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I have heard British people speak about "hard sums," but I can't find a definition anywhere. Is it just a generic way of referring to any arithmetic that the speaker believes is difficult? Or does it have a more specific definition or nuance?

If someone says "I can do hard sums," what does that mean exactly?

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Why are all the answers getting downvoted? – no one special Jun 23 '11 at 13:06

2 Answers

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"Hard sums" is used to mean "difficult mathematics" in a self-deprecating way, depending on the speaker.

If someone says

I can do hard sums.

and they are:

  • A four year-old: It means they've started doing addition.
  • An eight year-old: It means they've mastered multiplication.
  • A high-school student: It means they can do some simple calculus.
  • An undergraduate: It means they can do more complex calculus / analysis / algebra.
  • A post-graduate: It means they're Einstein. :-)

And each group is more self-deprecating than the last.

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So it's just a way of saying "difficult math"? No specific idiomatic meaning? Not even a nuance? – no one special Jun 23 '11 at 4:52
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AFAIK, the only nuance is what I mentioned: it's self-deprecating. – Peter K. Jun 23 '11 at 11:48
@Down-voter: Feedback on why you down-voted appreciated! – Peter K. Jun 23 '11 at 11:54
Interesting. When I saw this used, it was speaking to a broad audience with a presumably wide range of math levels, so it seemed like it must refer to something specific. Also interesting that it means any kind of math. The word "sums" gave me the impression that it referred to arithmetic. A bit disappointing that it has such a bland meaning, but thank you. :-) – no one special Jun 23 '11 at 12:46
@no one special: I'm sorry to disappoint! My perspective is from when I was an engineering grad student who used to hang around with mathematics grad students. Others may have a different view. In general, the math grad students found bistromathics harder than what they did for a living. :-) – Peter K. Jun 23 '11 at 12:55
up vote -1 down vote

It would be nice to get a bit more context. Before I read the other answers, I actually thought hard sums might refer to concrete or verified calculations, as in cold, hard facts, or hard numbers. If these hard sums are sums of money, for example, then we can talk about hard dollars (in the U.S.), which are objectively quantifiable sums (like the number of dollars it would cost to buy a new computer system); versus soft dollars, which are not so objectively quantifiable (like the value of productivity losses or low morale endured while switching to the new computer system).

Edit: Now that I've got the context, I see that my answer doesn't apply. Please see the other responses that have to do with "difficult arithmetic".

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Two examples I've heard: 1) "Most people don't realize that quilting requires doing hard sums." 2) From the show Black Books, "He can speak nine languages, blow glass and do hard sums, but he wouldn't tell you. He's just so modest." – no one special Jun 23 '11 at 4:49
@no one special: Ah, then yes, the other folks who have said it was just "difficult mathematics, expressed humbly" have the meaning you are after. – John Y Jun 23 '11 at 16:26

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