MathMaster Blog

Learning math can sometimes prove problematic for students who don't particularly thrive in the subject. Because math has so many analytical concepts that require understanding, some may not have the patience or desire to put in the effort to learn it. These are a few reasons why students struggle with math and why it could be challenging for you.

Why Students Struggle with Math

1. You've Conditioned Yourself to Dislike Math

Many reasons could have led to you not liking math, and this can be a lifelong feeling if you don't deal with it. A belief that math is complex or having a teacher that ruins the subject for you can discourage one from trying hard at the subject.

But just because you feel a certain way about something doesn't mean you should perform poorly. Maybe if you put in a little more work, you might find yourself enjoying developing your mathematics skills. Finding helpful apps online, such as MathMaster, is a great way to begin enjoying math and mastering it.

2. You Don't Have a Good Math Foundation

Because math is a subject where different concepts align together to form other notions, having a good foundation and understanding right from the beginning is necessary. You will notice very early on that mastering calculus requires understanding trigonometry, and so does trigonometry need algebra and geometry.

Merely passing the foundation concepts of math is what most believe is enough, which is why many students struggle with math. If you don't genuinely comprehend the foundation concepts, you'll have problems when you move on to the next level.

3. Still Don't Know How to Apply Math to Everyday Life

Some fundamental math concepts should be understood by everyone. However, many individuals ignore them. Math is necessary for everyday life for simple things like cooking, home improvements, and even driving. Sometimes you may not even realize that a recipe you're using is going wrong because of incorrect math.

Solving measurement, conversions, and other aspects of getting stuff done around your home will require you to be able to apply classroom math to the problem. When you're using math in your everyday life, you will begin to see its purpose and may start to like it.

4. Disabilities or Learning Difficulties Are Making Math Challenging

Although teachers do an excellent job of bringing out the best in their students, not every student finds the classroom to be the most conducive for learning. Without proper classroom support, it is much harder for children with intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties to enjoy learning math.

Students with intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties – referred to as neurodivergent – usually struggle with conditions such as dyslexia, autism, ADD/ADHD, and dyscalculia.

Dyslexia makes reading and solving math questions and word problems challenging.

A learner with dyscalculia will struggle with anything involving mathematics, shapes, and the comparison between space and quantities.

With autism or ADD/ADHD spectrum disorders, students may have trouble focusing and participating in math exercises in class.

5. Left-Brain, Right-Brain Challenges

Typically, students divide into two groups based on the specific areas of learning they favor. It is referred to as either being left or right-brained. Logic-based, left-brain thinkers tend to understand the information in sequential chunks, whereas creative, intuitive, right-brain thinkers are more holistic in their thinking.

People with the right brain prefer to be creative and express themselves verbally or in writing. These students take pleasure in studying disciplines like music, drama, art, and English. Left-brained people are the opposite of those who are right-brained. They have a natural affinity for analytical thinking and problem-solving in science, technology, and math.

So if you are right-brained, this may help to explain why mathematics is more difficult for you to learn, as it does not come naturally.

Final Thoughts

Because math has long been most students' worst enemy, some just tend to dislike it because they have made themselves believe it is difficult. However, with a little effort and understanding, any student can become better at math.