When You're Bad At Math

[@th3azscorpio]

Ive always struggled with math; and I mean straight up sucked. I was very intimidated by it, and often did whatever I could to avoid it. But at the same time, Ive always had this burning desire to get better at it. One thing that's helped me tremendously is going back to the very basics, the earliest math I remember, and studying it all the way up from there. Math and I are becoming "friends" now.

[@th3azscorpio]

@@karinaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Lol, I dunno if its being an adult or whatnot, but math somehow just "clicks" more, and I just get it. I went as far back as third grade math, since thats where I started struggling, and started re-teaching myself through books, online math programs courses, and some great math KZbin channels. I find that teaching yourself math also makes for better learning, as opposed to traditional classroom learning. I wish you the very best with your university programs, and may you ace each class! 😊

[@miajones3025]

@th3azscorpio what do you use? I'm trying to go back to school and I'm struggling.

[@th3azscorpio]

@@miajones3025 IXL is a wonderful resource. They have a K-12 curriculum, and wonderful resource help. Also, Math Antics here on KZbin, Khan Academy, and Math Guiness. These have all helped me tremendously. And although this may sound counterproductive, but also passively studying Trig and Calculus, alongisde earlier mathematics, has done wonders for my math understand, and comprehension. Even if I didnt understand, the concepts stuck, and even made my understanding of algebra better, and mor concrete. After all, calculus is just more advanced algebra, and requires a firm understanding of such in order to solve. Hope all of these help!

[@BlackCodeMath]

@@miajones3025 check out GreeneMath, a channel here on KZbin. Having done poorly in math since failing Algebra 1 long ago, I had some basics I needed to refresh before taking another shot at college level math. Explanations, reviews, practice problems, discussion of practice problems, it's all there. Best of luck on your math journey.

[@IronDisulfide]

In the early 2010, I failed Calc II three times while having no stressors in life except college classes. Yesterday, I finished an 8-week Calc II course. I earned an A-. I achieved this despite being in the middle of a long tour overseas with the military, working 50+ hours a week, and losing a full week due to a field training exercise. Math Sorcerer is right. Sometimes time just needs to pass. I'm way different than I was when I was 20. Honestly, it feels like a myth that "learning gets harder as you get older". I legitimately feel like I'm learning faster at 30 even though I have serious external stressors in my daily life. Getting a grip on my mental health and ADHD has really helped, and learning solid study techniques helped.

[@philkim8297]

Your story is inspiring. I would have given up. I'm scared to take calc. I've never taken a calc course, but maybe 1 day I will, and I'll remember your story. It's crazy you were working that much and taking such a difficult class at the same time.

[@sarahverpile1595]

Do you take anything for your adhd or no?

[@IronDisulfide]

@@sarahverpile1595 I don't, but I designed my life to have less friction between me and the things I need to focus on.

[@Surausolla]

your my inspiration right now man i hope everything is well for you right now

[@Kenneth-iw8jz]

"sometimes it's just not your time, sometimes you just need time" that words made my eyes quite teary. I'll keep improving. Thank you ♥️

[@okankyoto]

Sometimes theres not enough time in the world

[@sophiaisabelle027]

I've always considered myself to be bad at math since I was younger. I kinda have trouble understanding concepts that are too vague or abstract in nature. Probably that's why I like words better. Less complicated. Numbers kinda mess up with your mind. Not that I mean it in a bad way, in my head, they just get jumbled up. I don't know if anyone can relate, but I'm just sharing my thoughts.

[@oioio-yb9dw]

I propose you practice mathematics and learn the definitions or descriptions of the procedures to perform a specific operation. Write it in words and use a proper explanation that is not vague and calls every part of a pressure by its name.

[@SteveRuprecht]

I felt the same way until I got over struggling with arithmetic. Sort of strange but I feel like I'm better at algebra, geometry, or calculus than arithmetic. At one point I told myself it's probably ok if I still have to count some numbers instead of remembering the sum or whatever and I started moving along and learning at a good clip. After a few years I now have a lot of it internalized but I just had to take the leap.

[@jadedengineeringstudent]

I do think there are some things that words describe better and other things that are better described by math, models and pictures

[@komicalkramer6188]

could it potentially be dyscalculia? Arjie-Aike de Haas has some interesting videos on said topic

[@parisortiz8731]

Yes I have a similar feeling except I feel like I can’t visualize numbers or concepts in my brain at all, like math just does not exist in my head.

[@SteveRuprecht]

I was bad at doing math until i started doing math. Weird how that works lol

[@Shannon_Robbie]

That's not always the case though. Some people just struggle more with numbers and math than others.

[@emil42069]

I am a high school drop out. I just found your channel and its given me more hope than i couldve ever imagined. I, for the first time, feel like I can actually learn all the things i missed in my youth. You have allowed me the privilege of hope and changed my life. Thank you.

[@coleyoutubechannel]

I was horrible at math in elementary and HS. I was looking at my report cards the other day and I always flunked out of math classes, I surprisingly got a B in HS geometry but I credit that to the teacher because he was excellent at teaching the material. I worked in health care for a few years and decided I wanted to become a PA or a doctor so I signed up for CC but needed to take college arithmetic and college algebra because of my deficiencies in HS... I ended up loving those courses more than my bio and chemistry courses and decided to change my major to mathematics kind of unsure of what I was getting into... fast forward a couple years and I have one more year before I get my undergraduate degree in math. I have completed the calculus sequence, differential equations, linear algebra, and proof-writing with high marks.. I am currently studying real analysis and group theory prior to the fall semester. I enjoy my coursework and I have been happy so far with my progress. If I can do it so can you!

[@buchucraft612]

You're one of the most intelligent people I've encountered in my life. Keep up the good work , mate.

[@TheMathSorcerer]

Wow, thank you very much. I really appreciate this comment:)

[@renatoigmed]

is our Adrian Veidt, a.k.a. Ozymandias from YT 😁

[@alphafound3459]

In my first assignment in Advanced Calculus (grad school), I got a zero. Yet for some reason my professor told my advisor that there was hope for me. After a couple more rough assignments, I went to his office to go through things to see where I stood. After seeing me one on one, he said, "You are not without mathematical insight, but I suspect you have a learning disability." This was such a relief to hear, as there was a reason I was struggling apart from effort and conceptual abilities. Later, in a different class, I received a B+, when a B- would have been more accurate. I went to the professor to find out if the grade was an error. In a thick Chinese accent he said, "It's okay, you have a psychological problem." I never got any disability accommodations, but I did earn an MS in Mathematics (Computational Finance).

