What is it about Maths and Physics that scares people?

They represent what most consider to be harder disciplines. They're more unique, than are other subjects (a great number of degree courses are similar to one another, in that they all involve a high element of essay writing, whereas Maths and Physics are different). Also, they are subjects that cannot be blagged through; if you haven't learnt the work, you won't get very many marks at all, whereas common sense can be used in other subjects. I feel it's a mixture of these two factors. It does seem that Maths (and, hence, Physics) is the 'fashionable' subject to be bad at; people are always joking as to how bad their Maths is, even if they've achieved respectable grades at which; the Royal family are some of the most famous culprits of this. However, 'boasting' as to how bad one's English is, is considered to look stupid.

Given Mathematics' unique look, so to speak, and inability to be blagged around, it is seen as alien, to non-Mathematicians; those without a Mathematical background would score lower in a Mathematics exam, than would those without a background in another subject. I feel that Mathematics is an interesting, highly useful discipline, and that it is to be seen as a compliment to Mathematicians, that others find it so 'scary' a subject.

Reply 2

screenager

2

Yes I agree with banana man. I'm only doing my GCSE's but maths and physics are the subjects I like the most and when someone who does english asks me what I like and I say maths and physics they always say "oh, one of them", I think to do English you have to be programmed with that response to people who say they like maths and physics because they are always saying it.

Reply 3

Dragonshorts

I do both for AS... I get the same thing, only the 'Maths and physics?? :eek:

' is followed by: 'but you're a GIRL?? :eek:

'

Reply 4

OP

dyslexic_banana

They represent what most consider to be harder disciplines. They're more unique, than are other subjects (a great number of degree courses are similar to one another, in that they all involve a high element of essay writing, whereas Maths and Physics are different). Also, they are subjects that cannot be blagged through; if you haven't learnt the work, you won't get very many marks at all, whereas common sense can be used in other subjects. I feel it's a mixture of these two factors. It does seem that Maths (and, hence, Physics) is the 'fashionable' subject to be bad at; people are always joking as to how bad their Maths is, even if they've achieved respectable grades at which; the Royal family are some of the most famous culprits of this. However, 'boasting' as to how bad one's English is, is considered to look stupid.

Given Mathematics' unique look, so to speak, and inability to be blagged around, it is seen as alien, to non-Mathematicians; those without a Mathematical background would score lower in a Mathematics exam, than would those without a background in another subject. I feel that Mathematics is an interesting, highly useful discipline, and that it is to be seen as a compliment to Mathematicians, that others find it so 'scary' a subject.

In general I agree except for the comment in bold. I think by definition mathematics is a subject which is logical, and therefore to some extent possible to work out from basic principles. Ok I take your point that you can kind of make it up in English and so on, but there is much more to actually learn. Maths requires you to know no facts at all, it just requires application of basic principles.

Im also not sure that physics is a "harder" degree than something like classics or law.

Reply 5

OP

dyslexic_banana

They represent what most consider to be harder disciplines. They're more unique, than are other subjects (a great number of degree courses are similar to one another, in that they all involve a high element of essay writing, whereas Maths and Physics are different). Also, they are subjects that cannot be blagged through; if you haven't learnt the work, you won't get very many marks at all, whereas common sense can be used in other subjects. I feel it's a mixture of these two factors. It does seem that Maths (and, hence, Physics) is the 'fashionable' subject to be bad at; people are always joking as to how bad their Maths is, even if they've achieved respectable grades at which; the Royal family are some of the most famous culprits of this. However, 'boasting' as to how bad one's English is, is considered to look stupid.

Given Mathematics' unique look, so to speak, and inability to be blagged around, it is seen as alien, to non-Mathematicians; those without a Mathematical background would score lower in a Mathematics exam, than would those without a background in another subject. I feel that Mathematics is an interesting, highly useful discipline, and that it is to be seen as a compliment to Mathematicians, that others find it so 'scary' a subject.

Thats my point though... why do they say it? Why is it engraved on the mind? The people I referred to in the OP should have known better... they were doing classics and modern languages at Oxford for goodness sake! :s:

We don't look at artists like that. Maybe it is a specialisation thing, but its still annoying :frown:

Reply 6

Yeah, I've always regarded Mathematics to be the discipline of the greatest level of logic, but I still think it'd be easier to blag with English, than to blag with Mathematics; although I'm perhaps looking at it slightly more in terms of non-students of each discipline (i.e. non-English students would be in greater a position to blag with English, than would non-Mathematics students with Mathematics). Actually, I wonder as to how many facts there are to learn, with English; I have a mate who got a 2:1 degree in it, without much work (it requires a high level of intelligence, but as for study, I doubt it). Also, English Language at GCSE required no revision, unlike Mathematics at GCSE (I know this is at GCSE, but it's all relative). I'd also consider the fact that English students tend to have about five hours of lectures a week, while Mathematics and Physics students about fifteen or even twenty, to be of relevance. And, I'd consider Mathematics to be harder than Classics or Law (but then, I'm not claiming to be too clued up, as regards the syllabuses of each).

