Math is the language of modern science. Without math there could be no astronomy, no physics, no engineering and certainly no computers.

So, why do so many people hate math? I have been teaching college for eight years, and I have never heard a student say: "I hate reading." But they will say "I hate math."

It's funny: It would be socially unacceptable for a college student to say "I can't read," but saying "I can't do math," is fine. In this country, we have decided that every normal adult can learn to read and write, but math is different. My students tell me that math requires a special talent, a certain type of brain. Is this just an excuse, or could it be true?

Of course some people have a stronger natural gift for math than others. But that's true of every subject. Some people are born with more talent for reading, but we don't let that get in the way. By the time people get to college, we can all read, and no one separates themselves into "good reader" and "bad reader" groups. So why does this happen with math?

The truth is that there are places where people will call themselves good readers or bad readers: You'll find this in first grade. Some kids with more natural talent for reading will be burning through books right and left, while others are still struggling to sound out the word "cat." But somewhere between first grade and high school we all learn to read, and then it's done, and we don't worry about who had more or less talent at reading.

Natural talent controls how quickly and easily we can learn reading, but in the end we all learn to read. I think math talent works exactly the same way.

Some people learn math faster and easier, while others take more time, but anyone can learn math. I believe that any normal adult can learn algebra, or even calculus. The only question is how much time and practice it would take. Of course a standard math class in school has to go at a certain pace, and so if it's going faster than your talent allows, you'll get left behind, and you'll think "I can't do math" even though that's not true.

I think another difference between reading and math is that math is deeper. There's always another level to math. If you master addition and subtraction, there's multiplication and division, then algebra, then calculus, and it just keeps going. Reading is more closed-ended. There's a point where you have finished learning to read. But no one has ever finished learning math. There's always more math out there, so you never get that feeling of mastery that you get with reading.

Right now, this country is facing all kinds of challenges that need us to understand math, challenges from our economy, from our environment, from our technology. How are we going to deal with these if most people can't do math? "I hate math" is quitter talk. It's surrendering. With the country facing all these challenges, we can't afford to surrender. We can't afford to hate math.