How good are you at maths? Some people love the challenge of algebra or enjoy working out number
puzzles such as Sudoko. Maths is all around us, from working out how to split the bill after a meal,
to calculating your household bills. But many dread the moment when they have to deal with numbers
and figures and feel a real sense of worry and confusion. It can seem daunting, but this 'maths
anxiety' is perfectly normal, and you're definitely not alone. And anyway, our worries and fears
don't necessarily reflect our ability.
The problem really starts in childhood, at school. Research has found that maths teachers who are
nervous about teaching the subject can pass on their anxiety to the pupils, and girls may be more
likely to be affected. The Programme for International Student Assessment found around 31% of 15 and
16-year-olds across 34 countries said they got very nervous doing maths problems, 33% said they got
tense doing maths homework, and nearly 60% said they worried maths classes would be difficult.
Shulamit Kahn, from Boston University's Questrom School of Business, told the BBC she believes
giving students, particularly girls, good role models "is critical, especially at a young age". She
thinks the key is to get people, especially women, who love teaching maths to younger children.
Writing for BBC Future, David Robson says "It's not clear why maths arouses so much fear compared
to geography. But the fact that there's a right or wrong answer - there's no room for bluffing -
might make you more worried about underperforming." And once we assume we're not a 'maths person',
we avoid solving things that we probably could do.
Psychologists have been trying to work out why mental arithmetic can bring us out in a sweat. That
seed of fear may come from many sources, but some suggest that articulating your fears can loosen
their hold on you, and encourage children to see a maths test as a challenge, not a threat. Ideally,
we need to think positively about maths and give it a second chance.