[@Strikerfm1]

lmao

[@Supercatzs]

did you ever find out what type of disability you had??

[@alphafound3459]

@@Supercatzs Mild dyslexia (which is horrible for mathematics) and something else where I do not seem to understand much about a subject until I understand everything. Then it is easy. This has helped me when I teach to be sympathetic to clueless students.

[@Supercatzs]

@@alphafound3459 ah, thank you for sharing

[@weekendjail1417]

Do you know if there is a term for "...where I do not seem to understand much about a subject until I understand everything. Then it is easy."? I kind of went though this teaching myself (with some help from a few nice internet people) how to cast end product silver ingots to exactly 99.9% purity (i.e. not 99.96%, not 99.92%.) I was so caught up in a loooong list of problems that, when I look back on-- are so simple, so easy, so obvious etc in retrospect. It's like at some point a flip just switched and I was like "Oh, I get it. this is simple". Just curious as it is something I'd like to look into because looking back this applies to many many things. @@alphafound3459

[@RealBelisariusCawl]

I have dyscalculia. I found work-arounds for my necessary maths that are largely reliant on calculators. I would literally forget my multiplication tables OVERNIGHT and no amount of teaching would make it stick. I still can’t remember them. Throw in the piled up memories of being a kid and having my most hated subject shoved down my throat repeatedly in an attempt to make me learn and now I CANNOT stand math classes. I know that when I don’t know something I’ll just be called an idiot, or told I’m not paying attention because we already covered that or some such shit. I can’t math. I’ve just accepted it now.

[@tiagocruz6307]

Like Euler when he went blind his math output went up not down🥰🥰...for some of us who are "blind" thats amazing. Math is for everyone...

[@MrDaAsif]

I remember paying full attention in Calc 2 and being in a very conflicted, complicated mental state... went from super high A in Calc 1 to failing :/ went from wanting to double major with math to having to give it up, was brought to this channel in the hopes of going back into that love Thankfully my main major, Computer Science only required Calc 1 at the time

[@KahinAhmed72]

Thank you so much for making this video. This is a very good morale-booster for not just students but also for anyone who needs to sit down and learn in order to reach proficiency in a skill. Such as language learning, military tactics, sports. The best thing about this video is that the lessons don't just apply to math, they pretty much apply to all skills in life. And as someone with an MID (Mild Intellectual Disability), hearing you explain about your students with learning disabilities was very reassuring. I've always had a hard time learning in school throughout my life and had distressing experiences with learning as a result. I gained a mental barrier from my insecurities and an aversion to learning complicated subject matter. I still dislike learning but I do it anyway because I want to grow as an individual, I want to become someone that I'm finally proud of. You can't like *everything* that you do in this life, but you're gonna have to do it anyway. Not everyone can be talented and a genius, but we all can decide to improve ourselves one day at a time. Thanks a ton for this video, sir!

[@jadedengineeringstudent]

One thing that has really helped me with math is turning it into a social event with my friends back in school from 11 to 12th grade. We all got together and we sat down and we would do math; trying to lay things out and understand things together. It's more fun that way. I think collaboration is underrated. We tend to only think of geniuses, and how they have impacted us, but we don't often really appreciate the power of a collaborative effort to solve problems. Four of us were all average-pretty bad at math before this, but together we managed to get good grades. My math grades from 11th grade to 12th grade were the best I've ever had.

[@sowmindful1501]

I feel like I’ve found your videos at the perfect time. I’m a 9 year Starbucks barista, taking care of, and giving my 11 year old pup, Milo, the best golden years of his life are my top priority - but I also don’t want to be stuck working for Starbucks forever, or in retail work. I’ve been looking into taking the Software Engineering BS course through ASU online, and I’m not even confident in my basic arithmetic. But thanks to watching your videos, I’m being reminded that a lot of it is ‘doing’ and practicing what we’re not good at. My main concern is that I will lose time to spend with Milo.

[@th3azscorpio]

You can do it. Just a lot of practice.

[@konstantinossohos2349]

Go for it bro, grind on. Put in your all.

[@motivationalmadness10]

Your time with your dog is more valuable than this arbitrary language.

[@th3azscorpio]

@@motivationalmadness10 Time with her dog is important, but what good is that if you cant provide the means to keep them healthy, and help prolong their life. As pets age, health issues may present, and vet bills are VERY expensive. Especially emergency visits. Taking to the time study and better herself, sets herself up to be in a better position to take care of that dog.

[@user-yk1cw8im4h]

It’s just a dog …

[@reivhal9057]

Thanks im really bad at math but i have this spark that i really REALLY want to learn it. And your guiding that spark within me. Thank you so much! 😊

[@YassuYasen]

Yeah, your face expression is so me lol

[@reivhal9057]

@@YassuYasen 😂

[@dundel24277]

About a year ago I used to hate math and used to struggle so much in it. So as time passed when i actually started taking math seriously, i began to enjoy solving problems and improved exponentially :)

[@patriciagreen2365]

Thank you for the excellent advice. Also, thank you for being understanding and accommodating to students who have a learning disability. I worked with this student population for ten years. Sometomes, it's the simplest accommodations that make the most significant difference resulting in the greatest success.

[@Pure_Imagination_728]

Having a low aptitude at math is the reason I decided to pursue math as one of my majors. I’ve always struggled with it and considered it a challenge which has made it all that more interesting to me. I’m grateful I’m not gifted in math because if it came easy to me there would be little fun in learning it. My biggest strengths are in psychology and writing, I would consider myself gifted in those areas. Psych is my other major. In my math classes, I have learned not to be so hard on myself and tell myself it’s ok to ask for help from those who are gifted in math. I don’t consider myself bad at math, I’m quite good at it. But I’m not a genius, nor do I want to be. I enjoy learning for the sake of learning, not to make myself smarter. Learning is fun for me because I have to work hard at it. I enjoy the challenge. Also, not being the most gifted person in the room doesn’t prevent me from doing and performing well in the subject. I just have to take more time to study it than others, and that is ok. 😊

[@JokerTropical]

As a computer science major who takes a lot of math courses as electives for fun, I was lucky that my university requires comp sci majors to take 2 courses on sets, logic, proof techniques, graph theory, etc. in their first year of undergrad study. I think the early exposure to proofs really helped me in understanding math better at a fundamental level.

