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Mathematics should be fun!
It is certainly an essential skill in everyday life (shopping, wages taxes etc.) and maybe this is why the fun aspect takes a back seat. Teachers concentrate on getting the right answer to a particular problem and passing examinations and not enough time on emphasising the satisfaction in actually doing the problem solving.
Selecting an appropriate method, testing to see if this method is applicable and finally ending up with an acceptable solution, which may not be an numerical answer at all eg. what is the engine driver's name and where does he live!
Reasonable competence in mathematics is quite a rare occurence in the general population, but maybe by spending more time on the enjoyment of the subject we could improve this situation.
