Study math, improve at science

by rrusczyk, Jul 28, 2007, 12:33 AM

Yes, it sounds obvious, but attached is a study in Science magazine that shows that studying more math in high school improves science grades in college, in all disciplines, even biology. Meanwhile, studying more of a given science in high school only helps grades mainly in that subject area.

(Special thanks to SDMC instructor Hao Ye for bringing this to my attention.)

The study I want to see: Does studying mathematics improve grades in English? History? Psychology?

I bet yes. (Though there's a question of causation and correlation, to be sure!)
Attachments:
457.pdf (181kb)

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6 Comments

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I perceive attachments work now!

by solafidefarms, Jul 28, 2007, 1:25 AM

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I'm not too sure what is the mechanism behind the results. I'd be tempted to say that mathematics classes develop problem-solving skills that generalize to sciences well, but I don't think the standard AP Calculus class really teaches problem-solving well. Obviously, the AoPS community is probably an exception (in that we do have problem-solving skills and probably took a lot of math classes in high school), but we number too few to drive such a large effect. This leads me to believe that there may be some correlative effect, although it seems to me that a large number of entering college freshmen (who end up taking science classes) have taken calculus already, so I'm not even sure there is a large variation in the number of math classes taken in high school. It seems more likely that drive to succeed is a mediating factor. (math classes are typically considered harder than science classes, I guess?) Ironically, the most plausible explanation to me makes the finding irrelevant to what the authors are trying to state. BTW, I do believe in physics first. :)

by haoye, Jul 28, 2007, 1:52 AM

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I think the principal difficulty with physics first is that most students don't have the math in 8th or 9th grade to do the standard physics curriculum. This could be solved by stripping the more advanced math out of the standard physics curriculum, presenting the rest in 8th grade (instead of the relatively content-free usual 8th grade science curriculum), then coming back to physics in 11th or 12th grade, after calculus (or, even, integrated with calculus, which has always intrigued me).

by rrusczyk, Jul 29, 2007, 1:38 AM

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I do agree. If you are good at math you'll soon find out that you're doing well in other subjects too. Math improves your thinking and ability to argue, it sharpens your brain. That is the main key to develop your skills in my opinion. Before the 8th grade I never(well almost) got good grades in math, as a consequence of which my overall results were very poor. But suddenly around the 9th grade a thirst for math grew in me, and since then my position in the class had been among the top. And this year in the 11th grade, well, let's see what happens. :wink:

by nayel, Aug 18, 2007, 10:40 AM

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Could it be that mathematical ability and interest is a better indicator of inherit G(overall cognitive ability) then specific interests such as chemistry? If mathematical interest is more closely correlated with G then other interests, then these results seem to flow from that.

I think that may explain some of the results.

by gooddaytoyouboy, Jul 29, 2009, 3:42 AM

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Which reminds me, perhaps there is an even greater correlation between academic success(well, grades in college), and chess performance(and advancement), then mathematics performance and grades in science.

Eh, ill want some studies done before I place any bets.

by gooddaytoyouboy, Jul 29, 2009, 4:05 AM

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