A study has warned that maths homework is often too hard – even for adults!

Researchers at the University of South Australia are worried that the work set by teachers in some countries is taking away students’ confidence and putting them off the subject.

They studied eight families in Canada throughout the school year. Each family included a child aged between eight and nine, and their brothers and sisters were also invited to take part.

Often, the children found their maths homework too difficult and they needed lots of help from their parents. However, the parents often found it hard too, because the way that maths is taught has changed since they went to school!

It caused stress and despair and ate into family time, which all added up to negative feelings towards maths in general.

In particular, seeing their mums struggle led girls to believe that maths wasn’t for them.

Here in the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to get more children learning maths for longer.