Introduction: Math is such a hassle!

One of the major challenges facing mathematics teachers today is sparking their students’ interest in the importance and practical applications of mathematics in their daily lives. Although this idea has been presented as a priority in various curriculum designs and classroom proposals, its implementation remains in question due to the persistent negative perception of mathematics. As evidence of this, some studies, including those conducted by Godino (1996), González (2005), and Díaz Perera et al. (2017), report a marked lack of interest in this discipline, which leads to poor results on international assessments.