[@Svabby]

I need to do a bunch of math classes for my comp sci degree, but I'm struggling with them. I'm spending so many hours and barley learning anything.

[@AlbertGilbert-yw8qc]

Math sorcerer, you are an inspiration to me. I always loved astrophysics, but struggled with the math, I thought I wasn't good enough and maybe I should quit my dreams of becoming an astrophysicist, I'm 26 and I am the most determined to learn math , it's never to late! Thank you Math sorcerer!!

[@konstantinossohos2349]

Get that degree bro - don't give up ever!

[@TheHotdogdog]

Have you started learning? I gave up my dreams of becoming an astrophysicist as well because of math. Ironically in doing my masters in finance I had to do some PhD levels of math in stochastic calculus and that hurt my confidence to the point I contemplated suicide. I graduated in the end but I still hate math and hold resentment

[@michael57603]

I struggled at high school math. I struggled with accounting. I struggled with foreign languages. These tough experiences were all in high school. Now I speak Japanese well, and German ok (live here now and still studying). I also know accounting well after completing my CPA studies. And now I want to learn high school math better. I joined the Art of Problem Solving course about a week ago, and have been doing the most basic math (pre-algebra). Yet the way they teach seems to offer more insight to explain why things are done, rather than simply learn the rule and do the problems. Also they have adaptive problems that feed you more of the problems you struggle with. Early days, but it's been helpful so far. What the Sorcerer said about right timing resonated with me- it's been much easier for me to learn things in my own time without classroom pressure (I know that message won't help students!).

[@cl1399]

This is such great advice. I hated math for many years, was notoriously bad at it. Reflecting on this experience, had alot to do with it being taught sequentially. It took self learning for me to appreciate math. i literally live to do math now. The ability to study whatever I want and piece it together makes the subject magical. I think a lot of creative people are the same way. We don't like being told what to do, and math can feel like a bunch of guardrails on your creativity. But once you explore the subject you learn it is the exact opposite, it's actually the language of action. it exists to help you communicate your creativity to people. The 2 tips that helped me change my mindset are 1. learn actively (copy everything by hand and say what you think out loud) 2. Progressively overload your tolerance for frustration and learn to expect nothing because it is a privilege to be studying it at all

[@maddyG7414]

Thank you for this. I’m in a biology degree and have struggled with math, being at a lower level than majority of my peers since I was a child. It took me years to even do mental math, and I’ve wondered if I have some kind of learning disability with math. My grades in science courses are really good, but the math parts really get me down sometimes. I want to study life so badly, and the only way to get the qualifications is to change my relationship to math. Much appreciated.

[@danielc.martin]

Guys, it is incredible that it is COMPLETELY posible for me and you to learn math properly, only time is needed. There may be distractions or misunderstandings in definitions, proofs and procedures but, if it is done properly, it can be done. In fact, if it takes more time than it "should" (remember always that you are learning things that (usually) took f****** CENTURIES to discover and develop), it will be remember for more time than if not and you will have a much deeper understanding of whatever you are studying.

[@calebburwell8843]

I love your channel and I have only just really started to learn how to study math despite getting my bachelor's degree in physics, the thinking style is much much slower (at least for me) and getting used to self learning outside of a class has been interesting.

[@marymcnelson3276]

Thanks for your advice and for encouraging people who think they are bad at maths but the is still hope for them. I have experienced this before which makes me feel that I can't solve a math problem ever since I have had a change of mindset for math I can barely see that I'm getting the math concept easily. Have always been scared of huge values when my teacher tells the students to simply a question or twist the questions in such a way that you have to find this before they will be able to get the final answer that gives me a headache.

[@mj47_dreamer]

Thank You Professor! What I love about your videos is, there is this sensitive layer to it uk like wrapped in a blanket of understanding. It's beautiful! Your advice is really empowering. Some people aren't blessed with great supporting families and thriving environments where even trying to live a bloody normal life is so suffocating, where every time you try to slither out of this darkness, the fathom of your mental illness grabs you in, its grip tighter every single time. I'm so grateful and often get emotional watching someone so supportive and kind out there who cares. You make things seem simple, there is tranquility in stability and objectiveness. Heartfelt Gratitude

[@billylee5624]

I got an A in Calc 2, and at the same time I was taking Linear Algebra and surprisingly got a C. At the time the subscripts of Linear Algebra was new to me and it was hard to think in terms of two subscripts, but finally after studying more on it, cause it's the basis for graduate Economics and machine learning, it became second nature to me. I also understood a little more about sequences and series and how they are derived and either converge to a limit or diverge infinitely when I thought more of math symbols in subscript notation. To enumerate things indefinitely to an "infinite" amount is what turned me towards real analysis and my eyes light up when I see mathematical induction being used and the 'omnipresent' n term or natural number to represent the sum +...+ or product pi for the general n-case. I now know I have a fascination with letters rather than things numerical, though we need numerical approximations that are left to computers for the tougher problems like tougher integrals, some that are downright nonsensical and hard to solve, then you got quintic terms. Cause it's like when you see an n term you're like "Okay, now how is the nth term generally derived to the sum on the RHS" etc, regardless of how many solutions there are. Right now, I am learning more and more about these terms like high to low dimensions of p variables from statistics, rank, linear combinations and dependence, so when I go back to reading and practicing linear algebra I will understand concepts like basis etc more. It's a great feeling.

[@alphastrongman6879]

I switched careers into software engineering from biotech. I used to consider myself 'bad at math' and now I have to go through several math books and fully understand before I can sharpen my skill. Thank you for the message. I will indeed 'rise from the ashes' too.

[@badatdoingmath]

I agree 100% with this. Mathematical maturity is a real thing. It just takes time to get some topics. That said, I still have to be extra careful when working in some domains in math (like probability, and counting - combinatorics) years after initially studying it.

