It's never too late to stop hating math

"Americans are getting worse at math. Student scores have fallen to their lowest point in decades. Nearly half of high school students barely meet what the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) considers a "basic" level of comprehension, and more than 900 freshmen at the University of California, San Diego - 12.5% of the institution's first-year class in 2024 - had the mathematical proficiency of a 13-year-old."

"But this isn't the first time the math graph has trended downward. A similar development took place during the early stages of the Cold War, when enrollment in high school algebra fell to levels not seen since the start of the 20th century. It wasn't until the launch of Sputnik in 1957, when the Soviet Union kicked off the space race, that alarm gave way to action. Math and science education were overhauled, and calculus was introduced into the curriculum."

Mathematical proficiency among U.S. students and adults has declined to multi-decade lows. Nearly half of high school students only achieve a basic NAEP comprehension level, and over 900 UC San Diego freshmen in 2024 had the mathematical skills of a 13-year-old. Only 65% of adults can pass a basic arithmetic test, placing the United States behind many industrialized peers. A comparable decline occurred during the early Cold War; Sputnik prompted a national overhaul of math and science education and introduction of calculus. Declining math skills threaten economic competitiveness, national security, and everyday quality of life, with benefits extending to arts and sports.

Read at Big Think