Worried by numbers

Do you get nervous thinking about geometry, equations or a coming math test?

If yes, you are far from alone.

Math anxiety has become a common psychological condition among students around the world.

Students in countries with higher levels of math anxiety tend to achieve lower math grades, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Feb 15.

According to a University of Cambridge study, in ordinary life, many people experience some degree of discomfort when confronted with a math problem, ranging from mild tension to strong fear.

Some people also experience physical symptoms such as sweaty palms or a racing heart.

They may then try to avoid every situation involving numbers, meaning they are held back from pursuing careers related to this subject, such as science, technology or engineering, according to The Guardian.

Reassurance comes from the fact that those with math anxiety aren't destined to be bad at math.

"If a child has math anxiety, don't assume that they're not good at math. They may have had a really bad experience with math and there are ways to improve math achievement," Daniel Ansari, the senior author of the study told The London Free Press.