[@oyakodon34]

You are the reason why i want to be a math wizard

[@julianmorales3299]

thanks for your words, I always feel discouraged studying mathematics, greetings from Argentina!!

[@V____R]

Hola Hechicero, te sigo en tu canal de habla español. La historia que contaste, del estudiante que apenas aprobó cálculo 2 y en cálculo 3 sacó notas excelentes se parece mucho a mi caso. Yo era muy vago en la primaria y secundaria. Cuando me decidí por estudiar física, sabía que sería muy rudo avanzar, y así fue. En primer exámen de cálculo 1, el exámen valía 30 puntos y yo saqué un cero. Me sentía perdido en esa materia. Fuí mejorando, en el último exámen saqué 15 de 35. Reprobé la materia de cálculo 1, pero hice lo más importante, identifiqué mis debilidades y en vacaciones, dispuesto a aprender, ya gustandome la matemática, compré un Algebra de Baldor y me dispuse a resolverlo entero. No recuerdo si lo logré, pero te aseguro que todos los días, sin fallar, hacía muchos muchos problemas de ese libro, de verdad hice muchos. Cuando volví al curso, aprobé cálculo 1 con una nota bastante decente, pero aún notaba mis debilidades. En el siguiente semestre, cursé Algebra Lineal 1 y Cálculo 2. Cálculo 2 la aprobé con una nota final de 19/20 (La nota máxima menos uno), y en algebra lineal tuve que enfrentarme a las demostraciones, al principio me costó mucho pero pude recuperarme y en el último exámen la profesora me felicitó porque había cometido errores numéricos, pero los conceptos los manejaba a la perfección. No fue el final de la historia, reprobé Calculo 3 y Algebra Lineal 2, un golpe muy duro para mi, y como recordarás, mi carrera era física y la verdad es que se me dió muy mal la física hasta 5to semestre. A esto le debo añadir que vivo en Venezuela y vivir aquí es genuinamente difícil. Sigo estudiando y en la actualidad estoy a punto de graduarme, mis notas son muy altas, solo necesitaba mucho tiempo y mucho esfuerzo para obtener mis resultados. Ahora tengo las ganas de estudiar matemáticas en mi tiempo libre y por ello sigo tus dos canales y todos tus consejos. Espero que puedas leer esto y que tomes esta historia como una prueba más de que si es posible recuperarse y comenzar a obtener unos resultados destacables. Saludos Hechicero.

[@PHYSICS-sz1ns]

This video came out when i needed it the most😢😢thank you

[@ariuwu1234]

this video really really helped me, im not the best at math but out of pure passion im going to uni this year because i love abstract mathematics

[@Substantialstem800]

Thank you i really need to hear this as a engineering student.

[@nolanalexander8696]

Hi Math Sorcerer, I am grateful that you make these "down to earth" math content, and not "just do it, do math" things. You try to include various perspective: cognitive, etc.

[@kurtsalm2155]

Sometimes your math brain just stalls out. I almost failed math in 7th grade and came close to being required to retake it in summer school. I was an A-B math student since first grade and then again from 8th grade through Calculus 3. We all have our slump periods and we may never know what brought on those slumps. I think the antidotes are perserverence, positive attitude and extra help from a mentor. Never give up!

[@DavidParket-g1h]

I struggled a lot with Calc 2. I used to be in the top percentiles in math then I returned to school and flunked twice. But after that, I found I could read and understand some of those old dover math books. One book I would recommend is everything and more it will describe easily late nineteenth and early 20th century math and give you a real appreciation for the concepts and the people involved.

[@Meyra227]

I was doing horrendous at math in high school and even had the teacher tell me to major in something that had 0 math at all if I wanted to have a good career because anything involving math would make me fail miserably. I truly believe that it’s all about the mindset and goals you want to achieve, failing at certain periods of your life does not mean that you would never succeed, and having this mentality in college after I picked a major that had heavy math in it is the root of my motivation

[@ronaldjorgensen6839]

thank you for your persistence

[@theodorerooseveltsantlers270]

I went back to school when I was 23 (just long enough to forget most of the things I learned in high school). My major was Electrical Engineering, the community college I went to required you take a placement test. I tested into Elementary Algebra, and ended up with a C+ and thought I would have change majors. After taking another 6 Math classes to complete the Calculus sequence I found I was pretty good at math, Chemistry not so much. I eventually graduated with degrees in History and Math in 2015. As my Calculus 1 teacher said to me "We need to build your confidence, I'm still building mine after teaching this material for 25 years." Keep grinding, study early and often.

[@Shannon_Robbie]

Thank you for these videos they're very inspiring! Math has always been my Achilles heel. I was put in a class like you mentioned in grade school and it really messed up my confidence. I decided later in life to try to conquer this. I'm still a work in progress of course. In school, I always get distracted by what I think are people making fun of me for asking a "dumb" question. During tests, if everyone has handed in their tests and I'm still writing, I start to panic and then I'm not able to think straight. I've had to work way harder than others to get ahead but I was able to graduate with fairly good grades. I'm now still learning math for my career and getting into AC calculations for electrical theory. It's somehow a huge struggle and yet interesting all at the same time.

[@knightblueyan5682]

The was a really informative video. Finals right now are looming over me including calculus 2, which I gotta say, is pretty difficult me even though I understood calculus 1 very well. It doesn’t matter how “good” you are at math or how difficult the concepts are, but it’s about having the right study habits and the can-do attitude to do well.

[@idogut3]

Wow this video is just what I needed to see, I am currently learning calc 2 and the final test is in 2 days and I have worked really really hard and I still do every single day but whenever I open a test I could only do and be able to do half of the problems or a little bit more I get 50~70 ish out of 100 every single test (60+ is a passing grade) And I struggle really really hard not matter how much I study I there are just some new probelms every time that I have no idea how to solve and only when I look up the solutions I understand (sometimes even not). And when you said in the video that calc 2 is the hardest class of all of the calculus courses it brought me some hope.

