Does higher level math ever become as easy as reading?

Factual Questions
41

There are brains I think I’ve come across for whom maths are easier than reading…:wink: (Not mine, unfortunately. But on the other hand I can usually Lord it over a math whiz on the Essay Question)

As with almost any skillset, performance ability for maths is related to nature and nurturing. If nature has given you the proper brain, optimum nurturing will result in optimum maths skillset. If nature hasn’t wired you well, optimum nurturing will improve you beyond poor nurturing, but not beyond some lower performance level. If nature has wired you well, you will not need nearly as much optimal nurturing to attain the same skillset level as someone with a crappier brain for maths.

For this reason, some individuals exposed to superb teaching for maths never catch up and some catch up in very short order…the same would be true for almost any skillset, be it physical or intellectual.

42

You sound like an excellent math teacher. I remember in 8th grade a student asked our teacher to explain the concept behind whatever math we were learning at the time and the teacher said there was no point, we’d never understand, so he just wanted us to learn the formula.

I consider myself to be bad at math because I have trouble remembering formulas, but I have been able to get good grades when I’ve had teachers or professors explain why I’m doing what I’m doing.

In my case simple math that I need for daily life (multiplication, division, understanding percentages) is all that’s become as easy as reading.