Reply 7

OP

dyslexic_banana

Yeah, I've always regarded Mathematics to be the discipline of the greatest level of logic, but I still think it'd be easier to blag with English, than to blag with Mathematics; although I'm perhaps looking at it slightly more in terms of non-students of each discipline (i.e. non-English students would be in greater a position to blag with English, than would non-Mathematics students with Mathematics). Actually, I wonder as to how many facts there are to learn, with English; I have a mate who got a degree in it, without much work (it requires a high level of intelligence, but as for study, I doubt it). Also, English Language at GCSE required no revision, unlike Mathematics. I'd also consider the fact that English students tend to have about five hours of lectures a week, while Mathematics and Physics students about fifteen or even twenty, to be of relevance.

tell me about it :p:

.. its not even funny :rolleyes:

but yes I take your point, I could probably blag my way through an English paper and do very badly, but not as bad as someone trying to do maths without an understanding of it.

Reply 8

Dragonshorts

dyslexic_banana

Yeah, I've always regarded Mathematics to be the discipline of the greatest level of logic, but I still think it'd be easier to blag with English, than to blag with Mathematics; although I'm perhaps looking at it slightly more in terms of non-students of each discipline (i.e. non-English students would be in greater a position to blag with English, than would non-Mathematics students with Mathematics). Actually, I wonder as to how many facts there are to learn, with English; I have a mate who got a degree in it, without much work (it requires a high level of intelligence, but as for study, I doubt it). Also, English Language at GCSE required no revision, unlike Mathematics. I'd also consider the fact that English students tend to have about five hours of lectures a week, while Mathematics and Physics students about fifteen or even twenty, to be of relevance.

I do maths and english, and I would say that at GCSE i was as good at one as at the other. Now for Alevel I find I can get As in english with no work, and have to really slog to do the same in maths. I am the only person in my year that does both subjects though, so I can't compare myself to anyone else. However, I do know that there are people in my english class who do find it very difficult..

Reply 9

It seems of great relevance, being as the obvious implication is that more hours of supervised learning are required, in the case of a Maths or Physics student, than in that of an English student. My aforementioned friend's workload seemed alarmingly low, for his final two years; he was only required to do a few essays (I don't believe he took a single exam, even); not even anything that was considered a dissertation. In fact, he joked how his was the only course that got easier by the year. Looking at it from the point of view of someone not studying any given subject, a subject's difficulty will perhaps be judged as to how easy any given person would find that subject, as a non-student of which; and, as we say, Mathematics would be one of the hardest of them all, for a non-student. At the end of the day, I've always thought how the only way of judging as to what is a harder subject, is by considering what most people would find the hardest; and, I think we have the answer.

Reply 10

OP

noofruit

I do maths and english, and I would say that at GCSE i was as good at one as at the other. Now for Alevel I find I can get As in english with no work, and have to really slog to do the same in maths. I am the only person in my year that does both subjects though, so I can't compare myself to anyone else. However, I do know that there are people in my english class who do find it very difficult..

The point is it all depends where a persons talent lies. Mine lies with maths (I'm rubbish with essays and stuff). Others have a talent for essays and find that easy, yet we scientists accept and respect the Artists. It doesnt seem to be reciprocated as much back the other way.

Reply 11

non-centrally acting

11

rewmck

Yes I agree with banana man. I'm only doing my GCSE's but maths and physics are the subjects I like the most and when someone who does english asks me what I like and I say maths and physics they always say "oh, one of them", I think to do English you have to be programmed with that response to people who say they like maths and physics because they are always saying it.

i think i'm going to try that

it could be down to poor teaching at schools/ colleges, because a friend of mine hated it because of his teacher. i at one point hated it and was doing badly becasue my teacher was a witch (secondary school :p:

) i think, due to the poor quality of teaching in some schools, students generally expect to fail maths, so they hate it.

Reply 12

Cunning Linguist

3

i think people should learn to appreciate other people's intersts and passions more.

i get it all the time from my relatives - asians (on the whole) always do: medicine, pharmacy, optom or something sciencey, or otherwise law.

when i say languages, they're like "haha what a loser" (they don't say it but i know it's what they think)

generally i look up to people who do Maths and Physics - they always strike me as people from 'another planet' (really intelligent type) lol - but in a totally GOOD way.

everyone has their interests and passions - we should all learn to appreciate one another.

(ok, maybe someone studying "David Beckham Studies @ the University of Small Field in North Wales will slightly worry me...!!)

Reply 13

F1_fanatic

The point is it all depends where a persons talent lies. Mine lies with maths (I'm rubbish with essays and stuff). Others have a talent for essays and find that easy, yet we scientists accept and respect the Artists. It doesnt seem to be reciprocated as much back the other way.

