Why Students Repeat the Same Math Mistakes — and What We Can Do About It

The Hidden Cost of Persistent Errors

Since the pandemic, national math performance has taken a hit. According to the most recent NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress), math scores remain below pre-pandemic levels — especially among historically underserved student groups. As highlighted in their blog article, the data shows just how deeply the pandemic disrupted students' math learning.

But what isn’t always captured in test scores is why students are struggling to bounce back.

Persistent math misconceptions play a major role.

Students can’t fix what they don’t understand—and teachers can’t correct what they can’t see. Without clear, timely, and actionable insight into student thinking, even the most dedicated educators are left guessing.

When persistent errors go unchecked:

• Students lose confidence.

• Teachers lose precious instructional time.

• Intervention becomes reactive instead of proactive.

Feedback Is the Key — But It Has to Be Timely and Targeted

Research confirms what educators already know: feedback works best when it's immediate, specific, and tied to a student's thinking process, not just their answer.

But traditional grading systems rarely allow for that kind of responsive feedback, especially in math. Teachers simply don’t have the time to analyze each student’s written work for misconceptions — much less deliver individualized guidance that addresses each error’s root cause.

This is where AI-driven feedback, when implemented ethically and thoughtfully, can make a real difference.

Personalized Feedback That Actually Helps Students Learn

Personalized AI feedback systems, as discussed in this article from MathSense AI, are beginning to transform how educators close the gap between student errors and instructional response.

Here’s how:

• They detect misconceptions, not just incorrect answers.

• They give feedback while students still remember what they did — boosting the chances of correcting misconceptions in real time.

• They support diverse learners by tailoring explanations to students' unique learning styles.

When educators combine their expertise with high-quality AI feedback tools, we don’t just reduce grading time — we empower more effective teaching and learning.

From Feedback to Better Teaching: What Stanford Research Tells Us

The benefits of better feedback aren’t limited to students.

A Stanford-led study explored how automated feedback can improve teaching itself. The study found that when instructors received AI-generated insights into how they responded to student ideas, they significantly improved their communication and classroom engagement practices.

This research raises an important point: the same kind of real-time, personalized insight that helps students can also support teachers. And this feedback doesn’t need to come from high-stakes observations or evaluations — it can come from well-designed, supportive tools that reflect the realities of daily classroom practice.

➡️ You can read more about Stanford's research here

We Built a Platform to Help — But It Starts With Listening to Teachers

At the heart of this issue is a simple truth: Students learn better when their misconceptions are understood and addressed.

That’s why we created MathSense AI — not to replace teachers, but to support them with tools that:

• Analyze student-written math work, not just multiple choice.

• Detect recurring errors and misconceptions.

• Generate personalized feedback that teachers can validate or customize.

• Visualize student errors and growth over time, making it easier to spot trends and intervene meaningfully.

When students stop repeating the same mistakes, they start building confidence and momentum. When teachers get the support they need to deliver precise feedback, instruction becomes more impactful — and sustainable.

But more than anything, our goal is to build a community around better math education. Because persistent errors don’t fix themselves — and we believe every student deserves the chance to unlearn their misconceptions and unlock their potential.

Teachers, school leaders, and education officials: persistent errors aren’t just a student issue — they’re a feedback issue. By prioritizing diagnostic clarity and targeted support, we can change not just what students know, but how they think.

In classrooms across the country, math errors are being made — not just once, but again and again. And it’s not because students aren’t trying. It’s because we’re not reaching the root cause.

Up to 70% of students repeat the same types of math errors across assignments and assessments. These are not random mistakes — they’re persistent misconceptions, embedded deeply into how students understand core mathematical ideas.

Let’s pause and think about that: nearly three in four students are making the same errors repeatedly because they’re carrying unaddressed misconceptions from one lesson to the next, one grade to the next, even from school into adulthood.

This isn’t just a classroom problem. It’s a systemic issue — and it’s costing us.