two is four.' "</p>
<p>That's the beauty of mathematics.</p>
<p>Usually, people who dislike math are bad at math.</p>
<p>The problem with English and people loving it because of its creative possibilities is that bullsh1t interpretations are often accepted by teachers.</p>
<p>"The problem with English and people loving it because of its creative possibilities is that bullsh1t interpretations are often accepted by teachers."</p>
<p>^^^^absolutely true.</p>
<p>That's why I love math and science. Especially with math, the answers are very clear cut. You're either right or your wrong. </p>
<p>With English (and Social to a certain extent), how you read a passage and how you interpret it can vary greatly from person to person. To do well on multiple choice exams you have to pick the "best" answer ("best" according to the examiner). (Plus I hate questions like "How did this poem make you feel? What do you think is the theme for this story/poem?")</p>
<p>but as you advance in math&science, uncertainity comes in.</p>
<p>I dunno, that's why I really hate math. Sure, it's always one answer, but English and literature, you can feel around a bit and come up with a variety of answers. That's what I like about it. Literature has so many properties, so many different styles in everything you read, it's all different. No matter how you look at it in math and science, it's always one answer. I just love literature, reading, analyzing, writing...I just can't stand numbers. And yes, I do relatively well in Math.</p>
<p>I always thought the most unpopular subject was history, but maybe its not math or science at my school because my school is math and science oriented anyways.</p>
<p>Ya and if you get some jackass teacher, they will grade your essays/exams on their impressions of you. If they don't like the way you look, they can just give you some bull**** mark, and say english is suppose to be a "subjective" course. Just hope you don't get one of these pricks, because the grade will probably be based on the size of your ass.</p>
<p>I think math is too strict; there is only one answer and one answer only. The other subjects give you a little more freedom of expression.</p>
<p>I detest science slightly more than math. I could die of boredom from those stupid little "labs" we have to do like every other day!<br>
"The cup of water is half empty. Now do 50 equations and problem sets, then analyze your cup of water in 4 short answer questions."</p>
<p>come on!</p>
<p>I love science so so so so so so much! IMO, science is something that really has a huge impact on society, while I don't really see the point of english.</p>
<p>well it's different for each individual. But i like math and the system of logic it uses. I know that u can not prove the stability of the ZFC system or any system with an equivalent system of axioms and logica rules but i believe that the logic in the proof is purely beautiful. If u can see the beauty u will love math and its enormous simplity and freedom. However, most people just don't take the time to see it. I for one hated math in middle school but i had a period when i had to encounter math problems for like 10 hrs a day. Now? I love it.</p>
<p>I like math, its the same in every language =P</p>
<p>Math isn't the least liked subject, it's the most disliked, according to that poll.</p>
<p>I really wish we were taught philosophy and formal logic in HS.</p>
<p>I like science but not math. But the way things r taught do allot with how one would like it.</p>
<p>^ I completely agree. The teacher you get will influence whether you like a subject or not. Last year, I had an amazing LA teacher and for the first time in a while, I really enjoyed LA. Normally I like social (not my favourite, but it's not bad), but last year I got a teacher whose teaching style didn't suit me (I prefer discussions in social, she liked to give us a textbook to take notes out of), so I didn't enjoy social as much.</p>
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The problem with English and people loving it because of its creative possibilities is that bullsh1t interpretations are often accepted by teachers.
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<p>Very true, very true.</p>
<p>On the whole, I think people who really feel restricted by math are the same people who were not taught math in the tradition of mathematical problem solving. As a USAMO qualifier, I have come to terms with the fact that math is taught horribly in most public schools. The idea that there is only one answer seems to stem from the original emphasis on math as the study of numbers - which it most certainly isn't - and the perpetuation of this teaching paradigm in high school is devastating to the learning process. </p>
<p>Math is the only subject in which things can be proved to be absolutely true, however, the creativity necessary to prove a theorem or solve a particular problem is often overlooked. Any given math problem can be solved from a huge number of different angles - the strategems and tactics involved in problem solving run from basic mental toughness to the most complex of mathematical tools. Just because there is only one answer (or set of answers) that is correct, does not mean that the tools available to you are restricted. In my opinion, math is at its best when one can understand the connection between all the different tools that are taught - and the inaction of teachers in underscoring these connections is a tragedy of the educational system and, in my opinion, the real root of why people don't like math. I digress, however. </p>
<p>I agree fully with the statement that people will think up any sort of interpretation they want in classes like English. Analyzing historical situations or literature is much more like a math problem than one might think - you merely use your understanding of context along with all available analytical tools and interpret it as you see fit. The issue with the English/Social Studies system is that any argument with a marginal amount of evidence can be accepted as sufficient - and so the idea of right and wrong answers can be thrown out the door. I often feel literature is demeaned by conclusions drawn through the lack of truly thorough analysis of the pieces, which often requires a similar amount of time and effort as a complex theorem or math problem.</p>