Is Poor Performance in Probability/Statistics an Indication I am Bad at Math?

[sweetpotato]

Hi all, I've been reading the posts and you guys give good advice :)

I am a senior majoring in electrical engineering, but due to having a lot of AP credit coming into college I'm going to have a lot of time for electives next year.

When I was in middle school/ high school I wanted to be a mathematician, but unfortunately I ended up settling for EE because it's perceived as more practical. I want to use my senior year to take a lot courses in math and see if I still enjoy it as much as I used to.

I did well (B's, B+'s) in all the math courses I had to take for engineering except for Probability and Statistics (D+). That was for two reasons: 1) personal problems that I was experiencing 2) I had a hard time understanding the material, and didn't put enough effort into trying to teach the material to myself. I was wondering if doing poorly in probability/statistics is any indication that I should never take another math course.

In my opinion probability and statistics is somewhat different from other parts of math (e.g. abstract algebra, topology) and so maybe I'm just not good at this one particular topic?

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[PieceOfPi]

Not doing well in one math course tells nothing about your math ability. For example, I had a friend who was very good at math (taken grad school level topology and algebra while he was an undergrad) did terrible in real analysis class. Despite this, I still believe he is a great math student.

I also agree that probability and statistics is quite different from more theoretical math courses like you mentioned, but others might have different opinions. Theoretical math courses hardly have any application to real world, whereas probability and stats have plenty of real world applications.

I'd say if you are interested in taking more math and if you have time, go for it.

 

[yossell]

There are lots of different kinds of mathematicians with different strengths and weaknesses, different likes and dislikes. If you enjoy other areas of maths and want to do it, don't let this course put you off.

It's always interesting to try and understand one's own mental blocks with an eye to overcoming them, but this shouldn't put you off at all!

 

[sweetpotato]

Thanks for the help! I think I will give some other math classes a shot.

 

[rezeew]

I can say that poor performance in probability and statistics does not necessarily mean that you are bad at math. Probability and statistics are just one aspect of mathematics, and it is possible that you may excel in other areas such as abstract algebra or topology. It is also important to remember that personal problems can greatly impact academic performance, so it is possible that your D+ in probability and statistics was not a reflection of your true abilities.

Furthermore, mathematics is a subject that requires a lot of practice and effort to fully understand, so it is possible that you simply did not put enough effort into understanding the material. This does not mean that you should never take another math course. In fact, taking more math courses in your senior year may help you determine if your interest in mathematics is still strong and if you are capable of excelling in other areas.

My advice would be to not let one course discourage you from pursuing your passion for mathematics. Use your senior year to explore different math courses and see if your interest and understanding improve. Seek help from professors and peers if you are struggling, and make sure to put in the effort to fully understand the material. Remember, one course does not define your abilities in math.