We recently conducted a survey on our Instagram stories to ask people which subject they fear the most. The survey included a poll that allowed viewers to vote on one of the following subjects: mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology.
The story was viewed by 459 people, of whom 90 people voted for one of the 4 subjects. The results were obtained 24 hours after posting the story. The results showed that most people fear mathematics, with chemistry being the second most feared, physics being the third, and biology being the fourth.
Out of 90 people who voted, 30 people voted for math, 25 people voted for chemistry, 22 people voted for physics, and 13 voted for biology. These results tell us a lot about how students think about the subjects and their associated fear with them.
A survey conducted by Cuemath in 2021, which included a sample of 1,600 non-Cuemath students, revealed that approximately 82% of students in grades 7 to 10 experience fear related to mathematics. This fear can be due to several factors, such as academic fear, unskilled subject mentors or teachers at the school, fear of numbers or equations, or, in all, a condition called mathematical anxiety.
According to Wikipedia, mathematical anxiety, or math phobia, is a feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in daily life and academic situations.
What are the symptoms of math phobia?
As per Mission College, math phobia can show up as negative thoughts about your ability, feeling unmotivated to do math, not keeping up with studies, putting off math assignments, feeling anxious during math tasks or tests, struggling to remember math concepts, and relying on just memorizing instead of truly understanding. The good news is you can overcome math anxiety because it’s something you’ve learned over time, and with dedication and a positive attitude, you can unlearn it.
How to overcome math phobia?
Here are some effective, research-backed steps to overcome math phobia:
- Start small: Work on math in short, regular sessions—like 10–60 minutes daily—rather than cramming. This reduces stress and builds consistency over time.
- Practice relaxation: Use deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness to calm anxiety before tackling math sessions or tests.
- Combat negative self-talk: Replace thoughts like “I can’t do this” with positive affirmations: “I know this, I’m prepared, and I can handle it.”
- Visualize success: Picture yourself calmly completing homework or tests to boost confidence and reduce stress.
- Focus on understanding: Dive into the “why” behind math concepts, not just the “how.” Understanding helps in stressful moments, unlike memorized steps.
- Develop a growth mindset: View errors as learning opportunities. Every mathematician makes mistakes!
- Gradual exposure (desensitization): Slowly increase the difficulty and intensity of math tasks to build tolerance and confidence.
- Review earlier foundations: Gaps in foundational knowledge fuel anxiety. Revisit prior material until you feel confident moving forward.
- Seek help: Discuss challenging problems with peers, tutors, or teachers. Learning aloud helps reduce fear and improves comprehension.
- Use tools and interactive methods: Engage with math through apps, games, or group work—making learning fun and less intimidating.
We hope these insights have helped you introspect on your math skills. We can’t help you with math problems; however, you can ask us any questions related to space, astronomy, or astrophysics! E-mail us at contact@wondersinspace.com.