[@idogut3]

I hope to pass the class in a good grade (above 90) in order to get accepted to a program but I really dont know if I will be able to

[@robinzclark]

There is something that is frustrating to me and making me crazy. I am really talented at math and computer science but i am just not interested in actually doing it. I watch videos about it and i think about doing it ALOT. But I have trouble following thru on what i want to do. What i want to do is to go back and relearn the math i used to understand. Ive forgotten most of what i knew. I feel like i have no control over my own brain.

[@robinzclark]

Maybe I'm not as good at math as I thought i was. On my act test I had a near perfect score. In my 3 calculus courses I had As. But I feel so stupid now when I am doing math. I don't know if I have lost the ability or if I am just lazy. Very confusing to feel this way.

[@triple_gem_shining]

I find personally but you can fall in love with anything when you practice and study it enough. You naturally start to fall in love with the intricacies and nuances, in my experience atleast. Like the saying , whatever you're scared of, study it.

[@_quixote]

This struck my heart, man. Thank you so much. I’ve been trying so hard, I’ve been trying everything I can and nothing works out…and sometimes I spiral internally and I hated it. I just have alot going on in my life and I thought I was just garbage. But your video, that story you told of that guy in calculus 2, it really hit home, man. I haven’t started calculus 2 yet, but still. Thank you for making this

[@TomokoAbe_]

This is a great motivational and truthful video you made.

[@sarahvictoriaa_]

i’m currently in high school in another country, i chose the science course without knowing how hard it was and how different the education system was here than my past country. i’m struggling with pretty much every subject, but math never fails to make me cry. my entire class is ahead of me and even though i get the topic explained to me, i can’t do the exercises for the life of me. i’m thinking about buying the two first books he recommended because i psychologically can’t keep crying my eyes out every time i can’t do math. i hope i don’t fail this trimester like last time

[@samikshyanmishra1281]

I'm really demotivated by not able to do advance maths

[@oioio-yb9dw]

I suggest you practice basic mathematics until you get comfortable enough to get it to an advanced level.

[@meisterman0169]

"If you want to be a writer, write." - Marcus Aurelius

[@jonathonc8816]

Me too, but I'm practicing.😢

[@SatyaPrakash-ih5up]

Thanks you sir ❤

[@Today_episode422]

Thank you so much ❤

[@mintwoofu]

Barely graduated high school and then failed my math class in college, I am repeating a semester now. These are the words I needed to hear. Until 5th grade, I had 0 problems with math. I thought I was good at it. Then letters started to come in😂 That is where I started to get confused. My dad is good at math, he loved math. My mom studied economics and had a good understanding of math. I asked for help, they did the best they could. But I just didn't get it. Now looking back, one thing they constantly said to me rubbed me in a wrong way. Or shaped my thoughts in a negative way... They used to say at the end of every session: "But math is so easy!" Which made me question my intelligence as a teen and even my worth. At the time it felt like being good at math was put on a pedestal by my parents. I was never that good at it. It does take time, for sure. Last semester was full of doubt about my career-choice and self-worth... I was not in the right head-space. Right now, I am preparing for the next semester and doing math almost everyday, at my own pace. Might be slow for some, but it is my way of studying. :)

[@Justprettytingz]

Same in 11th grade I passed every math class and then I started failing afterwards because I wasn't studying because I was overwhelmed and stressed with other stuff in my life. Math does require you to focus and that can be really difficult if you're not in the right mindset

[@oimpe]

I visit your site often. Really like your content, but this video IMO is Exceptional! Maybe because it applies to me, I am nw an engineer when initially I had a music degree. So in my 2nd career math didn't come easy even though I aced Algebra, it had been too long since I had taken it when I started trig as and engineer major. Thanks for this video, I really believe it well help Everyone who sees it. And thanks for the suggested books. Looking forward to more of your content. 👏👏👏

[@abhisheksoni9774]

Thanks for this It was needed

[@martinmartinmartin2996]

Most people are NOT determined to find a way to learn, But I was and still DETERMINED to learn. I was bad in math in school though, I qualified , and graduated ENGINEERING college ...even postgraduate studies. Never realized then, that I had a learning disability: that I CAN'T LEARN from a oral lecture ! I am 87 yrs old , worked many (50 yrs !) finished a research engineer. HOW is it possible? I was so determined to learn, I spent my time absorbed by math text books, working hours ,days even YEARS: progressing to understanding math of post graduate complexity.

[@vanessavasquez2912]

I had trouble with math since 3rd grade..I'm going into fifth this year....I'm horrible at math but in every other subject I get A+......I am in smart class in english..I really needed these words ☺️

[@juliauy8320]

These days have been incredibly disheartening for me because I might have to retake my calc 2 class. The thing is, i know the whole class struggled because the prof was not generous but I know deep down that theyre actually smart, I'm the anomaly. I tried real hard. I know for a fact that when some of them were outside going to clubs, i was solving practice problems. But still, all of them passed and I didn't. It demoralizes me so much that even though I knew I worked harder than some of them, they still got the better end of the stick. Right now, I have a test tomorrow. Passing that would make me pass the class and if I fail that, then I would have to retake calc 2. Thank you for your comforting words, Math Sorcerer. Wish me luck :)

[@hemrajue3434]

I was not bad at math but at certain chapters during my school days. Now I sit like a kid and solve some problems on those topics for completeness.

[@zekewhitlock6177]

So, one summer I said to myself how can I get better at mathematics, I do have a learning disability, anyways I decided to just deep dive into mathematics and engineering, during that time I would work on problems learn and read textbooks mathematical journals, eat sleep breathe mathematics. From that time, I would read James Stewert, Abbot, Knuth, Sets, Number theory, advanced calculus, advanced differential equations, linear algebra to this week I am finishing advanced linear algebra. Every week I would read a textbook a week, I would put it on my calendar have practice times, some problems would take me hours on end. Some people call me genius I just say its hard work and dedication to learn the truth but not put it in a truth table. This Channel is great as you always inspire me and others to continue to learn and grow no matter the circumstance. Thank you.

[@zekewhitlock6177]

side note I was so broke at the time I would ask my friends in university to just do their math homework, still broke still scared of getting into debt but i just buy and read the books work through the books and I will plan to go to college again someday. for now I'll be cooking in the kitchen.

[@claytonbenignus4688]

I once has a Math Prof who assigned an out of print book. When he assigned a new text, it took 5 weeks into the Semester to get the text. Even then, he started the course on Chapter 5. That flipped me out on a course I would have otherwise been good at.

