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[ShrekDawg]

Just have to say that not everybody is good at math and there’s nothing wrong with that. Some people’s brains are just wired differently. Just like some people aren’t good at music or art or sports. Or English. Or whatever else. Some people aren’t good at those. Some are. Everyone is different. Just saying.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It's not that hard! @casportpony, pleeeese?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ya'll are seriously overthinking this.

 

[notabitail]

Just have to say that not everybody is good at math and there’s nothing wrong with that. Some people’s brains are just wired differently. Just like some people aren’t good at music or art or sports. Or English. Or whatever else. Some people aren’t good at those. Some are. Everyone is different. Just saying.

I can't see numbers in my head as easily as other do. On paper, fine. In head, no. Unless I am very bored and have a while to figure it out and am not distracted by stuff.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I can't see numbers in my head as easily as other do. On paper, fine. In head, no. Unless I am very bored and have a while to figure it out and am not distracted by stuff.

Thanks! And yeah, I have a hard time even on paper but I’m really good and English and writing.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I can't see numbers in my head as easily as other do. On paper, fine. In head, no. Unless I am very bored and have a while to figure it out and am not distracted by stuff.

Same. Used to be able to super easily. Now I just can't focus that much on invisible numbers. Plus I don't know the formulas for everything, so I have to use calculators and computers for most math now

 

[BigBlueHen53]

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Spoiler: How to EASILY calculate 5% of anything

What's 10% of $9.00? 90c, right? Okay, so what's half of that? Because 5% is half of 10%, right? Half of 90c is 45c. Add 45c to $9.00 and that's your new wage per hour. $9.45. See, I told you it was easy!

 

[SourRoses]

Some people can't see the numbers. Heck, they aren't even capable of counting out the change the register tells them to give back.

Is this a trick question or can people not do 4th grade math?

I just wanted to point out, the issue is not quite so simple as you guys are thinking.
For some it may be ability to conceptualize abstracts, for others it can be remembering the procedures (if they were ever taught them).
Not every teacher or method taught is the same either.
When I was in 4th grade, we had just gotten to multiplication, barely even started, when I broke my arm very badly. Needed a few procedures and missed weeks of school. When I got back to class they had all been introduced to the concepts and my teacher told me to catch up by just sending more homework home. As if my father had the time to teach me or my mom was ever good at math herself. The class had 35 other students and the teacher didn't have the time to help me. I had a lot of trouble writing without my dominant hand, after months of bad grades the school finally loaned me a device for typing that was more like a keyboard with a tiny screen than a computer. I don't know what to call it, lol.
Point is, I got really behind, really discouraged, and gave up on understanding math. The class kept moving forward and that was that.
I got caught up in other subjects due to my love of reading.
How many other kids fall by the wayside would be hard for even statisticians to answer.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I just wanted to point out, the issue is not quite so simple as you guys are thinking.
For some it may be ability to conceptualize abstracts, for others it can be remembering the procedures (if they were ever taught them).
Not every teacher or method taught is the same either.
When I was in 4th grade, we had just gotten to multiplication, barely even started, when I broke my arm very badly. Needed a few procedures and missed weeks of school. When I got back to class they had all been introduced to the concepts and my teacher told me to catch up by just sending more homework home. As if my father had the time to teach me or my mom was ever good at math herself. The class had 35 other students and the teacher didn't have the time to help me. I had a lot of trouble writing without my dominant hand, after months of bad grades the school finally loaned me a device for typing that was more like a keyboard with a tiny screen than a computer. I don't know what to call it, lol.
Point is, I got really behind, really discouraged, and gave up on understanding math. The class kept moving forward and that was that.
I got caught up in other subjects due to my love of reading.
How many other kids fall by the wayside would be hard for even statisticians to answer.

Good point, once again, Roses, you do an excellent job of articulating a problem I hadn't imagined.

I wasn't taught this either, btw, and was terrible at math myself. (Multiplication tables, arrrgghhh!) But it just seemed logical to me, how I figured it out. It wasn't really math or formulas at all.