MBTI types and Math

[6.4]

Enjoyed maths at school, was good at it. My hand was always up in maths classes, I would stay behind and try to ask questions for deeper reasoning after class etc. Compare that to constantly being held behind in other classes for turning in homework so bad the teachers were sure I was mocking them (I was tbh).

Went to university to not just study maths, but hopefully become a professional mathematician. I did as much pure maths as possible, don't like stats or applied because I don't like using my memory. Got disillusioned at uni, it is a fucking factory. No creativity, just standard memorisation. It was quite humbling to me as well reading these theorems created by 15 year olds that I found hard to comprehend. Of all the uni courses, I think I felt much more at home and strongest at game theory. Let me tell you know that Game Theory is the most important mathematical subject there is at the moment in my opinion.

To be honest I could talk about maths for hours, I could probably talk about pi for 20 minutes before getting a headache and having to lie down. I will study it in my free time when I'm older and fingers crossed, like to contribute, however small, some progress in the mathematical field. But at uni, I couldn't wait to get a real job and contribute to society rather than deal with abstacts that probably won't find practical human use.

If you want to know what real maths is, you'll find it in this link (it's a pdf) http://www.maa.org/devlin/LockhartsLament.pdf
Read page 3 '"Mathematics and culture" to end of page 5. The article is about how maths is badly taught to children and it is all true but that's another debate.

Also for anyone with a bit more interest in maths in general, I recommend this documentary, YouTube - Dangerous Knowledge (chap 1of2) = Pt 1 of 5 - BBC , its very interesting!

 

[Walking Tourist]

That would be my answer, too. I love to play with numbers but, in school, I was a stinky math student because it was taught in such a boring way!!!

I can't participate in the poll.

You forgot "I'm not good at math but I enjoy doing it."

 

[Eckhart]

@6.4: Thank you for the links, it was good to read. I agree and realize now that I got worse and more bored with mathematics the more we just had to learn and apply facts like desribed without thinking ourselves. I felt always better in tasks where we had to think ourselves about a problem with more freedom; of course you need to know some tools, but things like curve sketching (I hope dict.cc translated correctly) where we had to use one procedure every time with little own thinking were so boring. Now at university we learn the same basically again, but in a bit different way explained, and the tasks are so far to be solved with more own thinking, and it is more fun although also more difficult sometimes.

Especially in my last school years this method of learning in mathematics were brought to the top, with exactly written (and therefore lengthy) manuals for different working tasks which just have to be learned and applied nearly 1:1 every time. And I really hate just learning things by heart.

 

[lunalum]

What with the people who enjoy doing math and aren't good at it?

I can't participate in the poll.

You forgot "I'm not good at math but I enjoy doing it."

That would be my answer, too. I love to play with numbers but, in school, I was a stinky math student because it was taught in such a boring way!!!

I've said the same but I didn't know if there really were people who aren't good but still enjoyed it. An example! YAY! Let's spread the "math is fun" meme!
The set-up of the poll is biased ... not enjoying math seems the norm... If you can enjoy sports even if you have a feeble condition (me); then surely you can enjoy maths whatever your level.

Yes, this is an outrageous bias here. I demand an acknowledgement of those of us who enjoy math and are not good at it. As if liking something has anything to do with whether one is good at it or not... :steam:

And of course there are people out there who aren't good at it but still enjoy it..... it would be the ultimate in strangeness if such people do not exist.

I do not know where I fit into all of this. I enjoy math, but I have no clue what it means to be 'good' at it. How good is good? I'm sure I am terrible by TypoC standards so I'll probably just go with that.

It would be interesting if Math is truly where NT's at.(because chances are, if you enjoy it, you're good at it.)

But what makes you think this??

 

[Craft]

But what makes you think this??

If we disregard the factor of "talent", what is left is the factor of "practice". How developed our skills depends on these two things. Problem Solving and math would generally appeal to an NT's Dom and Aux Functions and unlike other types, will tend to enjoy it more because it stimulates their main functions more.