[@tylerhannon762]

Struggled with math on my first exposure to the subject (Kindergarten/1st Grade). I never got any better. I struggled every night and cried over the kitchen counter while doing homework. Every school year that came, the math got worse, all the way to college. By 7th grade, the norm for me were straght D's to F's. Saw teachers after school, had tutors, my parents tried to help but the results would just get worse. It disappoints me because now I have a fear of math and sadly, I've psychologically convinced myself that I cannot perform the work. I was so bad at math, I never even made it to pre-calculus, including college curriculum. I know how useful math can be and I truly wish that I could do it flawlessly, effortlessly, and naturally...

[@nathanoppy]

It’s not to late! I’m bad to but I now have a desire to learn. We can do this man!

[@williamestep5473]

My early years were bad at math was because I needed time to mature. In the army, it clicked because I used math in my career field. However through out I would read books on history of numbers and history of mathematics which helped in understanding calculus and advanced.

[@gabbymiles5655]

Love you’re videos ❤

[@travisjacobson2334]

I know I struggle to pass maths courses. Many times, it’s not that the material is too tough for me (which, of course, I have struggled with that before), but rather the workload. Some professors give too many assignments, or assignments that are aligned with what we got taught but wasn’t actually what we were taught, or they never give feedback-just 11/20 as a score. I’ve taken DiffEQ twice and I understand the material mostly, but my professors NEVER gave feedback. One gave a rubric and answers, the other just would say, “The answer should be this.” We never got work returned. We never saw what mistakes we made to fix/work in for the next test. However, my experience with pre-calculus was long and tumultuous: I took it three times and barely passed with a C the third time. I didn’t get the material. Then, in Calculus 1, I completely fell in love with maths and aced it! I not only understood the material, but the Professor made sure he answered every question everyone had, and he gave feedback.

[@caitlinbarbery5260]

I found that I don’t focus well during math class in a classroom setting, I learn it much better by myself or with books and video tutorials. Independent learner. I think it’s because, every time in a classroom setting, I’ve realized that I’ve entered into a space where we have to be efficient and do things in a timely manner before the school semester ends. It usually never helps when a teacher says “don’t rush” yet contradicts what he or she is saying, and rushes through the math process of how everything works in the equations. My problem is, whenever the teacher asks me if I have any questions, I usually say no, because I wouldn’t know where to start if I do have questions. Personally, it’s useless to memorize something without learning the psychology of why math works, why and how it fits into society, and then explaining and learning how to solve equations. Making math fun would be a beautiful thing if schools actually presented it that way. My desire is to become a genius at math, but unfortunately my brain is nearly a total dud when trying to focus in a math class. I even have the fear of learning math in a classroom setting with other people because I’ve had a bad experiences with people being impatient with me. But that’s not the only reason, it’s because I personally want to come up with scenarios and every math equation, I’m not just talking about word problems, I’m talking about using the imagination and scenarios during a math problem. But unfortunately classes don’t make it that interesting, they read it to you as a lecture, instead of making it into a story or a magic trick or something interesting.

[@triple_gem_shining]

I dont believe there are people good or bad at math. Some people are constantly told they are gifted etc so they truly believe it. And vice versa. Practice makes progress. And practice and study begets love and passion

[@billylee5624]

I now understand Math more easily, and it's not as intimidating as I thought it would be past Calc II. I was always curious about the math of 3d space and I wanted to get a little past that course, and eventually did. I just wanted to graduate with a bachelors in Economics, but now I have more time to myself and my friends have moved on with their lives so I don't have to go out with them all the time and do other things no academic. Many privileged people who didn't have such an overloaded schedule with work school and friends don't understand how much time they've had to do well in harder STEM majors like math etc and time is precious, sorry if that sounds corny but it's true. Back then I thought I had a learning disability and that it was the reason I couldn't do higher level math, but as it turns out I've always been good at math starting with high school algebra, it was the best course I got the best grades in. Much better than my literature courses, unfortunately, cause no one wants to be bad at English. Just I didn't have the opportunity to pursue math on my own time.

[@stephencool8105]

Another good calculus book is "Calculus Made Easy" by Silvanus P. Thompson. Original publishing was in 1910. A 1998 revised edition by Martin Gardner can be purchased on line.

[@travershipkiss]

I remember spending nights studying maths and failing and trying and failing till things click, bit by bit.

[@gamer46ful]

I took Basic Math in college. It was fractions and probability. I barely passed with a C. I had a D before I took my last assignment. But I am actually horrible at math. I would get so mad and frustrated never getting it right I would essentially blow up and have a meltdown. To this day I barely know how to solve any problems. As an adult I find keeping track of finances terribly difficult because the numbers get all mixed up in my head and I do everything wrong. I can't understand basic stuff everyone should know by now. It's really embarrassing and really puts me off from wanting to learn math when people who know math well put me down or make fun of me for it and it pisses me off and then I disengage completely. It happens a ton on my life and I'm tired of people pretending sometimes that it's just say "put in hard work" because I did and I still failed and it was never satisfying.

[@claytonbenignus4688]

A good follow up video would be to analyze the statement" Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by biting back.

[@83jbbentley]

Sounds like Calc 2 bro went into the Hyperbolic Time Chanber

[@Parmis_Dax]

I'm failing to get into a phlebotomy because I can't grasp basic math, maybe it's dyscalulia or autism, it's so heartbreaking and frustrating

[@kjmav10135]

