Math Sucks!

[RoadTime]

Math Sucks!

Actually, I just suck at math. Simple math. Always have.

Not that I don't understand math, I do.

Give me a calculator, and I'll give the answer to just about any possible calculation, no matter how advanced.

But ask me what 6+8 is with out using my fingers or thinking about it, I'd give the wrong answer (after the blank look )

Pretty sad, but true.

Definitely, I have relied on calculators (and fingers) for way too long, most of my life. Spitting out a answer just by looking at it doesn't happen for me. 6+6=12 Yeah, that's there. But 6+3 results in a pause.

It's not a life ending horrible thing that I must know this answer immediately, and actually I could care less that I don't. I'm not too proud that I lack this very basic ability, but it is what it is.

So in a effort to improve in this area, I started today using a App to help me in this area.
I'm already showing improvement, so I guess there is hope for me yet
The 6+8 I used was one I kept getting wrong. Just in the course of writing this, every time I look up a the 6+8, immediately I get the answer of 14 now without (consciously) thinking about it.

So why after all this time is this suddenly important to me?

Yeah, there is a reason, probably not what you would think as the driving force

It's for my much loved game of BlackJack

Yup, a game is my motivator

If I want to continue to progress, I can't be relying on the dealer or counting on my fingers to tell me what I have most of the time. I have more important things to be thinking about

Since I don't have a huge amount of number combinations, I want or really need to know, I will just be focusing on some good old rote (repetition) memory learning. Open to any other suggestions that may help.

Hit me

 

[terryandrene]

Don't split 10's

 

[muttly]

Index cards with combinations on the front and numbered answers on the back.

 

[ntimevan]

Math Sucks!

Actually, I just suck at math. Simple math. Always have.

Not that I don't understand math, I do.

Give me a calculator, and I'll give the answer to just about any possible calculation, no matter how advanced.

But ask me what 6+8 is with out using my fingers or thinking about it, I'd give the wrong answer (after the blank look )

Pretty sad, but true.

Definitely, I have relied on calculators (and fingers) for way too long, most of my life. Spitting out a answer just by looking at it doesn't happen for me. 6+6=12 Yeah, that's there. But 6+3 results in a pause.

It's not a life ending horrible thing that I must know this answer immediately, and actually I could care less that I don't. I'm not too proud that I lack this very basic ability, but it is what it is.

So in a effort to improve in this area, I started today using a App to help me in this area.
I'm already showing improvement, so I guess there is hope for me yet
The 6+8 I used was one I kept getting wrong. Just in the course of writing this, every time I look up a the 6+8, immediately I get the answer of 14 now without (consciously) thinking about it.

So why after all this time is this suddenly important to me?

Yeah, there is a reason, probably not what you would think as the driving force

It's for my much loved game of BlackJack

Yup, a game is my motivator

If I want to continue to progress, I can't be relying on the dealer or counting on my fingers to tell me what I have most of the time. I have more important things to be thinking about

Since I don't have a huge amount of number combinations, I want or really need to know, I will just be focusing on some good old rote (repetition) memory learning. Open to any other suggestions that may help.

Hit me

Don't tell me they showed you how to use a Calculator in School ...
I still remember years ago when my wife signed up our 2 oldest children for school and she brought home their supplies list .
My 1rst grader (son , who now is 33) had on his list a Calculator. What ..?? I called the Teacher , then the Principal and went to the local school board meeting confronting the Superintendent. Needless to say , None of my 3 children were Ever required to bring a Calculator to school again . I was Blessed with the ability to do math in my head faster than most with a Calculator.

...

 

[RoadTime]

Index cards with combinations on the front and numbered answers on the back.

Yeah, I was actually going to pick up some math flash cards. But twice I forgot. Guess I have some other memory issues

 

[RoadTime]

Don't tell me they showed you how to use a Calculator in School ...

I still remember years ago when my wife signed up our 2 oldest children for school and she brought home their supplies list .
My 1rst grader (son , who now is 33) had on his list a Calculator. What ..?? I called the Teacher , then the Principal and went to the local school board meeting confronting the Superintendent. Needless to say , None of my 3 children were Ever required to bring a Calculator to school again . I was Blessed with the ability to do math in my head faster than most with a Calculator.

Yes and No. Calculators mostly for jr and senior high. I think this mostly came about from laziness on my part. No wonder ever said I couldn't count on my fingers, so I think it just became a habit. Never liked rote learning, despite what I'm doing now
I have the same problem (actually worse) with multiplication, I don't have enough fingers and toes for that
I remember once either late elementary or early jr high, the teacher was concern that I didn't know my times tables. That resulted in a one day cram session at home until I learned them. That didn't work out too good, well maybe for the day

 

[muttly]

Index cards with combinations on the front and numbered answers on the back.

Yeah, I was actually going to pick up some math flash cards. But twice I forgot. Guess I have some other memory issues

Me too. Short term sometimes. But I remember back in elementary school i had a math drill with other students. Using index cards, there would be multiplication equations on them. Students would get in two lines and the teacher would show us a card. Two students at a time would square off against each other to try to answer first. The loser would go to the end of the line.
I forget what the winner with the most wins got. Maybe a gold star on his forehead.

 

[RoadTime]

Index cards with combinations on the front and numbered answers on the back.

Yeah, I was actually going to pick up some math flash cards. But twice I forgot. Guess I have some other memory issues

Me too. Short term sometimes. But I remember back in elementary school i had a math drill with other students. Using index cards, there would be multiplication equations on them. Students would get in two lines and the teacher would show us a card. Two students at a time would square off against each other to try to answer first. The loser would go to the end of the line.
I forget what the winner with the most wins got. Maybe a gold star on his forehead.

