Math is not the enemy… you haven’t made friends with it yet!

How to transform your relationship with numbers

Do you fear math? Till a few years back, I did too. Will I want to call it fear? Not exactly. Is it that I don’t understand it ? Not really! Then what was it ? Why did my mind just shut off when it came to numbers? I very clearly remember my math classes in school. I would start all engaged and attentive. And then as the minutes would tick by, my attention would begin to waver. I would hear the teacher’s words in the background but the words would no longer make sense.

Interestingly, I’ve always had reasonably okay grades in math, but somehow I never felt any affinity towards the subject. I’ve seen a few of my friends who were very good at it and many others who struggled badly. I was somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. Many times, when asked to solve a problem, I just didn’t know where to begin. The information presented would seem just so overwhelming that identifying the relevant information from the rest would become difficult. Solving math problems in an exam was an even more daunting task. One mistake in calculations would mean an incorrect answer. And all of this in a limited time! Oh, it was just so discouraging! Mathematics is an abstract subject and often requires abstract thinking. It deals with concepts and ideas that may not have any physical or tangible representation around us. For example algebraic expressions involving an x, y.. , negative numbers, the concept of infinity… It’s difficult to wrap your head around it. Because of all these reasons I found study of math very intimidating. I grew to believe that aptitude for math was innate and I just didn’t have it in me. So much so that I decided not pursue a career in medicine out of fear for math.

In the past few years however the story started changing for the better. I chose entrepreneurship. Being comfortable with numbers is essential for making informed decisions. Also, I developed an interest in AI. In my journey as a co-founder at Cere Labs, study of AI algorithms and its applications was central to our operations. To get a real insight into AI, study of mathematics was paramount. I was once again confronted with the same problem. STUDY OF MATHS! And this time there was no escape. But the situation was slightly different from my childhood, in fact quite favorable. First, I didn’t have any exams to appear. Making mistakes was ok. I could decide the areas in math that I wanted to focus on. And there were plenty of resources available on the internet that could explain concepts by breaking them down and with examples. And the second most important factor was, the years I had spent in programming. Programming and math are parallel disciplines. Both involve logical thinking and problem solving. In fact I was quite surprised about how I could be so scared of math when I so loved programming.

My fear for math had taken root in my childhood and continued to haunt me for a very long time. I very soon realized that there was no rational basis and I decided to overcome it.

---

Strategies adopted to make friendship with math

I’ll share some strategies I adopted here:

Change in mindset

This was the first and most important step I had taken. This change in mindset helped me in looking at the subject more as a mystery to be unraveled rather than a monster to be afraid of and slayed. My journey of bonding with math began because of this most important change.

Begin with the basics

I reopened the books and started with the fundamentals. We often forget the fundamental concepts of a subject we have studied as a child. If you revisit, you realize that studying fundamentals of any subject is a beautiful experience. Not only do you understand the building blocks but you gain a sense of confidence that is truly exhilarating. I started with the study of college algebra. You won’t believe I actually started with the number system :)

Make it relevant

Our education system often presents subjects in silos. This disconnects the subject. The knowledge gained in one has very little relevance to the other. More importantly this perspective of studying any subject disengages it from the real world. Understanding the applications of the subject in our everyday life makes us feel connected with it. Also, with interdisciplinary learning, we get a more holistic view of things. Math is an integral part of our lives and we use mathematical concepts and principles without realizing it. For example, we add and subtract when we pay our bills, we calculate distance and time when traveling and so on. Also studying math without correlation with other subjects will make it dull and boring. Relate it with the other subjects and it will be fun. Within no time you will get engaged in the study. For example study of AI, involves study of multiple fields such as computer science, math, engineering, neuroscience and others

One step at a time

Math problems can be very confusing and complex if you read through them as a big whole. The trick can be to break them into smaller steps. Starting with the easier parts we can work our way up. Before you realize, you will have solved the problem.

Studying is a process. There is no rush

Studying any subject including math is a process and requires time and effort. As a part of academics, we hardly get any time to go deep into a subject. The syllabus is designed to cover more concepts in a considerably small amount of time. This design allows you to cover a lot of ground but leaves little opportunity to explore the subject thoroughly. But when you study a subject out of interest, there is no such time pressure. This doesn’t mean that you don’t set goals. You do, but you can be easy on yourself. It’s important to be more meticulous than rushing. Quality over speed is the matra. If I get anxious about the slow pace (which I do very often), I just remind myself that I am one concept wiser than yesterday.

Solving by hand

Solving math mentally is what I used to do before. But this practice doesn’t take you very far. Thinking becomes convoluted and almost always you end up with an incorrect answer. Human beings have shorter working memories and that comes in the way of mentally solving math problems. I have realized, the hard way, that solving math problems by hand gives you a much deeper understanding. It gives you a chance to review your thought process. Writing is a powerful tool for improving cognition. By solving by hand, we are more likely to remember the solution approach better and longer. The beauty is that as we carefully go over the steps, the patterns and connections with other concepts and problem statements start emerging almost automatically. This is truly rewarding and will make you want to continue learning and practicing.

Practice regularly

Commitment of time is the most important step in learning any new subject. You can set the frequency and time that is convenient for you, but having a schedule and sticking to it is important. Creating a routine helps build a good study habit. This also helps in setting your study goals. For me, the goals had to be aligned with my study of AI.

Find a mentor

And last but not the least is, identifying a mentor. Having a mentor in the study of any subject is very valuable. Mentor could be some tutor teaching an online course or could be your friend who is a math wiz. What’s important is you can have someone to whom you can go for guidance and support.

---

Conclusion

So, for those, like me, who gave up on math out of fear, there is good news. Don’t be afraid of math. It’s a powerful ally. With carefully drafted strategies, like me, you too can overcome the fear of math. Being patient and remaining committed is the key. It is a process that takes time and effort but surely over time, you will find math less daunting and a more enjoyable experience.