Do you find math to be difficult? Ever wonder which math class is the hardest?
Advanced Calculus is the hardest math subject, according to college professors. One of the main reasons students struggle to understand the concepts in Advanced Calculus is because they do not have a good mathematical foundation. Calculus builds on the algebraic concepts learned in previous classes. Students that previously memorized mathematical rules but did not understand the concepts will struggle to apply the concepts taught in Advanced Calculus. The average pass rate of Advanced Calculus students is 58%.
Advanced Calculus may be the hardest, but there are plenty of other math classes that are difficult. And what should you do if you are struggling? Read on for more information!
Advanced Calculus
Advanced Calculus builds on algebraic concepts that students should have mastered prior to entering an Advanced Calculus course.
The reason so many college students struggle with Advanced Calculus is that so many new concepts are introduced on a weekly basis. Students really need 2-3 weeks to master each concept, which is not how this course is usually structured.
Some of the topics covered in an Advanced Calculus course are:
- Limits of functions
- Riesmann integration
- Uniform continuity
- Sequence and series
- Differentiation
- Mathematical proofs
- Taylor series
- Heine-Borel theorem
- Epsilon-delta proofs
- Fundamental theorem of calculus
- Cauchy-Riemann integral
- Bessel and Legendre functions
- Sturm-Liouville theory
If you find yourself struggling with Advanced Calculus, you are not alone.
The homework load alone is daunting.
Students who’ve taken Advanced Calculus said that they spent over 20 hours each week, outside of regular class time, to pass the class. Most of this is due to an extreme amount of homework, in an effort to help students learn the concepts quickly.
So while it’s absolutely possible to pass Advanced Calc, it’s going to take a lot of effort on the student’s part!
Those who love calculus say they found their love of calculus by enjoying learning how the world works. They describe Calculus as a giant puzzle with quite a bit of analysis.
So why is calculus important and when will we use it in the real world? Calculus is responsible for tracking payments, vehicle safety, determining stock values, speed radar, and much more!
Algebra
While Advanced Calculus may be the most difficult math class, Algebra takes a close second.
Half of the students who take a college-level Algebra class fail. This means that Algebra has a lower pass rate than Advanced Calculus, but this number can be skewed because many students must take a college-level Algebra class for their major, even if their major is not math-based.
Some of the most difficult algebraic concepts to grasp are:
- Group Theory
- Algebraic Stacks
- Complex Numbers
- Radicals
- Linear and Quadratic Equations
- Absolute value and Polynomial Functions
- Equations
- Synthetic Division
- Systems of Linear Inequalities
- Algebraic Number Theory
- Algebraic Geometry
Algebra is the foundation for learning Statistics and Calculus, so if you are taking either of those courses and struggling, you may need to make sure you understand these algebraic concepts before getting too far into the other courses.
Like Advanced Calculus, Algebra, especially at the college level, introduces many concepts quickly. Students can quickly fall behind. Once the teacher moves on to a new concept, if the student doesn’t understand what has previously been taught, the student will struggle.
Those who enjoy problem-solving, puzzles, and using logic tend to enjoy Algebra.
How will you use algebra once you complete your math class? In everyday life, algebra is used for cooking, computer programming, budgeting and so much more.
Mathematical Physics
Another very difficult math class is Mathematical Physics. Physics majors must take a mathematical physics course.
It combines – you guessed it – math and physics.
Here are some of the most difficult concepts covered in this course:
- Integral Functions
- Complex Analysis
- Fourier Analysis
- Variational Calculus
- Differential Forms
- Legendre, Bessel and Hermite Functions
- Quantum Theory
- Vector Analysis
Those who enjoy hands-on learning and science may prefer mathematical physics over other math courses. This class typically has a lab that covers computer programming, electricity, magnets, mechanics, and optics.
Mathematical physics is important in everyday life. Designing motors, engineering, and heat transfer are all fields that require mathematical physics knowledge.
Statistics
Most people cringe when they hear the word statistics. I’ve taken 2 stats courses, and honestly, I didn’t think it was very hard.
Statistics is different from any other math class I’ve ever taken.
Concepts you’ll learn in statistics are:
- Probability
- Variability
- Standard deviation
- Skewness
- Hypotheis Testing
- Analysis
- Central Tendency
- Modality
Those who enjoy data analysis and research may enjoy statistics more than others. In the math world, there is a common way of thinking that Statistics isn’t “real math.” Maybe that’s why it appealed to me!
Statistics is used in Excel spreadsheets to track data, in clinical studies, insurance quotes and it helps predict the future by tracking the past data and future probability.
Get Math Help if Needed
Many people struggle with math and try their hardest to get through each day of school. However, there are some things that can help make this subject easier for students
Don’t let yourself fall too far behind before seeking help.
Colleges almost always offer math labs and tutors.
There are also tons of online resources to help understand math concepts such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, calculus, and more!
Here is a list of some excellent resources for those struggling with math:
Many of these online resources show step-by-step instructions on how to solve problems along with videos demonstrating how they should be solved.
Luckily, with the help of the Internet, there are plenty of resources to make math a little less difficult to master.
Conclusion
In all reality, there is no way to define what is the hardest math class. What might be hard for you may be different than what I consider to be the hardest class.
Some students find memorization easy but have difficulty visualizing complex things. Others enjoy building mechanical objects while others enjoy data analysis.
We all have different strengths and weaknesses. While Stats was easy for me, Mathematical Physics – not so much!
Here is the bottom line, any math will be difficult if you do not understand the underlying concept.
So tell me – what was the hardest math class for you, and why? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
