A Quarter of Americans cannot do Basic Math

Below are the results of two different studies into whether Americans can perform Basic Math skills:

The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) conducted in 2003 by the U.S. Department of Education provided insights into the numeracy skills of American adults. According to the study, about 22 percent of adults in the United States demonstrated skills at or below the "Below Basic" level in quantitative literacy, which includes basic math skills.

Another study, the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2012, assessed the numeracy skills of adults in various countries. It found that about 30 percent of American adults scored at or below the lowest proficiency level in numeracy, indicating limited basic math skills.

Taking the average of these two studies, it means that approx. 26% of Americans cannot do basic math.

This is appalling in my opinion and shows just how poor the Education system in the USA really is.

But, for the sake of fairness, I decided to seek out similar studies for the UK and Canada, however I want to first note that each country sets different standards for what they consider to be "Basic Math Skills".

1. United Kingdom (UK):

   • The Skills for Life survey conducted by the UK government in 2011 assessed the literacy and numeracy skills of adults aged 16 to 65. According to the survey, around 17 percent of adults in England were at or below Entry Level 1, which indicates very basic numeracy skills.
   • The OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) conducted in 2012 assessed numeracy skills in various countries, including the UK. The study found that around 17 percent of UK adults scored at or below the lowest proficiency level in numeracy.

2. Canada:

   • The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) also included Canada in its assessment. The study, conducted in 2012, found that approximately 24 percent of Canadian adults scored at or below the lowest proficiency level in numeracy.

So based on these other studies we can conclude that Canada isn't much better than the USA, only by about 2%, and that the UK may have a significantly better education system with respect to math... That or what we consider to be "Basic Math Skills" differs dramatically between these three countries.

I also tried to find studies on the topic of Musical Literacy for all three countries, but was unable to find studies on the subject. I suspect that math skills and musical literacy skills have a degree of overlap.

I can tell you however that there have been other studies on whether having a musical education helps improve math skills, because there have been several studies conducted to explore the potential link between musical education and improved math ability. Here are some key findings from research in this area:

1. The "Mozart Effect": The concept of the "Mozart Effect" gained attention from a study published in 1993 suggesting that listening to Mozart's music could temporarily enhance spatial-temporal reasoning, which is involved in mathematical thinking. However, subsequent studies have yielded mixed results, and the long-term effects on math ability remain uncertain.

2. Correlations between Music and Math Skills: Numerous studies have found positive correlations between musical training and math skills. These studies suggest that individuals with musical education tend to perform better in certain areas of mathematics, such as spatial-temporal reasoning, numerical processing, and pattern recognition.

3. Longitudinal Studies: Longitudinal studies tracking students over time have provided evidence for a positive relationship between musical education and math achievement. These studies suggest that students who participate in music programs tend to perform better in mathematics compared to their peers who do not receive musical instruction.

4. Transfer Effects: Some research suggests that learning to play a musical instrument or engaging in other music-related activities may lead to transfer effects, where skills developed in music also benefit math abilities. These transfer effects may be due to shared cognitive processes involved in both domains, such as pattern recognition, sequencing, and attention to detail.

5. Cognitive Mechanisms: Various cognitive mechanisms have been proposed to explain the potential link between music and math abilities. These include enhanced working memory, improved spatial-temporal reasoning, heightened executive function, and increased neural connectivity in areas involved in both music and math processing.

While these studies suggest a positive relationship between musical education and math ability, it's important to note that individual variations exist, and the nature and extent of the relationship can vary among individuals. Furthermore, the specific aspects of musical education (such as instrument learning, ensemble participation, or music theory) and the duration and intensity of the training may also impact the outcomes.