Math is literally ruining my life, what can I do?

I wish I had some sage advice for you, I really do. I tried everything. Even a private tutor and flash cards. nothing. I have absolutely NO mathematical ability at all. It cost me a geology degree. My mind just doesn't work like that either. Algebra is what killed me. A brick wall of utter gibberish. And to date, I have NEVER had a use for math in my life in spite of being a senior data reconciler in the clearings transit operations dept at Wells Fargo Bank with a perfect balance record. Not only that, but I was in line to be lead man at Zieman MFG in the frame dept. This ment I had to decipher blueprints and assemble trailer frames and weld them together. Math people just don't seem to understand that some have zero ability in their specialty. Try telling them your story again. maybe there is something that will let you pass without taking a class with no purpose.

Try tears.

As for me, I tried AGAIN to pass, but gave up on college altogether when they told me I HAD to take some kind of sport too. That was the last straw! I put up with the art and music as long as I could, but when faced with being forced to do some sports I quit right there on the spot.

1

Memorize. You and I have so much in common its a little scary. I too have a math phobia but...unfortunately I have to use some math in my job and even though I can use a calculator of sorts it still sucks. However, I just take my time. I had to do several things when I went through college. One was to talk to my math teachers/professors and explain my math duncity. They understood and many of them told me the same thing...drill. Math is a series of connections where the synapse fire and click together. Once that is established the neural pathway is set and all you have to do is refresh once in a while which I do with my daughter. She is just now learning all the math that I have memorized. I had to take several fundamentals of math courses in college or my Socieology degree. I think that's why I chose it initially as its one of the few major that doesn't require a ton of math. So, I also picked up some tips on how to memorize addition, subtraction and my multiplacation tables but the ultimate key was to rote memorize the sums. However, one tip I will share is cut it down. For instance with your sum 1031 minue 438. Well we know that you can't 8 from 1 so you have borrow so you make 1 a 10 and then 8 from leaves 2. well now you have 3 from 2 which doesn't work so you have to borrow again making it 3 from 3 which leaves 4 from 9 which is 5. However, when it comes to single sum subtraction the best thing I ever learned was to build up and add before you subtract...yes really. If you have 4 from 9 then build it up from there and add a one to make it 10. 4 from 10 is six...then you take the one back and its 5. Does that make sense? Shoot me your email address and I'll show you what I mean. I'll also send you some math moron web sites that will really help.

1081

-0432

Do each of the columns one by one, from right to left: units/ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, (and ten thousands, hundred thousands...): 1, 10, 100, 1000, (and 10 000, 100 000...).

Do units first: "1 - 2" Wait! you can't subtract 2 from 1! Oh Yeah, you have some stuff in the tens column to use (80). Take 10 from there, leaving 70, and make your 1 + 10 = 11. 11-2=9 (unit number is 9)

Do tens next: "80 - 30" Wait! I took 10 off the 80, so it's now "70-30" = 40 (tens number is 4)

Do hundreds: "000 - 400" Wait! I can't subtract 400 from 0! Oh yeah, let's see if I can borrow something from the thousands column. 1000-400 = 600 (hundreds number is 6)

Do thousands: "1000-0000" Waitaminit! I already borrowed 1000 for the hundreds thingy, so my thousands column is "0000-0000" = 0 (thousands number is 0)

So,

1081

-0432

---------

0649 --> 649

Take all other classes, talk to a counselor at the school to see if there is any way around the requirement or some place you can go for help. Explain your problem and let them know that you realize math is important but you have serious problem with it and have since as long as you can remember. They should be able to check transcripts and see you have not done well in math.

I know you said you'd burst into tears from hearing this, but it's true. You need to work your *** off to get this class. Let me explain my situation.

I made about as low as you can on the math portion of the ACT. In high school, I took the math class they gave to the special ed people, and I still made a D. Once I got to college, my idiotic adviser decided that I should go ahead and take the terminal math course. Of course I dropped that. Then I went to the non-credit course below that. I dropped that too. I went to the most basic math course at the school, and I built on it from there.

I didn't start to understand any of it until I went to my professor's office hours every day to be guided through my homework. Thankfully, I had a wonderful teacher who helped me out. I spent about two and a half hours every day at her office while I did my homework, and it paid off. I passed introduction to algebra. Then I took intermediate algebra from the same teacher, doing the same thing. I passed that. Just last term I finished my college algebra requirement.

What I'm trying to say is that with enough determination (and a good calculator) you can get through it. You just have to find a good teacher and study your *** off.

If that doesn't work, talk to your adviser. Way back in the day, my mother had about the same skills in math that you do, and her adviser pulled some strings and allowed her to take an extra science in lieu of math. I still recommend working your *** off. That C that I got in college algebra was more rewarding than the A+'s I got in any of my 4000-level English courses.

I had a math problem too, and I wanted a degree in psychology, which required algebra and stats. Yucko.

You have to stop avoiding this, it only makes it worse. You have to want something bad enough to work for it. I picked up the Algebra Demystified book and some others in the series, and got myself a good tutor. I studied starting with the basics all over again, stayed after class, and passed...barely. But, I passed. You can too! Don't let this ruin your life!

Well, I really don't know what it's like to be bad at math, but I'm in the same situation with computer science/programming- I couldn't/can't do it, and I had to copy everyone's homework (homework was a huge part of our grade), I failed 2 of 4 tests, and my final grade in the class was abysmal (although I still somehow passed, probably because of the homework).

To make a long story short, I still suck at matlab.

So what's the problem with the above statement?

<I couldn't/can't do it> = self fulfilling prophecy

I AM going to retake the course, I AM going to take the next course (1372) which isn't required for my major, and I AM going to learn at least one more programming language, it WILL help me in the long run, and IT IS within my capabilities to follow through and accomplish this, although it may take more outside help than other courses.

Don't worry, I don't really like mathematics either. I love English and social sciences, but when it comes to maths you need a different approach. To do well in maths, you have to do as many examples of the questions until you get the hang of the specific topic. Don't think of it as something terrible and overwhelming, just stay calm and focus on specific topics.

Maths is heavily reliant on rote learning, meaning you have to repeat the questions until you memorize and develop a personal approach to answering the questions. English or social sciences are subjects where knowledge and learning is based on a holistic approach, where you relate a specific issue with the overall subject.

You can do maths if you put your mind to it. Just keep remembering to focus on specific topics, and getting the hang of them and then progressing onwards to harder and more complex questions.

Here's a good PDF document that gives you the basics of math that you might find helpful.

http://www.maths.mq.edu.au/numeracy/reviewbasicmat...

If you continue with maths, please get a maths book or textbook which has many examples and contains "worked solutions". The worked solutions are essential, as they guide you through the steps of how to solve the questions.

Good luck!

Im with you on this one, I absolutley hate math. And I as well am really bad at it! In fact I just attempted to do that problem, the one with the 1081 in it...yeah I couldnt do that either. Dont worry some people are just terrible at math. Your NOT alone, haha :) But if you do find some way out of it I would GREATLY appreciate it if you passed along the good news to me, please! :)