[zintinio3]

Americans generally struggle with mathematics, and not just advanced concepts. The problem is cultural, because it is acceptable to be poor at math, it's viewed as wholly unnecessary. Some examples are A&W's Third Pounder vs McDonald's Quarter Pounder (3 < 4 so quarter pounder is bigger) [1], how long does it take to go 80 miles if you're driving 80 miles per hour [2], and Verizon Math [3].

As for Chinese struggling with math, I can give you firsthand experience at my American University, where the foreign (Chinese and Indian) students are known for rampant cheating, in both the Undergraduate and Graduate levels.

We have a serious problem with logic, math, and science. People who are good at the three are ridiculed and alienated rather than celebrated, although it's not a hard rule, just something I've noticed. Reading for pleasure is the exception rather than something normal. We're very anti-intellectual once you get out of the big cities.

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/magazine/why-do-americans-...

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2eyq9qTOQY

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MShv_74FNWU

[wfunction]

The Verizon Math was gold.

[agumonkey]

The passenger sit girl state of mind is the same I experience whenever I struggle with any "foreign" concepts. Whether it was fancy recursive typing or anything post graduate level where the words felt meaningless until 2 years down the road where I had an eureka moment.

Should we order problems by some notion of difficulty or is it fractally similar at every level ?

ps: I can't take the Verizon chat, it's too painful.