Rant: I must look so dumb to everyone

[DiscordantNote]

Don't worry about it. I'm barely passing Algebra 2, and I'm a very smart person. Everyone has difficutly in some subject in school, and for you and me it happens to be math. Try to not rely on a calculator as much, and if you can get your teacher to walk you through the problems step by step, you should be able to understand a bit better.

[hiddenneggs]

Aside from all the good things already said, you may want to work on something sadly neglected in math class these days: memorization.

(Yes, Old Man Hiddenneggs is talkin' 'bout the olden days again.)

Seriously, though, when I was in elementary school we memorized the multiplication table, 0 through 10. And in later years I felt somewhat behind because we hadn't (as some prior to & even in my time had) memorized the table 0 through 12 or farther.

But my daughter, now 13, didn't get the multiplication table drilled into her at all. My wife & I try to supplement, but she doesn't seem to see the need for it.

At 19, though, you may find it worthwhile. That way you don't have to work out what 2 X 6 is, because you already know it's 12.

(If the difficulty you're having is the memorization, then please forgive my obtuseness. I graduated from high school in 1979 -- so in terms of this forum I'm ancient.)

[Morningstar]

Aside from all the good things already said, you may want to work on something sadly neglected in math class these days: memorization.

(Yes, Old Man Hiddenneggs is talkin' 'bout the olden days again.)

Seriously, though, when I was in elementary school we memorized the multiplication table, 0 through 10. And in later years I felt somewhat behind because we hadn't (as some prior to & even in my time had) memorized the table 0 through 12 or farther.

But my daughter, now 13, didn't get the multiplication table drilled into her at all. My wife & I try to supplement, but she doesn't seem to see the need for it.

At 19, though, you may find it worthwhile. That way you don't have to work out what 2 X 6 is, because you already know it's 12.

(If the difficulty you're having is the memorization, then please forgive my obtuseness. I graduated from high school in 1979 -- so in terms of this forum I'm ancient.)

Good point, hiddenneggs. I see the same thing occuring with my daughter as well--math is being taught much differently than in the olden days when we dinosaurs were in school. But, memorization is extremely helpful in real life situations, particularly those that involve the exchange of money. Such as figuring out the tip in a restaurant or making sure that the total the store clerk tells you is correct.

And, I graduated in 1975--so I am even more ancient. Time for me to get out the cane and the seeing eye dog.

[DiscordantNote]

That's odd...all of the math I learned in elementary school was drilled into me. I definitely have it memorized.

[Kuri]

I can definitely relate when it comes to simple sums. Up until the end of 8th grade I had the multiplication tables memorized and everything. We weren't allowed calculators. Then when I went to High School that made it mandatory we buy this particular calculator that was eighty dollars. We used it for everything. Now here I am a senior and my calculator is glued to my hand (it is the same with my friends) if someone asks us what 4X7 is we all scramble for our calculator, even though we supposedly memorized them.

[hiddenneggs]

Yep, it's really easy to over-rely on calculators & such. (For us old-timers, too.) And even with things we've memorized, the old saying still holds -- use it or lose it.