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The color of Math - An engaging debate

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The color of math- An engaging debate
Students usually associate different colors with subjects. It is currently one of the most active debates. You might hear sentences like "what color is math" or "what color is chemistry". A question might arise in your mind: how can someone give color to a particular subject? However, it is actually something very relatable for students to associate colors with a subject.

School subject colors

School subject colors is a very engaging debate nowadays and people are sharing a lot of fun views that they hold regarding the topic. It has been observed that people associate school subjects with different colors. In this debate, there is no particular right or wrong answer. just several colors associated with different school subjects. usually it is English and math, two subjects that cause the main debate

School subject colors

Subject and color association 

People usually associate a color with a subject, and that is a result of something that reminds them of the subject. Sometimes it could simply be the color of the book that they read almost daily that reminds them of that subject, and sometimes it is the level of complexity of the subject.

If a student finds a specific subject boring or hard to learn, they might associate warm or dark colors with the subject, and if a student likes to study a subject, they might associate it with something more color and light instead.

School subjects are usually associated with different colors like red, yellow, black, orange, white etc., most of the time, and it is the core subjects like maths and English that students associate with some color.

Usually, people associate green with science because of the plants present in it. Some find math to be a difficult subject and hence connect it with red or orange, but it could be green or blue as well, and that's where the debate begins and both sides makes sense. Let's dive into it, right?

Subject and color association

The color of math

There is a very common debate among people regarding the color associated with math as a subject. While there are many reasons behind the color association with a particular subject, when it comes to math, there are mainly two colors that are connected with the subject. For students, it's either red or blue and these colors of math depend on different reasons. Here are the reasons why people associate either red or blue with math mainly and why it initiates much debate:

The color of math

Math as red

Some people associate math with the color red, and they have some good reasons for it. If we think about it, red is a warm color, and it is associated with the high intensity of something.
So for the students who think of math as a difficult subject and dive into the complexity of it. Here the intensity of complexity and difficulty is a bit high, so people relate it to the color red, which indicates the high intestine.
So when you come across a student who does not enjoy studying math and finds it difficult to comprehend the concepts associated with it, and if you ask them about the color of math, then there are great chances that they will respond with red. This response will be based on their interest in the subject and how well they perform in it with understanding. 

Math as blue

On the other hand, half of the students claim that math is actually blue. How come? Well, if you think of blue in mind, then coolness and calamity come to your mind. Water on the peaceful beach calms the mind, right?
Well, this is how students usually associate math with the color blue. If a student finds math as something easy or fun to do, they usually connect it with blue color.
Some people understand the underlying concept of math and actually have fun while doing it, and it actually becomes something relaxing for them. If you go up to such a student who likes to do the math and find it interesting, and you ask them about the color of math, they will most probably reply with blue or some other light calming color.

So what's the final color?

You might be wondering what color we should agree on? Well, that's where the debate divides the population into two parts, and this is where the debate actually ends. Half of the population believes it is red, whereas the other believes that it is blue. So, in the end, these two colors have been associated with the subject as a final color. With the majority being divided within both colors, it can not be simply pointed to a single color that will be given to math.

Reasons for color association

Different subjects are associated with different colors, and there are several reasons that people might do so. Here we have talked about some main reasons that become the base for people to associate a certain color with a subject.

Memory 

Sometimes we associate different things together because of the memory, nostalgia or old times connected with them. Suppose you used to go to a park and used to play on swings. Whenever you would see a swing in later life, you would think of childhood memories instantly. Similarly, we associate different things with our memories. 
Some people have a bad experience with a certain subject in the past or a very good experience with some subjects in early age. In this way, they would instantly associate a warm color tone with the subject they didn't used to like, and they would associate a cooler one with a subject with some good memories.

Color of the cover

We usually add a cover to the subject copy or put the notes in a folder. The color of the folder that we carry every day to class when we are going to attend the class or coming back home. Actually, wherever we are supposed to study that subject, we would bring out the folder to study from it. In this way, we would see that same colors always with that subject. Some people associate colors with a subject in this way as well.

Level of difficulty

Different subjects have varied levels of difficulty for everyone. For some, subjects like math, chemistry or biology are very dry or difficult to study, whereas, for some, these subjects are rather easy or come on the list of their favourite subjects.
Similarly, it is with all other subjects. The subjects people find a bit difficult, they usually associate these subjects with the color that indicates intensity like red or other warm dark colors and similarly the subjects people find rather easy or fun to do, they associate the cool light colors with them like blue, purple or other such colors. 

Content of the subject

Sometimes the color association is based on the material written in the subject or the type of content present in it.
If we take an example of science, we would instantly think of the color green with the connection of plants and nature, and for this reason it has been noted that this subject rarely sparks so it has been claimed that science is green due to its associating colors, and if we think about the calming or romantic poems, we would think of the red or pink colors.
In this way, the material we study also impacts our association of subjects with colors. Similarly geography is often associated with the yellow color because of the color yellow tones in it.

Final thoughts

NO specific color can be given to a particular subject because they have different associations with a subject, and in this way, they associate a color with a subject, but if we are talking solely about math, there are usually two segments that have divided people on the selection of color, and that is the complexity of the subject. Based on that, people associate it with either blue or red.

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Austin has 10+ years of experience in teaching. He has researched on thousands of students-related topics, issues, and concerns. You will often find him writing about the common concerns of students, their nutrition, and what is beneficial for their academics and health both.