Maths is

[Victor Steinbok]

People would look at you funny, but not because you wrote "is". In this
context, "mathematics" would be more acceptable. "Maths" is not a
science--it's what's taught at schools. Now, we can also look at "math"
as a process of obtaining a result, as in "I'll have to check your
math". I don't know how this is treated in BrE, if at all. Is it "check
you math" or "check you maths"? To my ear, the latter would sound
implausible, but I'm not trained in BrE.

     VS-)

PS: Never mind that the coordination may well tie to the use of
"science", as it does to "course" in your earlier example. Basically,
you need a different sentence structure to get a clarifying example.

On 9/3/2012 11:14 AM, Joel S. Berson wrote:
> Suppose I'd written "Maths is the one science I find hardest to
> understand."?  I would certainly say "Physics *is* the one science I
> find hardest to understand."  Although "Physics are hard to digest."
>
> In any case, I was being slightly facetious in responding to Victor's question.
>
> Joel

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