I remember doing something like that, I think I spent a lot of time at the back of the line

 

[ntimevan]

Me too. Short term sometimes. But I remember back in elementary school i had a math drill with other students. Using index cards, there would be multiplication equations on them. Students would get in two lines and the teacher would show us a card. Two students at a time would square off against each other to try to answer first. The loser would go to the end of the line.
I forget what the winner with the most wins got. Maybe a gold star on his forehead.

Yes , 5 gold stars here in math .
As a farm boy , i have no idea why math just pushed me , made me very competitive in life .
Now , lol , my Spelling, i could give a Rat's Azz about .

...

 

[RoadTime]

Two students at a time would square off against each other to try to answer first. The loser would go to the end of the line.
I forget what the winner with the most wins got. Maybe a gold star on his forehead.

It's my thread so I guess I can go off track
This reminded me of a strange game we would play in elementary school which I'm pretty sure would not be allowed today.
I think it was called something like Hot tamale or something like that.

Students would line up their desk in two rows facing each other, separated by the space of 1 desk between the two sides.
The teacher would bring in these little mini baked pies to eat. I remember they were really good. The catch was that 1 pie would have a hot pepper in it.

If you got the unlucky pepper, you had two choices.

You could eat it, or, and this is the strange part.
All the students would take off their shoes, and you would have to crawl on the floor down the middle of the row of desks, during this time everyone would be kicking and putting their feet on you as you pasted by
I think it was also called the stinky feet game

I don't see this "game" happening today

 

[Ragman]

I don't see this "game" happening today

Not a chance!

 

[skyraider]

Public school systems are wonderful


Sent from my iPhone using EO Forums

 

[RoadTime]

Math makes my head hurt

I can't believe it's been 2 weeks already and I have accomplished so little. I need to be hitting this everyday.
Finally remembered to pick up some math flash cards (addition and subtraction). Nothing improves your self esteem more then looking for something in the K-2 section, and it's for you

Still using the Math App also, apparently not enough.
I think my head hurts because I'm trying to rewire my brain for instant recall and not default to my fingers or other means

 

[Solar]

If you get a Nintendo DS, (2DS is cheaper, does the job) there are brain games called “BRAIN AGE”. There are 2 of them, I believe you’ll specifically want the first, though I bought both for less than $10 combined.

One is specifically math in single digit form. It will test you every day, and keep track of your progress.

I still do the Sudoku.

Anyway, get a Nintendo DS and the 2 games called Brain Age.


Sent from my iPhone using EO Forums

 

[RoadTime]

Are you smarter then a 5th grader?
I used to like watching that show, even if I did feel pretty dumb at times haha.
This math journey has shown me one thing...
When it comes to math memorization, with out counting on my fingers or in my head, I'm not smarter then a 1st grader

Back to the basics...
After trying unsuccessfully to pick and choose addition problems I have trouble with, while trying to master subtraction at the same time, just led to frustration, confusion, and embarrassment. I guess I thought it was going to be a lot easyier. I keep thinking, what am I missing? Why isn't this sticking.
How can I get A's in college, but go blank on 7+8. So instead of picking and choosing what I learn, I'm starting from the beginning. Right now I'm just going to focus on mastering the basic foundational addition math up to 9+9. Wow, did I just say that Apparently, I never mastered this, or got so far away from using my brain that it was forgotten a long time ago.

Focusing in on these tables has revealed something surprising and troubling.
Adding factors with 0-9, I only currently know 0,1,and 9's with 100% accuracy and instant recall.
So I obviously, have a lot of gray area between 2-8 to work on if I want to proceed further.

Hopefully starting from the begining, I will yield faster results then my 1st grader counterpart


And all this, just so I can improve my BlackJack game

 

[ntimevan]

I think Math is just at 2 levels.
A. It's easy for you , done in your head while others struggle on paper or Calculator.
B. It's a Struggle .. you problem solved on paper or Calculator and still don't understand the answer..

Fortunately I am type A...
I have a (2yr) older Sister that was a Valedictorian in HS and College and teaches at Purdue University .. She is type B and it drives her crazy about my math skills..

...$$$$

 

[RoadTime]

I think Math is just at 2 levels.
A. It's easy for you , done in your head while others struggle on paper or Calculator.
B. It's a Struggle .. you problem solved on paper or Calculator and still don't understand the answer..

Fortunately I am type A...
I have a (2yr) older Sister that was a Valedictorian in HS and College and teaches at Purdue University .. She is type B and it drives her crazy about my math skills..

...$$$$

Do you know how you are able to do this, or got to that point. I keep hoping to have a ah-ha moment where everything clicks, but I doubt that will come. I keep feeling like I'm trying to assemble something without the instruction and have left over parts

 

[ntimevan]

Do you know how you are able to do this, or got to that point. I keep hoping to have a ah-ha moment where everything clicks, but I doubt that will come. I keep feeling like I'm trying to assemble something without the instruction and have left over parts

Back in 1rst or 2nd grade (1964 /65 ) Math consumed me . It peak my interest, teacher could write a problem on Chalkboard and I could answer it that quick . Coming off the Farm it was funny. All other courses have been B+ average except Spelling .. C ..
But now I am an Expediter ( not to Smart ) ..
But I still know how to run the numbers to make money..

...$$$$