Some people find maths hard  It is a fundamental principle of education that different people think in different ways. One notable application of this is the theory of different learning styles, and it also makes people have a preference for certain subjects. [1] Many people find maths hard, 37% of teens think it is the most difficult subject, for a variety of reasons – it simply isn’t suited to all minds. [2]  Another fundamental principle is that all children are equal, in the sense that we should support them equally in helping them find the right opportunities. It follows that we should teach them something useful and relevant to their personality and preferences. But whatever that may turn out to be, it will not be maths, and maths would just waste their time.  It makes sense to teach arithmetic to even these people, but there is no need to make them study further.  [1] Cherry, Kendra, ‘VARK Learning Styles’, About.com,  accessed 12 June 2013  [2] Saad, Lydia, ‘Math Problematic for U.S. Teens’, Gallup, 17 May 2005,