18 hours ago
- A survey of email subscribers asked about three levels of maths proficiency: formal study, comfortable use, and ability to teach.
- Over 70% of respondents have formally studied up to differential equations, but only a third remain comfortable with that level.
- The drop from 'studied' to 'can teach' averages 1.6 levels, with heavy tails: some retain full knowledge, others forget a lot.
- Reader attrition at key maths levels: 6% struggle with solving equations, 7% more with logarithms, 12% more with calculus, and 13% more with integration.
- The survey has limitations: it relies on a simplistic system (Buttondown), uses a syllabus-based ordering that omits topics like statistics and linear algebra, and suffers from selection bias.
- The author plans to use these numbers to guide writing, aiming to avoid advanced maths when possible to keep more readers engaged.
- Future investigation is suggested with a better survey design, inviting readers to submit topic lists for a more comprehensive study.