Math

Post Reply New Topic

I love math . Yay for complex numbers, groups, matrices, etc...

You're right about that! I AM better at other disciplines. I guess you're right. It IS a good idea to show that being AS doesn't necessarily mean bad at math. Frankly, I think it has more to do with the education system. I DID give percentages and "estimates" that were pretty good earlier, so I know I used to be good at math. I quoted estimates because I would take them down to like the second, etc... instead of rounding to 5 or 10 like everyone else. People used to get a kick out of it.

With regards to getting better at math etc... Some might want to check out "speed mathematics using the vedic system by vali masser" and "Speed mathematics by bill handley". BOTH are easily available from amazon, and are cheap. Hey, they DO simplify it, and are geared towards mental math. If you are teaching a kid, it will show you what you need to cover. I wish I had this when I was a kid, I would have been at highschool level within a year. The speed mathematics one is deceptively small(113 pages). It covers probably all the basic math, including fractions, powers(squary and cube), and roots(square and cube), basic algebra, and various conversions. I includes even finding the area of triangles, circles, and spheres.

People like dart may laugh, and frankly conventional methods ARE more flexible(but often slower and harder to do mentally).

Steve

Thanks, SteveK -- I'll have to look those books up for my son.

I love math. Unfortunately I never had a great math teacher too, and also - I note that I do my best work conceptually. So math (as formulae) positively related to concepts owned mentally by me I grok. On the other hand; a bunch of terms hanging unsuspended in mid air - typically the way it is taught - I don't grok.
but then very few teachers in any field taught in a way that i could in any deal with. I learn diffeently.
I LOVE LIBRARIES!

I'm sort of the same way, although the only "higher math" I'm good at (the only math at all that I'm good at) is algebra. I have great, great difficulties with geometry and anything that deals with visual-spatial abilities. I swear that I have Nonverbal Learning Disorder. I've never been given an official diagnosis, but I know I have it. Word problems are impossible for me. I never know where to start. And I have a lot of trouble with some types of "easy" math, namely subtraction/making change, percentages, and decimals. I'm very good with fractions, though. Most people find decimals/percentages easier than fractions, so I'd imagine that this is why I'm better with fractions: I tend to be better with the things that the majority of NT's find difficult...
-OddDuckNash99-

Ya, I am terrible at geometry too. It was one of the few classes in school that I almost failed. I just didn't get how to "prove" that such and such was true. Never made any sense. However, algebra was a dream, only A in math i ever got. Pre-cal was pretty easy too. Never went higher than that. And word problems are evil

I only made it to Algebra 2 in math, but that wasn't until college. English and languages were always my strong subjects. I think my problem begin in elementary school when they made us do stupid "go at your own pace" assignments. I was still good at math then, but that teaching method slowed me down considerably.

Thanks for all the responses. I'll need to find a way to get through college Algebra, Geometry, Trig and Physics or I can kiss my 20-year and counting dream of a bachelors degree goodbye. Even more frustrating is that I'm a 4.0 student when Math isn't involved. Grrrr -damn complex abstract equations!

I never got beyond the basic math facts either. In higher level high school English howerer, with the right accomodations I got As.

I learnt basic math very easy, but I began having problems with analytic geometry and calculus. When I started failing my calculus exams, my mom make me took extra classes. Now, I'm better in calculus than my "smart classmates".

I am pretty good at doing math, but I hate homework, so I usually got poor grades because I rarely did the homework.

They say math is like learning to play a musical instrument. That
homework is the practice that burns it into your memory. I hated it
to and I'm sure I would have done better if I forced myself to do more of it and got expert help when I could not do a problem.

I was great at basic math, but terrible once I passed year 8. I cant remember what area we were learning at that time.

I have a terrible coding "memory", so everything I read (equations etc) I forget a few parts and have to constantly fill in little gaps that have disappeared. It leaves me frustrated and because of it, I cant make myself do maths.

I didn't like math in high school, but somehow things have started clicking in college.

Math is mostly patterns. Just memorize the patterns and know where to recognize them and you'll do fine. I work really well when I can see examples of problems like the one I'm being asked to work. I'm not copying the problem number for number, variable for variable, or operation for operation. But I get led on sort of the right track by examples, so that I know what tactics to use to solve the problem.

Do the homework. Some textbooks don't offer enough examples. If yours doesn't, then buy a study guide.

Asside from basic arithmetic, math was my worst subject when I started taking algebra and geometry. What made matters worse was having this one teacher who didn't like those students who struggled with the material. No matter how hard I studied, or extra problems on the homework I did, I barely passed by the end of the year. This teacher once got on my case when she thought I was using the calculator too much, even though the particular problem needed one.

English and other subjects were easier for me to understand, but I might as well have been learning runes when it came to the higher levels of math. Proving one thing in debate was easy, but I had a tough time with geometry proofs.

I don't like Math. It's not particularly difficult, it's just something I'd rather not do.