Mechanical calculator with cover removed - photo

[sossol]

For long sequences of 9's, with a bit of math you don't need to pull the handle at all, you can do the problem in your head, e.g...

999 * 999 = (1000 - 1) * (1000 - 1) = 1000² - 2*1000 +1 = 1,000,000 - 2000 +1 = 998,000 + 1 = 998,001

Maybe normal people can, but I can’t. I am absolutely unable to do even that simple bit of arithmetic in my head. I can’t estimate any quantity, make sense of a spreadsheet (this part causes my boss no end of consternation), or follow instructions that skip operations. As you’d expect this held me back in school and even now limits career opportunities. On the other hand I can build or rebuild anything that doesn’t require higher maths.

Neil

[mklotz]

Maybe normal people can, but I can’t. I am absolutely unable to do even that simple bit of arithmetic in my head. I can’t estimate any quantity, make sense of a spreadsheet (this part causes my boss no end of consternation), or follow instructions that skip operations. As you’d expect this held me back in school and even now limits career opportunities. On the other hand I can build or rebuild anything that doesn’t require higher maths.

Neil

Nobody is born knowing how to use math. Rather than practicing, many folks will convince themselves they lack some fundamental mental element that makes it impossible for them to learn and religiously avoid any thing they encounter that contains the least element of math.

Learning doesn't cease when you graduate. Examine closely every math item you encounter. See if you can identify specifically what you do and do not understand about it. Done consistently, little bits will stick in your mind. Ask for help; don't be embarrassed to do so. On fora like this one there are undoubtedly many people who share your disaffection. There are also people who are willing to share their knowledge - whether it be how to cut threads or how to calculate the change gears needed to do so.

[hemmjo]

Maybe normal people can, but I can’t. I am absolutely unable to do even that simple bit of arithmetic in my head. I can’t estimate any quantity, make sense of a spreadsheet (this part causes my boss no end of consternation), or follow instructions that skip operations. As you’d expect this held me back in school and even now limits career opportunities. On the other hand I can build or rebuild anything that doesn’t require higher maths.

Neil

Most people fail to recognize the differences in how people learn. Some educators are the worst in that respect. I cannot even begin to count how many times in my 35 years of teaching this was demonstrated to me. Often, I would sit in a parent teacher conference and listen to other teachers talk about how lazy and disrespectful a student is in their classroom. More often than not, the student would be at the top of my list in regard to creative thinking, hard work, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn new relevant information.

People are different.

PS. Unfortunately too many math teachers, especially in the lower grades, do not really KNOW math well enough to get kids off to a good start.

[sossol]

Most people fail to recognize the differences in how people learn. Some educators are the worst in that respect. I cannot even begin to count how many times in my 35 years of teaching this was demonstrated to me. Often, I would sit in a parent teacher conference and listen to other teachers talk about how lazy and disrespectful a student is in their classroom. More often than not, the student would be at the top of my list in regard to creative thinking, hard work, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn new relevant information.

People are different.

I was never called lazy by a teacher (family, but not teachers), but my report cards almost always included something like “doesn’t apply himself”. I had a couple teachers in grade school and high school who adapted to their students’ learning behaviors. Those are the classics we “lazy” students did our best work. Sadly I never found any mathematics instructors who could make that make sense, so never made it past geometry level.

Neil