A new study says boys and girls often solve math problems differently — even when they get the same answers.
As a Mathnasium Center Director, I wasn’t surprised.
One afternoon, two students — a girl let's call her Emily and a boy let's call him Jordan — were working on the same problem: 125 + 238.
Emily immediately reached for her pencil, lining up the digits with perfect precision. Every step was neat, careful, and correct.
Jordan didn’t touch a pencil. “Well… 125 plus 200 is 325… plus 38 is 363,” he said, almost casually. Two paths, same result.
That moment plays out in dozens of ways every week. Many girls come in with methodical, beautifully organized work. They master the “right way” — the teacher-approved algorithm — but sometimes freeze when I suggest trying a shortcut or mental strategy. It’s like I’m asking them to break a rule.
Boys, meanwhile, will try any trick they can think of, even ones that make me raise an eyebrow. Sometimes their shortcuts crash and burn, but just as often, they reveal a level of flexible thinking that helps them fly through tougher, more creative problems.
Of course, every child is unique — but the patterns in the new research mirror what I’ve seen for years: algorithmic thinking gets you good grades in the short term, while flexible thinking gives you power in the long run.
And when students are encouraged to explore multiple strategies — when Emily feels safe experimenting, and Jordan learns when structure is helpful — something clicks. Their confidence grows, their curiosity grows, and suddenly math feels like a puzzle instead of a chore.
The real message? Math isn’t about picking the “girl way” or the “boy way.” It’s about discovering your way — and building the courage to try a new one. At Mathnasium, we help students explore many different approaches, so they learn not just to get the answer, but to truly understand it.
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