How To Get Over My Fear Of Math?

[DSC]

Recently I've been studying math again because it opens up some career paths I'm interested in, even though my previous experiences with it in school were incredibly shitty. It didn't start off too bad, but slowly it started getting more and more unbearable for me. Right now I'm absolutely fed up with it and I just can't take it anymore. Which is a shame, I don't really want it to go this way. Therefore, I come over here (this being a familiar place for me and also having many people with math knowledge) to ask: what could be done to help someone like me to get over my fear of math so I could start making progress again? And while were at it, why is it that you love math in the first place? As someone of the opposite opinion, it would really help me with understanding this subject more clearly.

 

EDIT: I know I should tell what kind of math I'm even studying, but right now where I live its getting late and I want some rest. I'll update it properly tomorrow.

 

EDIT 2: ok, here's the list of what exactly is the math I'm learning:

-linear programming;

-normal distribution;

-random variable;

-regression analysis;

-probability;

-sequences;

-graphs and functions;

-analytic geometry (2D and 3D),

-basic trigonometry.

Thankfully much of it is done with a calculator, but I still struggle a lot with it.

Edited July 22, 2023 by DSC

[Azuris]

See it as a Puzzle and start with simple Formulas.
The Most important Thing is the Rule of Three, as you can use it in your everyday (had to search the Internet for the english Name, hope iti s right).

Equitations are very handy for Calculations in your Job, be it Logistics, Sales or Purchase.

[G19Doom]

Just because I don’t fear math doesn’t mean I love it. I more or less tolerate it when it is applicable to what I am currently doing. I had to take a lot of math courses to complete my degree and almost none of it had any use for my career other than teaching me how to solve complex problems with simple solutions. It was worth dealing with math to get to where I’m at now. That should be enough motivation. Push through and do what must be done and you’ll look back on it and think yeah, it was worth the struggle. 

[Dogmachine]

You may want to see math as a different language that one learns continually. For example, manipulating equations becomes easier when you have in mind what information you want them to communicate. As for why one can like math, It is mainly due to how It is possible to formulate elegant/complex arguments based on acessible concepts such as numbers, geometric objects, and whatnot.

[ducon]

You can read vulgarization books: history of mathematics books, mathematical puzzles books (Martin Gardner for example) and maths for dummies books (they are good books).

If you were French, I would have recommended titles.

[Nevander]

Just start by adding up what you do know and aren't worried about. You'll be able to subtract the things that do. With this, you can divide and conquer to tackle this issue. The fears will be a fraction of what they were before. Your confidence on the subject will multiply and you'll be soaring with new powers. This is my secret formula to success. Remember to like and subscribe.

[Stupid Bunny]

Not sure if this made me less afraid of math or more so but it certainly made me appreciate its ability to provide me with pink slime

 

But yeah, approaching it as a puzzle or as a logic exercise can make it more fun. Most of the math you mentioned falls under the statistics umbrella which unfortunately I personally find somewhat dull—although extremely important, and I love what it can result in.  Maybe try finding a question you legitimately want answered, and seeing if you can develop an approach to it. That’s been my best way to approach GIS or programming or etc., rather than with abstract exercises that aren’t terribly relevant to me.

[Herr Dethnout]

13 hours ago, Azuris said:

See it as a Puzzle and start with simple Formulas.
The Most important Thing is the Rule of Three, as you can use it in your everyday (had to search the Internet for the english Name, hope iti s right).

Equitations are very handy for Calculations in your Job, be it Logistics, Sales or Purchase.

100% This... In fact, I needed to use it to calculate the rentability of my proposal on my thesis lol

So yeah, is really useful to know this :P

[rita remton]

perhaps these 3 simple tips could help:

• flow your interests into subjects that you don't like by finding similarities from subjects that you like. the key is "interest". for example, obviously you like classic doom (1,2). i also assume you know the all the monsters in the game, their names and how they look like, how they behave and attack, etc. but then, nobody had asked you to memorise/understand them all and you did all that, sometimes subconsciously, due to "interest". how to flow such interest in "doom" to something mundane such as "normal distribution" one may ask? for a mapper that makes one map section, roughly completes it with battles and resources, then move to the next map section, one of the most tedious task is finding the right amount of ammo and health vs monsters for each map section, called "balancing". mappers play over and over again for that section just to get the "feel" right because [rng] etc. but to get it best to a substantial degree with mathematical precision, you use "normal distribution" - play the map section 5-10 times to find the average of shells used for example, find the standard deviation, and the best amount of shells used for that map section is average + standard deviation. you could do the same for the amount of health for that map section. hopefully, this piques your "interest" in "normal distribution". the same could be applied with dull everyday stuff too to make them more interesting.
  
• to memorise is to forget, to understand is to master. for all mathematical formulas, find and understand how each one is derived and try deriving them yourself in some made-up scenarios (eg. switching a math question from "how many boxes are required, etc" to "how many bfg cells are required, etc"). the formulas would be retained in memory much longer then just memorising them. the same could be applied to practically any subject matter really.
• practice frequently, there is no shortcut. maths is literally that unfortunately :P

just my 2 cents. hope these simple tips (taught to me by my parents) helps :)

Edited August 10, 2023 by rita remton