--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never got a pass mark in math ... Just…" description: "\"I never got a pass mark in math ... Just imagine - mathematicians now use my prints to illustrate their books.\" — M. C. Escher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/436/m-c-escher-15873_book_i-never-got-a-pass-mark-in-math-just-ima_1406846.png" --- # I never got a pass mark in math ... Just imagine… ![“I never got a pass mark in math ... Just imagine - mathematicians now use my prints to illustrate their books.” quote by M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/436/m-c-escher-15873_book_i-never-got-a-pass-mark-in-math-just-ima_1406846.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/436/m-c-escher-15873_book_i-never-got-a-pass-mark-in-math-just-ima_1406846.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/436/m-c-escher-15873_book_i-never-got-a-pass-mark-in-math-just-ima_1406846.png) > “I never got a pass mark in math ... Just imagine - mathematicians now use my prints to illustrate their books.” [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. His early academic failures did not prevent later influence; his unconventional approach became valuable to others **In simple terms:** Failure can lead to unexpected usefulness later Key Takeaway Embrace unconventional paths Themes creativity failure legacy Mood reflective optimistic Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - teaching - design - inspiration - academic setbacks Key Concepts artistic innovation educational impact Questions to Reflect On - How can perceived failures become assets? - What unconventional methods can you apply? A Different Perspective Success may arise from perceived failures ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Mathematicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematicians/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) ## Related quotes > [I never got a pass mark in math... Just imagine - mathematicians now use my prints to illustrate their books. Funny me consorting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-never-got-a-pass-mark-in-math-just-imagine-mathematicians-now-use/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [Mathematicians use intuition, conjecture and guesswork all the time except when they are in the classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-warren/mathematicians-use-intuition-conjecture-and-guesswork-all-the-time/) [Joseph Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-warren/) > [Although I am even now still a layman in the area of mathematics, and although I lack theoretical knowledge, the mathematicians, and in particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/although-i-am-even-now-still-a-layman-in-the-area-of-mathematics-and/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [Some humans are mathematicians-others aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/some-humans-are-mathematicians-others-aren-t/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [In the broad light of day mathematicians check their equations and their proofs, leaving no stone unturned in their search for rigour. But, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/in-the-broad-light-of-day-mathematicians-check-their-equations-and/) [Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/) > [The way in which mathematicians and physicists and historians talk is quite different, and what a physicist means by physical intuition and what a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifford-geertz/the-way-in-which-mathematicians-and-physicists-and-historians-talk-is/) [Clifford Geertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifford-geertz/) > [Oh these mathematicians make me tired! When you ask them to work out a sum they take a piece of paper, cover it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/oh-these-mathematicians-make-me-tired-when-you-ask-them-to-work-out-a/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Philosophers and psychiatrists should explain why it is that we mathematicians are in the habit of systematically erasing our footsteps. Scientists have always looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gian-carlo-rota/philosophers-and-psychiatrists-should-explain-why-it-is-that-we/) [Gian-Carlo Rota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gian-carlo-rota/) > [Mathematicians seem to have no difficulty in creating new concepts faster than the old ones become well understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton-lorenz/mathematicians-seem-to-have-no-difficulty-in-creating-new-concepts/) Edward Norton Lorenz > [As for mathematicians themselves: don't expect too much help. Most of them are too far removed in their ivory towers to take up such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/as-for-mathematicians-themselves-don-t-expect-too-much-help-most-of/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [If there should chance to be any mathematicians who, ignorant in mathematics yet pretending to skill in that science, should dare, upon the authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/if-there-should-chance-to-be-any-mathematicians-who-ignorant-in/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [It is a melancholy experience for a professional mathematician to find himself writing about mathematics. The function of a mathematician is to do something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/it-is-a-melancholy-experience-for-a-professional-mathematician-to/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [Mathematicians, like cows in the dark, all look alike to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-flexner/mathematicians-like-cows-in-the-dark-all-look-alike-to-me/) [Abraham Flexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-flexner/) > [In my experience most mathematicians are intellectually lazy and especially dislike reading experimental papers. He seemed to have very strong biological intuitions but unfortunately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-crick/in-my-experience-most-mathematicians-are-intellectually-lazy-and/) [Francis Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-crick/) > [If enough money is involved and enough people believe that two plus two equals five the media will report the story with a straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-enough-money-is-involved-and-enough-people-believe-that-two-plus/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) ## More by M. C. Escher > [I could fill an entire second life with working on my prints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-could-fill-an-entire-second-life-with-working-on-my-prints/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [The regular division of the plane into congruent figures evoking an association in the observer with a familiar natural object is one of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/the-regular-division-of-the-plane-into-congruent-figures-evoking-an/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [I might be in the basement. I'll go upstairs and check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-might-be-in-the-basement-i-ll-go-upstairs-and-check/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [ For me it remains an open question whether \[this work\] pertains to the realm of mathematics or to that of art. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/for-me-it-remains-an-open-question-whether-this-work-pertains-to-the/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [I never got a pass mark in math... Just imagine - mathematicians now use my prints to illustrate their books. Funny me consorting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-never-got-a-pass-mark-in-math-just-imagine-mathematicians-now-use/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [As far as I know, there is no proof whatever of the existence of an objective reality apart from our senses, and I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/as-far-as-i-know-there-is-no-proof-whatever-of-the-existence-of-an/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [Science and art sometimes can touch one another, like two pieces of the jigsaw puzzle which is our human life, and that contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/science-and-art-sometimes-can-touch-one-another-like-two-pieces-of/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [ In mathematical quarters, the regular division of the plane has been considered theoretically. ... \[Mathematicians\] have opened the gate leading to an extensive domain,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/in-mathematical-quarters-the-regular-division-of-the-plane-has-been/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [I might be in the basement. I'll go upstairs and check. We adore chaos because we love to produce order. I don't use drugs;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-might-be-in-the-basement-i-ll-go-upstairs-and-check-we-adore-chaos/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [The things I want to express are so beautiful and pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/the-things-i-want-to-express-are-so-beautiful-and-pure/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [To tell you the truth, I am rather perplexed by the concept of 'art'. What one person considers to be 'art' is often not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-rather-perplexed-by-the-concept-of-art/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [To have peace with this peculiar life; to accept what we do not understand; to wait calmly for what awaits us, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/to-have-peace-with-this-peculiar-life-to-accept-what-we-do-not/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [Although I am even now still a layman in the area of mathematics, and although I lack theoretical knowledge, the mathematicians, and in particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/although-i-am-even-now-still-a-layman-in-the-area-of-mathematics-and/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [It is human nature to want to exchange ideas, and I believe that, at bottom, every artist wants no more than to tell the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/it-is-human-nature-to-want-to-exchange-ideas-and-i-believe-that-at/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [All my works are games, serious game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/all-my-works-are-games-serious-game/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) [Explore all 41 M. C. Escher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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