It's not because they are 'bad at it.' It's not because it's 'boring.' The real reason so many people dislike algebra is simpler.

It's because it's the first time in their academic lives that they have encountered true, necessary abstraction.

Up until algebra, math is concrete. You have 3 apples, you get 2 more, you have 5 apples. You can picture it.

Suddenly, algebra appears and says, 'You have X apples.' This leap from the concrete '3' to the abstract 'X' is a shock to the system.

This is a completely new way of thinking, and for many, it's the first time they have to grapple with it.

The dislike is not of the subject itself, but of the uncomfortable feeling of confusion that comes with learning a new cognitive skill.

If this initial discomfort isn't handled with good teaching and a growth mindset, it curdles into a fixed belief of 'I can't do this.'

The 'dislike' is a defense mechanism against the feeling of being confused and overwhelmed.

The key is to understand that this feeling is temporary. It's the feeling of your brain building a new muscle.

The real reason for the dislike isn't the subject; it's the pain of a profound mental upgrade.