--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The study of mathematics is apt to…" description: "\"The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment.\" — Alfred North Whitehead" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/alfred-north-whitehead-836_disappointment_the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-comme_2681588.png" --- # The study of mathematics is apt to commence in… ![“The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/alfred-north-whitehead-836_disappointment_the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-comme_2681588.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/alfred-north-whitehead-836_disappointment_the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-comme_2681588.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/alfred-north-whitehead-836_disappointment_the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-comme_2681588.png) > “The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment.” [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early study of math often begins with frustration, but perseverance leads to insight. **In simple terms:** Math starts tough, ends rewarding. Key Takeaway Persist through initial setbacks. Themes education mathematics perseverance learning Mood reflective determined Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - classroom instruction - self‑study - research projects - STEM careers Key Concepts cognitive development problem solving academic growth Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help overcome early math frustration? - How can educators make math more engaging? A Different Perspective May discourage beginners with negative framing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Math and science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math-and-science/) [Math education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math-education/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Studying mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studying-mathematics/) ## Related quotes > [If a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/if-a-man-s-wit-be-wandering-let-him-study-the-mathematics-for-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-kelvin/i-often-say-that-when-you-can-measure-what-you-are-speaking-about-and/) [Lord Kelvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-kelvin/) > [Mathematics is like draughts in being suitable for the young, not too difficult, amusing, and without peril to the state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/mathematics-is-like-draughts-in-being-suitable-for-the-young-not-too/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [A mathematician, like a painter or a poet, is a maker of patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/a-mathematician-like-a-painter-or-a-poet-is-a-maker-of-patterns/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [In most sciences one generation tears down what another has built and what one has established another undoes. In mathematics alone each generations adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hankel/in-most-sciences-one-generation-tears-down-what-another-has-built-and/) Hermann Hankel > [The mathematician's patterns, like the painter's or the poet's, must be beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/the-mathematician-s-patterns-like-the-painter-s-or-the-poet-s-must-be/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [What science can there be more noble, more excellent, more useful for men, more admirably high and demonstrative, than this of mathematics?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/what-science-can-there-be-more-noble-more-excellent-more-useful-for/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Standard mathematics has recently been rendered obsolete by the discovery that for years we have been writing the numeral five backward. This has led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/standard-mathematics-has-recently-been-rendered-obsolete-by-the/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I was x years old in the year x2.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-de-morgan/i-was-x-years-old-in-the-year-x2/) [Augustus De Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-de-morgan/) > [Geometry is the science of correct reasoning on incorrect figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-polya/geometry-is-the-science-of-correct-reasoning-on-incorrect-figures/) [George Polya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-polya/) > [When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-kelvin/when-you-can-measure-what-you-are-speaking-about-and-express-it-in/) [Lord Kelvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-kelvin/) > [In mathematics alone each generations adds a new story to the old structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hankel/in-mathematics-alone-each-generations-adds-a-new-story-to-the-old/) Hermann Hankel > [The man ignorant of mathematics will be increasingly limited in his grasp of the main forces of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-kemeny/the-man-ignorant-of-mathematics-will-be-increasingly-limited-in-his/) [John G. Kemeny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-kemeny/) > [I am too good for philosophy and not good enough for physics. Mathematics is in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-polya/i-am-too-good-for-philosophy-and-not-good-enough-for-physics/) [George Polya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-polya/) > [The aim (of education) must be the training of independently acting and thinking individuals who, however, see in the service to the community their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-aim-of-education-must-be-the-training-of-independently-acting-and/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Alfred North Whitehead > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought has done its best, the wonder remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/philosophy-begins-in-wonder-and-at-the-end-when-philosophic-thought/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The pursuit of mathematics is a divine madness of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-pursuit-of-mathematics-is-a-divine-madness-of-the-human-spirit/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Without adventure all civilization is full of decay. Adventure rarely reaches its predetermined end. Columbus never reached China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/without-adventure-all-civilization-is-full-of-decay-adventure-rarely/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Aristotle discovered all the half-truths which were necessary to the creation of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/aristotle-discovered-all-the-half-truths-which-were-necessary-to-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [On the ostensible exactitude of certain branches of human knowledge, including mathematics. The exactness is a fake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/on-the-ostensible-exactitude-of-certain-branches-of-human-knowledge/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [It is this union of passionate interest in the detailed facts with equal devotion to abstract generalisation which forms the novelty in our present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/it-is-this-union-of-passionate-interest-in-the-detailed-facts-with/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of infinitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/our-minds-are-finite-and-yet-even-in-these-circumstances-of/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The many become one and are increased by one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-many-become-one-and-are-increased-by-one/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/art-is-the-imposing-of-a-pattern-on-experience-and-our-aesthetic/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The future belongs to those who can rise above the confines of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-future-belongs-to-those-who-can-rise-above-the-confines-of-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Common sense is genius in homespun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/common-sense-is-genius-in-homespun/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Everyone is a philosopher. Not everyone is good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/everyone-is-a-philosopher-not-everyone-is-good-at-it/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Do not teach too many subjects and what you teach, teach thoroughly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/do-not-teach-too-many-subjects-and-what-you-teach-teach-thoroughly/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are cavalry charges in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/civilization-advances-by-extending-the-number-of-important-operations/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) [Explore all 356 Alfred North Whitehead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## More Disappointment quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [“My earthly body has been a terrible disappointment to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/my-earthly-body-has-been-a-terrible-disappointment-to-me/) [Frédéric Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [In trying not to disappoint others; we disappoint ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/in-trying-not-to-disappoint-others-we-disappoint-ourselves/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [Though there may be people in your life that support you and encourage you we have to realize that people are only human, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-may-be-people-in-your-life-that-support-you-and/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [There are still many more days of failure ahead, whole seasons of failure, things will go terribly wrong, you will have huge disappointments ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/there-are-still-many-more-days-of-failure-ahead-whole-seasons-of/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-is-sometimes-said-that-because-of-our-past-we-as-a-people-expect/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped - have not gotten the job you really wanted or have received those horrible rejection letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-m-talking-to-anyone-who-has-been-dumped-have-not-gotten-the-job-you/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [Think of your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as the ultimate garden. The way to ensure a bountiful, nourishing harvest is to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/think-of-your-mind-your-emotions-and-your-spirit-as-the-ultimate/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [When disappointments knock you down, get back up and go again because out of our greatest rejection comes our greatest direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-disappointments-knock-you-down-get-back-up-and-go-again-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,467 Disappointment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred North Whitehead" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-commence-in-disappointment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disappointment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-commence-in-disappointment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/alfred-north-whitehead-836_disappointment_the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-comme_2681588.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/alfred-north-whitehead-836_disappointment_the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-comme_2681588.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/alfred-north-whitehead-836_disappointment_the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-comme_2681588.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment.” — Alfred North Whitehead", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alfred North Whitehead", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The study of mathematics is apt...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-commence-in-disappointment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-study-of-mathematics-is-apt-to-commence-in-disappointment/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```