Published on 12, July, 2020
I have severe feature of Dyscalculia and some tendencies of Dyslexia.
I failed math most of the school years, but I kept relearning the same early mathematics, but still don't get it. At some point I quit doing math for some time, and felt like, it's pointless, but then I started learning math again, but with some trial and errors, but I passed at the end.
I feel bad for quitting math, because it can seem like I refuse to learn math and making up excuses, but failing early math for most school years is not normal at all, and I am way behind compared to most of my peers.
I started to try to learn math again from scratch, although I am not sure if I will be able to do complex math in the future, but I can try to do complex math in the future.
My best advice to you as someone who is very bad at mental arithmetic but has a PhD in mathematics is ignore arithmetic; it’s nothing to do with real Maths. you have a Calculator in your pocket in the form of a smart phone at all times you do not need to know your times tables.
It is good to understand the algorithms used for mental arithmetic, Long division long multiplication, carrying et cetera. but if you need a table or a calculator to help with single digit additions subtractions and multiplications then just use a calculator while you’re learning that kind of arithmetic. And if you’re not specifically studying arithmetic algorithms don’t even bother trying to do calculations in your head you have a Calculator for that.
most textbooks are structured in this way, arithmetic than basic algebra. I suggest you skip over the arithmetic section and just start working from basic algebra onwards.
i’ve got to be honest with you A lot of mathematicians now feel the ability to computer program is probably more important than the ability to do mental arithmetic. Because any time you need to do a calculation in research maths it’s generally the kind of calculation that can only be done on a computer not by hand.
Thank you so much ;)
I'm terrible at maths too, I couldn't pass a GCSE at level C even with specialist teaching, none of it makes sense and the numbers swim about before my eyes and won't stay still.
Whats an algorithym? I don't understand alegebra at all, how can one start with it when one dosen't know what it really is?
Me neither.