Sometimes teaching styles don’t mesh with learning styles. Just as you often suggest checking out more than one math book in order to really get it, sometimes you need to experience more than one teacher to really get it. If you don’t understand the way teacher #1 explains things, find teacher #2. What I found was that I had holes in my past learning. I was making assumptions based on misinformation I had learned years before. It is helpful, for me anyway, to have a teacher who asks me, “Can you show me how you did this, step by step?” And then the teacher can help you figure out what your false assumptions are. Math is all about patterns. If you can sort out where you’re mismanaging the pattern, you can get better at math. No one person can do or see every angle of a subject. Sometimes, a great teacher can still not know where you’re missing the pattern, misunderstanding a step, or whatever. Just check in with another couple of teachers who might see what the other teacher might have missed. For instance, when I was in 1st grade, I always got my greater than and less than signs reversed. I always insisted “the OTHER SIDE IS BIGGER!” Nobody knew what I was talking about. Here’s what I meant that I didn’t have words for: In < , I would see the point where the two lines come together as the Center of an imaginary circle. Looked at this way, I was seeing, not the jaws of a crocodile, but two angles-the 20-degree angle I was supposed to be looking at, AND the 340 degrees that made up the other part of this circle I had imagined in my head. Obviously, the 340-degree side of the circle was much bigger. That’s a fairly complex way of looking at angles for a 1st grader. How does a six-year-old explain this? And so, this is where my struggles and failures with math began. Because my teacher never asked me to show her how I arrived at my conclusion. It never occurred to her that I had a different way of seeing. Later, I thought I struggled with algebra, but I took an aeronautics class and could figure out vectors with no problem. They were EASY! My science teacher pointed out to me that-hello?!-aeronautic vectors are a practical application of linear algebra! He sat me down, took the practical application out of it and showed me how it worked the same in just plain old algebraic terms. My mind was blown. I FLUNKED high school algebra the year before. Go figure. Different teacher. Made all the difference in the world. This is related to another math struggle. I learned later that some of us are “given-averse.” I remember being a little kid and learning different bases in math (base 3, base 7, etc. It was called “New Math” then-I’m old). And I was like, “WHY have a base 7?” I didn’t have the words for this when I was 7 years old, but I was really asking, “Give me the logic for this assumption.” Because I didn’t understand the reason, I spent all my time wondering what the hell this was all about, rather than just blindly swallowing the given and moving on. After all, if anybody can just come up with any old given, then who’s to say that 5 + 5 does or doesn’t equal 10? I’m creative! I’ll come up with my own darn “givens!” Here’s another one: PEDMAS. What if I want to try subtracting first? Huh? Who’s gonna stop me? Why do I need to do that other crap before subtracting? It seemed completely arbitrary and later became a part of The Fog of Math. According to Jo Boaler of math education fame, this need to understand the “why” of the givens early on is a fairly common reason why young kids can struggle with math for the rest of their lives.

[@stephenvanwijk9669]

I am following Khan Academy. I am just sloppy and impatient. So now I am precise and patiently doing every necessary step. Over, and over again. Math also comes down on consistency, and applying trivium like patterns in solving math problems, effectively. Got 10/10 results at Khan Academy unit tests now. I excluded a lot of math mistakes by just observing myself honestly and adapting positively my behavior and attitude according self observation results.

[@GammaFields]

Shout out to Mr.Booren for showing me my potential, and that I can escape the things that plague me by applying to my passions.

[@dragonbornette]

Planning to go back to college after 15 years to get a degree that's very math-heavy. I'm scared I'm not smart enough, but I'm trying to take this encouragement and prove myself wrong. Wish me luck.

[@Svabby]

I did pretty well on highschool mathematics (precal). But now I'm in university and struggling with all these math classes I have to take. For calculus I'm spending hours on assignments/questions just to realize i have barely learned anything. It's taking a mental toll on me since im doing math all day but barely getting anywhere with it. I don't know what do anymore.

[@Bobbygale121]

Back during the 60s I stayed away from Math in high school, Just didn't really get it and thought it was stupid. One of my math teachers told me I was totally competent and I should learn it now because I might find myself in a position where I would have to learn it (This totally made no sense to me.) Until -- A few years later I joined the Marines and was sent to Aircraft Electrician School. The first part of the school was total math and for most, it was a review. I was "Under the gun" and had to learn concepts really fast. Somehow under the pressure I survived the math "review" and past the first couple weeks and passed the tests. As the school progressed I was totally amazed at how math could explain the electrical concepts like nothing else could. Now I'm in my seventies and learning so much about math from the instructors on youtube. Don't need to study it now, but it keeps my mind sharp and helps me sleep soundly.

[@ReviloXD]

I suck at math and i feel frustrated when i study it , even through am pretty good at all other subjects but am in a big crisis in term of math.

[@softllamaspajamas]

Not bad at math but I’m a math major currently taking an expedited summer calc 2 class. I’m beyond stressed and exhausted. My first test is in two days and I started the class last Wednesday. So I’m feeling this video in a different way.

[@Blazerelf]

sometimes people who are bad are math are people that for some reason missed the fundamentals, or barely passed them; but never made sure to come back and close the gap; and when topics begin to compile (which math is usual) they are not equipped and begin to fall behind. Also, people just don't find interest in stuff that they feel that has any use, math may feel as if you are solving abstract problems for the sake of solving problems; it happened to me until i went to engineer and finally was applying the math and began to find interest.

[@joeyslats31]

I am beginning my journey hopefully. I tried my absolute heart out at Maths until 10th grade then I gave up but always struggled to even pass. (realising now I might have Dyscalculia)

[@edsosa9979]

I require assistance in mathematics as my knowledge in this subject is nonexistent. However, I am determined to obtain my GED.

[@cedarwaxwing3509]

Love your channel, but I found some irony in the blurb teasing it today: “When YOUR bad at math.” How about, “when YOU’RE bad at English.” Yes, I’m being snarky. I find your channel not only instructive but quite inspirational. That kind of error is more common on channels produced by certain political groups. Please keep up your great work, but suggest a good English grammar book to your blurb writer! 😊

[@hi-mj5oi]

How did u manage to make a typo political?

[@cedarwaxwing3509]

@@hi-mj5oi By observation and with words. Answer your question?

[@nylen_1142]

I'm that type of student right now (also struggled with Calc 2) but I work hard so I really get better. In holiday's I'm also doing math by myself to get more experience. I'm working on "Differential Geometry of Curves and Surfaces" by P. Do Carmo and it's really good. It's a Dover book btw

[@philkim8297]

It's strange that now in my 30s I'm enjoying this trig class that I'm taking at a community college. I used to hate math. I think a part of it is the fact that I don't get as frustrated so easily as I used to when I was younger.

