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Countdown’s Rachel Riley on learning to love maths Countdown’s Rachel Riley on learning to love maths
(about 9 hours later)
I love that once you know the basic rules of maths, you can do whatever you want with it.I love that once you know the basic rules of maths, you can do whatever you want with it.
When I was little, I carried a book of times tables around everywhere and always tried to get the best score. I like the fact that you don’t need any tools, only your head. I also enjoy rules and, with maths, you are either right or wrong.When I was little, I carried a book of times tables around everywhere and always tried to get the best score. I like the fact that you don’t need any tools, only your head. I also enjoy rules and, with maths, you are either right or wrong.
Lots of people say they hate maths and when I ask them why, they inevitably mention a teacher they had when they were young. Maths is like learning a language, you need to learn the basics to get going, but a lot of adults go into blind panic about numbers and switch off. Lots of people say they hate maths and when I ask them why, they inevitably mention a teacher they had when they were young. Maths is like learning a language: you need to learn the basics to get going, but a lot of adults go into blind panic about numbers and switch off.
It’s never too late to start again. When I was preparing for my Countdown interview, I had to re-learn all my times tables. I did thousands of brain and maths games. The brain is muscle. If you don’t exercise it, it will get slow.It’s never too late to start again. When I was preparing for my Countdown interview, I had to re-learn all my times tables. I did thousands of brain and maths games. The brain is muscle. If you don’t exercise it, it will get slow.
I’m trying to encourage young people to get into maths, to see the hundreds of different ways it’s used in all areas of life – from biology to climate change.I’m trying to encourage young people to get into maths, to see the hundreds of different ways it’s used in all areas of life – from biology to climate change.
I was never aware of fewer girls doing maths at school, but I think perhaps some girls are afraid of getting things wrong, so hold back until they think they’ve got the right answer. From my experience, boys will happily just give it a go, even if their answer turns out to be wrong, which is how you learn. Ultimately, what you need is a logical brain.I was never aware of fewer girls doing maths at school, but I think perhaps some girls are afraid of getting things wrong, so hold back until they think they’ve got the right answer. From my experience, boys will happily just give it a go, even if their answer turns out to be wrong, which is how you learn. Ultimately, what you need is a logical brain.
I’ve done more than 1200 shows of Countdown, and we never use computers, only our heads. What’s fun about that is that people watching at home have a real chance of beating us.I’ve done more than 1200 shows of Countdown, and we never use computers, only our heads. What’s fun about that is that people watching at home have a real chance of beating us.