Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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March 14 is that special time of year people pay homage to the mathematical constant pi (π). A majority of U.S. adults enjoyed math classes in grades K-12, and most who liked them say the subject matter was the main reason.
When Americans are asked why more students don’t pursue a degree in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), they are most likely to point to the difficulty of these subjects, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. About half of adults (52%) say the main reason young people don’t pursue STEM degrees is they think these subjects are too hard.
Blacks who work in science, technology, engineering and math fields are more likely than STEM workers from other racial or ethnic backgrounds to say they have faced discrimination on the job. They also stand out in their views about workplace diversity.
Women in STEM jobs are more likely than their male counterparts to have experienced discrimination in the workplace and to believe that discrimination is a major reason there are not more women in STEM.
Women in the U.S. are substantially more likely than men to say gender discrimination is a major problem in the technology industry.
In giving career advice to high schoolers, younger Americans encourage them to follow their dreams while older adults tell them to get jobs in a STEM field.
To mark Pi Day, here are four findings about math and education in the United States.
American students continue to rank around the middle of the pack, and behind many other advanced industrial nations, in international assessments of math, science and reading.