[@AnnieMarie869]

It's strange, I failed math in school. I had given up on math. Then in 9th grade, I actually A's and B's in Basic Algebra for the first 2 or 3 chapters. Then I started to fail. I started to fell when the class started the section on collecting like terms. I ended up dropping out. About a year or 2 after I dropped out, I went all the way through my Basic Algebra textbook. This time, I was able to do most to the math. I was doing good on math I hadn't had yet and without a teacher to explain it. I couldn't believe it. There were things going in my life that I do think prevented me from being a better student. I no longer think of myself as bad at math. I regret all the years I didn't spend doing math. If I can do algebra, anyone can do it. If I can do precalculus, anyone can do it. I don't know if I can do calculus yet because I'm barely into it. I think I can do limits and maybe derivatives if I study it enough. Calculus 1, 2, and 3 are required on something that I want to try. I think I'm going to audit a Calculus 2 class to familiarize myself with it since I've heard that is the hardest one.

[@matzr3000]

Confidence at its highest level i don't ever see it deeping

[@SibonaUlea]

Agree.Its just a matter of time.

[@wickedrose6746]

I just started a cashier job. I am okay at math, just doing it fast and in my head is much harder. My lead appears to be getting frustrated with my quickness. 😮‍💨

[@AzureViking]

Studying isnt the issue for me. It's understanding the concepts. Returning to school at 36 when I only went as far as geometry in high school and I have been having to play catch up. I got a 4.0 in Pre-calc, but I don't feel like I really retained anything. Not in Calc 1 and I just don't really understand much of anything. I do my best to mimic patterns to try and get a solution, but I need a near identical example of the problem. When I read the book its gibberish and nothing is comprehensible. I don't understand how I am supposed to study and learn when I cant comprehend the book.

[@shankarjyotisarkar2289]

Everytime I feel I am bad at mathematics, it's not from the perspective of exams or marks, even in the last two year every semester I got 9+ SGPA, but that's not satisfactory at all. Because every time i see my friends who got the same grade as me Or sometimes even lower, their knowledge of concept of the subjects are much much more higher than me. The level of thinking and observation they have maybe I can never attain that. I don't know what you to do, I love mathematics, but sometimes it even feels like I ain't even made for it.

[@nareksargsyan183]

I have just started to learn mathematics, I am very bad at math but I hope I will improve it, and get a CS degree. Your videos help me a lot, you give me a hope. Thanks.

[@edwinlee2343]

6:15 I don't think the math checks out on this one. Like you said, most people are not able to stay on campus 8 hours a day. Heck, most days I have a hard time squeezing in half that time. So, I don't see how you can say that this young lady that has all the time in the world to study should be inspiration for others. It just doesn't add up.

[@WitchidWitchid]

Let me bore y'all for a couple minutes. In grammar school his was terrible in arithmetic. The only thing I sort of understood was adding and multiplying fractions and finding the LCD. In junior high school I was again, awful at math. Achievement tests ranked me at rock bottom in math skills and abilities. My math skills were no better than a 3 month old baby...or maybe worst...LOL. Instead of taking regular 9th grade math (algebra)in junior high school I was told I needed to take a modified (math for dummies) course, And I even did lousy in that. Despite my awful math skills when I went on to high school 10th grade something made me still enroll in regular 10th grade math which was mostly Plane Geometry. But the teacher of that course recognized me and told me I had to drop the class and enroll in yet another modified (math for idiots) course. My grade advisor advised me to try my best to avoid math and avoid other subjects which were highly dependent on math. Yet something inside my head, I don;t know what, made me force myself to continue in math and in 11th grade I enrolled in the regular 11th grade math which was Algebra and Trigonometry. I also hoped and prayed that they wouldn't make me drop the class and enroll in yet another watered down "math for dumdums" course. Luckily they didn't and although I was still flunking all my tests I carried on. Amidst it all and for the first time in my life I began feeling an attachment to math, it was sort of like a strange budding love affair even though I ws still out of my league. I was failing yet at the same time I was actually falling in love with Maths. I ended up flunking the course so I took it over in 12th grade. Finally it all started kicking in. Next thing I knew I was passing math tests, understanding my homework and even trying to understand why it all worked. I ended up passing the course, graduated high school, and took a couple years off to "plan my life" (basically do whatever the heck I wanted) which included studying and learning more maths on my own. Eventually I went into college as a Chemistry major but soon found myself more interested in my Math classes than my Chemistry classes. I switched to a major in Maths. I did very well in college maths, got my degree and went on to grad studies in maths and was quite successful. These days some friends of mine tell me I was "gifted". I don;t see it that way. I feel that my successes in Maths was about "time" and "working hard" as opposed to "being gifted".

[@douglasstrother6584]

Geometry (10th grade) finally turned-on my math lightblub. Mr. Nicks, my Physics Teacher (Senior Year) turned me on to Physics and sent me in that trajectory. Success = Talent * Effort^Focus

[@muhamadkamaludin7632]

Thank u so much, is really help me and make me confident to do math❤❤❤

[@WilliamMiller-i2y]

Always wanted to be good at math, but man, I struggled thru high school. Word problems were the bane of my existence. I just couldn't get it. Everything would get jumbled. I wanted to be good so bad tho, that I took pre-calc my senior year and crashed. Teacher passed me out of pity, I'm pretty sure. Then rolled into computer science in college, but all my coding was longer and less efficient than everyone else. I would get pumped before turning an assignment in, like yes I figured this out, and when I compared it to my peers, I always did extra steps. I abandoned the idea of being a computer science major, especially after an instructor told me that if I didn't make it thru Calc 3, I shouldn't be there. I came to the conclusion that I had a non-logical mind or something. But now, in my 40s, I still haven't forgiven myself for not succeeding in math and computer science. So I'm going back to per-algebra and starting all over. Don't know if I'll succeed this time around, because I still see certain proclivities in my thought pattern to this day. I often take the long way around in situations that should have been completely logical, frustratingly enough. But hopefully it is my time. Watch your videos all the time! They awesome! Thanks for putting them up! Gives meatheads, like yours truly, some hope, haha! Take care!

[@deniseneumann]

I figured out that I do not even know basic fundamentals when it comes to mathematics. I looked into topics that are normally discussed in the 5th to 10th grade but some I did not even recognized! either I forgot about them entirely or the curriculum is so diverse so that I did not even learn certain topics in my country or federal state. But this can not be the case I suppose.