In the United Kingdom, mathematics is compulsory for virtually all pupils up to the age of 16. There is, nonetheless, a substantial discrepancy between the performances of girls and boys, a difference that increases both with age and level of attainment. This trend is paralleled by girls' deteriorating attitudes and is then reflected in the proportion of women and men graduating and taking up professional careers in mathematics. One particularly stark statistic is the ratio of the fellows of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications in 1985—1,199 men and 33 women.
Statistics such as this point to a pressing need to change the social and educational climate in which girls learn mathematics. The similarities between the United Kingdom and the United States with respect to this problem are far greater than any apparent differences—the level of mathematics needed for entry to many higher education courses and careers is not ...
