# The whole point of your existence is not to teach me math! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 20, 2000, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-point-of-your-existence-is-not-to-teach-me-math/41950 "2000-11-20T08:33:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2000, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-point-of-your-existence-is-not-to-teach-me-math/41950/41 "2000-11-21T15:30:41Z")
I have been looking for the cite all morning but haven’t been able to find it. I read fairly recently that most adults who were abused as children have a lot of difficulty with math. The article I read claimed that it is common for children who are being abused or molested, to focus on something in the room or in their mind by counting until the abuse ended (holes in ceiling tile, carpet strands, etc., or just counting 1, 2, 3, 4. . . . ). They grow up associating numbers and math with pain, therefore, have bad math skills. The article I read was the first time I had ever heard this. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this claim? ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-point-of-your-existence-is-not-to-teach-me-math/41950/42 "2000-11-22T01:33:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mauve Dog \* > First, let me say that I agree with you, **Math Geek** (and, of course, **Suo Na** ). I would, however, like to expand on this. _Very_ frequently, a number of Dopers jump all over someone’s case who exhibits a similar problem with spelling. They will tell you that being able to spell is tantamount to intelligent thought. Yet, spelling, like arithmetic is but a skill. Some people ‘get it,’ some don’t. It doesn’t make such a person any less intelligent, nor does possessing these skills make one any _more_ intelligent. > \*\* A difference with spelling skills, though, is that I don’t think most Dopers would complain if someone had to use a dictionary to correct spelling mistakes. I’d equate using a dictionary to proofread a post with using a calculator for basic arithmetic. Is it ok for a bad speller to rely on a dictionary, but not ok for a bad adder/multiplier to use a calculator?? Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-point-of-your-existence-is-not-to-teach-me-math/41950/43 "2000-11-22T01:40:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anthracite \* > \*\* > A client made a wise-ass comment to me once, when I took out my calculator to do some simple math during a test burn performance test. He said “You’re one of the smartest people I know, why are you using a calculator?” To which I responded, “Because I want to give you the correct answer.” \*\* LOL!! I’ll have to use that sometime. I’m pretty good at estimating in my head, but have a terrible accuracy rate with actual numbers. I’ll use a calculator to compute 7x8+13 because there’s a 5% chance I’ll screw it up in my head, but maybe a 0.5% chance I’ll screw it up on a calculator. Also, the effort to work it out in my head can interrupt my original train of thought, greatly slowing me down. With a calculator, the computations don’t compete with the underlying problem for valuable brain bandwidth 🙂 BTW, I have a friend who can (and routinely does) compute square roots and trig functions to two decimal places in 2-4 seconds, in his head. HE still uses a calculator whenever possible, for the same reasons I do. Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-point-of-your-existence-is-not-to-teach-me-math/41950/44 "2000-11-22T18:11:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OpalCat \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \* > > \*\*[aside to math geek] > > speaking of the role of math in society, have you seen Pi, by Darren Aronovsky? well worth a watch, if even a little macarbre. > > [/aside] \*\* > > Interesting movie, but that screeching noise was physically painful. :X \*\* So was watching it from the front row of the theater. Definitely an interesting movie, except for the motion sickness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-point-of-your-existence-is-not-to-teach-me-math/41950.md?page=2)