Published on 12, July, 2020
I have this preconceived idea that all Autistic people are really good at maths. I am terrible at mental arithmetic or any kind of working out in my head! Yet I can put together a mean spreadsheet, with formulas, forecasts, percentages whatever you like. But ask me what something times something is? Haven't a clue?
So I just wanted to see if that is odd for an Autistic person?
I find it hard to conceive of very big numbers, so I have to try to create a context. So I constantly do things like this...
I was rubbish at maths at school, but became very good at deconstructing contrapuntal music, which isinherently mathmatical. I have had some of my happiest times picking out the different voices in Bach fugues, marking them in differennt colours on the score( then practising each part separately before putting it all together).. So very absorbing. I also so did a great deal of harmony for a diploma, which is basic maths, in one sense. I tried maths GCSE in my thirties and the only element I could consistently do well was algebra!