Girls do math as well as boys

When analyzing data from 10 states, resulting in more than 7.2 million teenagers, US scientists found that the difference in math scores between the sexes was extremely small.

This finding contradicts previous studies from 1990 that there are big differences, favoring boys, in solving complex problems, starting in high school years.

The girls also have the same math scores as their boyfriends.Photo: Xinhua News Agency.

Recently, women are almost absent from the highest ranks of careers in the fields of mathematics, physical science and engineering. In the United States, the doctoral program in the field of scientific engineering is currently only about 15% female, and similar data has led to preconceptions that girls and women are poor in computing ability.

Now, according to a report by Janet Hyde of the University of Wisconsin and colleagues, there is no difference in the calculation skills of these two sexes.

New data also shows that students are regularly tested for "recall" and "skills / concepts" items , which rarely rely on "strategic ideas" or "idea development".

If standard tests do not assess the types of arguments that are critical to science and math-related careers, those skills may not be taught, and it becomes a flaw, Hyde said.