Yeah; it's down to the individual, and I conclude that the best, most logical way to judge as to a subject's difficulty, is as to what would be considered the hardest, by the majority.

noofruit

I do maths and english, and I would say that at GCSE i was as good at one as at the other. Now for Alevel I find I can get As in english with no work, and have to really slog to do the same in maths. I am the only person in my year that does both subjects though, so I can't compare myself to anyone else. However, I do know that there are people in my english class who do find it very difficult..

Your experiences are what I'd expect, and do speak volumes, as regards the ideas being considered. I'd believe that there'd be more people in your Maths class who'd find it very difficult, or at least relevant to their previous academic performance. Actually, Mathematics and English students do seem among the brightest, generally, actually. And why are there so many more applicants for likes of English degrees, than for Mathematics and Physics degrees, despite there being better job prospects associated with the latter? I think I could hazard a guess....

Reply 14

OP

dyslexic_banana

Your experiences are what I'd expect, and do speak volumes, as regards the ideas being considered. I'd believe that there'd be more people in your Maths class who'd find it very difficult, or at least relevant to their previous academic performance. Actually, Mathematics and English students do seem among the brightest, generally, actually. And why are there so many more applicants for likes of English degrees, than for Mathematics and Physics degrees, despite there being better job prospects associated with the latter? I think I could hazard a guess....

Because it has a bad reputation... thats the point, why does it have this reputation. Theres no reason why it should be harder really. And the question of which is the harder subject isn't really the question open to debate... that is one that will just run and run. Besides job prospects aren't THAT good

Reply 15

linguist786

think people should learn to appreciate other people's intersts and passions more.

i get it all the time from my relatives - asians (on the whole) always do: medicine, pharmacy, optom or something sciencey, or otherwise law.

when i say languages, they're like "haha what a loser" (they don't say it but i know it's what they think)

A good post. Yes, I have noticed that Asians tend to have a 'good' choice, when it comes to subjects (when looking at things in terms of job prospects).

linguist786

generally i look up to people who do Maths and Physics - they always strike me as people from 'another planet' (really intelligent type) lol - but in a totally GOOD way.

Yes, and I imagine it's similar in a lot of cases; the looks do often seem more "Are you mad?"ish, than "You incredibly intelligent, superior brainiac, you"ish, though.

linguist786

everyone has their interests and passions - we should all learn to appreciate one another.

(ok, maybe someone studying "David Beckham Studies @ the University of Small Field in North Wales will slightly worry me...!!)

Yeah; the array of degree courses does seem rather ridiculous, nowadays. Exactly what job would that set a person up for? Nanny to his kids?

Reply 16

tritogeneia1

I used to get a weird look when I told people what A-levels I was doing - Latin, Greek and maths. I never knew though if it was maths, the classical subjects or the combination that got me the looks. I do get weird looks now when I say I'm doing classics, so maybe it was both - doing Latin and Greek does get a weird reaction too, though I don't know if it's necessarily a similar one to what you're describing; sometimes I get people asking me what the point of classics is, which is really annoying and which probably doesn't happen with maths or physics. I think perhaps one reason is that it seems much less accessible to those who don't know about it; with something like English people know, or at least think they know, what an English student is talking about - although there is a point, at least with classics, where this ceases to apply - I know my non-classicist friends regularly say they haven't got a clue what we're talking about when we talk about classics (but then Greek grammar is confusing enough if you ARE a classicist! :wink:

)
I'd agree that it's easier to blag something like English if you don't know anything about it; you can always say something, whereas if you don't know the notation, for instance, in maths, you wouldn't even be able to understand the question. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that, beyond a basic level, it's easier to be good at arts subjects, even if they do require less work; I think there's sometimes an assumption that, for instance because anyone who's literate can read a book, then that same person can study English and be good at it automatically, which of course isn't true (applies the other way, too - some people assume that being able to write a grammatical sentence means you automatically have the ability to write a book - again so untrue.) I don't get this so much with classics though, probably because of the language thing - Latin and Greek seem to be seen as hard and somewhat incomprehensible, so people just look at us oddly...or maybe that's because we're probably talking about something disturbing. :biggrin:

EDIT: About a million posts between starting writing that and finishing it, so I probably repeated something someone has said. I tend to reagrd maths and physics/students of same with admiration - I actually really like science as well as classics and quite wanted to do them, so I don't think they're mad at all. I have a friend doing physics here who likes classics but doesn't think she'd be good enough to do it - the opposite of me really; I like physics as well but my maths would not be good enough, even though I got an A at A-level - it's not pretending to be rubbish, but I know that I found maths really hard work and Latin and Greek so much easier in comparison, even with demanding teachers and a high standard of work set. One of my maths teachers thought i was insane - he, obviously enough, thought maths was fairly easy and came naturally to him, but had found classics very hard.

Reply 17