Many people feel that liberal arts courses are just not as tough as other areas of study. This is false! While some subjects, like English or History may seem easy to some students, there are actually no clear indicators as to what level each subject material is taught at.
Liberal arts classes can be very difficult for students who have trouble grasping concepts related to the field. Some teachers may use tricky vocabulary or language structure that requires more than a passing grade to understand.
This article will talk about how hard it is to do math in an art major, and why this is important. It may even inspire you to change your major! So, let’s get into it.
No, it isn’t
Recent discussions about whether or not liberal arts majors should feel bad for taking hard math courses have become quite heated. Some people seem to believe that if you choose to major in something other than business or science, then you shouldn’t be proud of your mathematics skills!
This argument typically goes like this: “Well, I don’t think anyone should be happy they took algebra, but at the same time, why would you take such an easy course? It shows how little you know about the world!”
The problem with these arguments is that they assume that only people who take difficult math classes are truly passionate about maths.
That couldn’t be further from the truth!
Most people who enjoy doing maths already understand most of the concepts behind challenging equations and algorithms. Therefore, they can easily pick up the rest of the material on their own. – Essay by Amanda Yeo
Amanda Yeo clearly demonstrates that there is no reason to feel guilty for choosing to study mathematical subjects beyond Algebra!
If anything, students who learn more advanced maths will probably develop deeper relationships with maths and physics. This could mean better understanding our universe as we know it and/or greater appreciation of the beauty of mathematics.
Hard maths lessons often inspire creative ways to apply them which may even lead to new discoveries.
It depends
Recent debates about whether or not liberal arts majors should struggle with math have sparked some interesting conversations. Some say that learning how to do basic arithmetic is integral to being an educated person, while others believe that studying art, literature, music, and other non-math subjects are more important than just knowing numbers.
Some people argue that since most employers only require you to know algebra and geometry, learning mathematics beyond that is mostly for fun. This argument does not make sense because both of those two courses involve lots of mathematical concepts!
Many students enter college without taking many classes outside of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and medicine). Because they are usually flexible with time frames and schedules, these students often feel that their math skills are enough since they take few math classes.
However, as they advance in their careers, that lack of understanding becomes a problem. They may be paid less than their peers who have additional training in maths, which can affect someone’s income very much. In fact, one survey found that 44% of respondents said they would consider changing career paths if there were no opportunities in their current field due to a lack of professional math qualifications.
We also need to remember that even if your job doesn’t ask too much math, doing it yourself is still helpful. For example, almost every office worker needs to do simple calculations such as figuring out discounts and prices all the time.
There are many ways to be a mathematician
Historically, mathematics has been considered an abstract discipline with no practical applications. This perception is changing as mathematicians develop applications of their field that go beyond counting and arithmetic.
Mathematicians now design software for everything from video games to automated trading systems and self-driving cars. Some work in fields like artificial intelligence (AI) or computer vision by developing algorithms and mathematical theories to understand and process data.
These applications require advanced concepts such as probability, algebra, geometry, and calculus. However, these areas aren’t always applied directly in domains such as business or engineering.
That doesn’t mean there’s not value in studying them though! By understanding the fundamentals of the math behind our lives, we can improve how we organize and use information to make decisions.
This article will discuss some examples of liberal arts majors who made significant contributions through applying mathematical principles. You don’t have to be an art major to apply what you learn here!
We’ll also look at some other careers that emphasize communication and mathematics over just pure numbers. These include things like accountant, engineer, professor, and teacher.
So, whether you’re thinking about going into academia or not, this article will still be helpful for giving you insight into the career path ahead of you.
The difficult part of math isn’t the subject, but the methods of teaching
When people say that “liberal arts majors learn how to think more than maths”, they may be referring to the way in which students are taught mathematics.
There is an assumption that since you took some art classes or philosophy courses, you learned how to apply reasoning to real-life situations. This doesn’t necessarily hold true for mathematicians though.
Mathematics can sometimes seem like a series of formulas that must be applied to numbers with no context. For example, there is a formula for finding the perimeter of a circle, but what does a circle mean? Does every house have a wall around it?
And even if there was a universal definition of a circle, would everyone use the same one when doing calculations?
So instead of using formal logic to solve problems, many mathematicians rely more heavily on intuition. They make assumptions about the situation and work from there.
Find a tutor
One of the most important things you can do to ensure your success in liberal arts is find a good tutoring partner. Tutors are an invaluable resource for students as they provide one-on-one help with learning concepts, materials, or courses.
Tutors come from various academic backgrounds, so they know what approaches work best for different learners. They also may go at your speed – tutors typically have their own time commitments that match yours, which helps you stay motivated.
Finding a good tutor can be tricky, though. The first step is deciding if this person will be a valuable teacher for you. You should look for someone who goes into great detail about material, makes effort to connect new ideas to you, and has fun talking about the topics.
He or she must show up consistently as well. Many tutors offer session discounts, but it’s better to pick one that doesn’t because that shows more commitment to teaching professional skills.
Learn to do math problems step by step
There is an assumption that liberal arts majors are not very good at mathematics, which may be false. Some students believe that being educated in the humanities means you will never take real-world math seriously.
However, this isn’t always the case! I know many smart people who only have a bachelor’s degree but they took advanced math courses such as algebra II and calculus.
So, it seems like some universities don’t really promote math proficiency after all!
Liberal arts degrees often emphasize studying things like English or history, so it can sometimes seem like those fields require less math. But this perception is wrong!
Students of every major should learn how to solve math problems because it doesn’t matter what field you go into, solving equations and working with numbers is pretty universal. You will probably need them almost anywhere you work!
This article will talk about easy ways to improve your mathematical problem solving skills for undergraduates.
Read and understand the basics
Recent debates about whether or not liberal arts courses are too difficult to be accessible for students have sparked some interesting conversations. Some people argue that requiring more than just numerical reasoning skills is an unnecessary barrier for young learners who need help developing other academic strengths.
Others believe that such challenges are integral to educating successful adults. Liberal arts majors often learn how to read, write, and speak well, as well as how to think critically through engaging with various texts and concepts.
Furthermore, many employers expect graduates to be able at least rudimentary numeracy. While it’s true that math proficiency is important to being literate and knowing your ABC’S, there’s no reason you can’t get those fundamentals in addition to quantitative literacy.
This article will talk about some easy ways to improve your arithmetic comprehension and how this applies to college students.
Stay curious
At times, students get so focused on trying to figure out what math concept they do not know that they stop looking at the examples and exercises in books and courses as ways to learn new concepts.
They begin to think that because they already “know” this topic then there is no need to go through steps like practicing problems or gathering materials to try and understand it.
This can be very frustrating for you as a teacher if your job includes teaching difficult topics. You may also feel discouraged when you spend time preparing material only for students to ignore it.
By staying curious about mathematics we make sure that our knowledge does not grow old. We keep seeking out new information and ideas to understanding how things work. This helps us develop our reasoning skills and prepare ourselves for life.
Staying motivated to learn more of something makes it much easier to put in the effort needed to truly understand it.
