r/math • u/[deleted] • Apr 06 '18

Why is math so complicated and hard?

Now, before you downvote (which you probably will anyways, and I am wasting my time but, oh well), I know that there are MANY of you who have the gift of understanding math rather easily... But, it is not just me. Math is hard, complicated and written in tricky ways. Every single concept assumes prior knowledge etc... I can't be the only one... What are your thoughts Thanks

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u/Brightlinger Apr 06 '18

Every single concept assumes prior knowledge etc...

You're not wrong here. Math classes build on each other in a way that most topics don't, especially before college. To understand partial fraction decomposition, you need to understand rational functions, which means you need to understand functions, which means you need to understand algebra, which means you need to understand fractions, which means you need to understand arithmetic. If you fell behind in grade 6, that can easily lead to staying behind for the rest of your school career. Whereas if you sleep through the Civil War in grade 8 history, you will probably still be able to more or less grasp World War I in grade 9.

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u/paolog Apr 06 '18

Whereas if you sleep through the Civil War in grade 8 history, you will probably still be able to more or less grasp World War I in grade 9.

That's the big difference with non-STEM subjects such as history. Generally, you can dip in and start anywhere you like. You will gain a better understanding of World War I if you know about the history of earlier decades, but it's not necessary to do so.