numbers and math don't math for some

[Zeno Marx]

First, and most importantly, I'm not making fun, or poking fun at, anyone.

I have a couple people in my life who don't understand numbers, and it goes beyond just being bad at math. I mean numbers hold no meaning for them. They literally make absolutely no sense to them. A number might as well be a foreign language. A number might as well be assigned a different thing each time they're used. They are absolutely, completely, and totally confused by them. You can forget checkbooks, bank statements, 2 for $5 sales, and so on. This bottle of laundry soap for $13 has 53 loads, and this bottle of laundry soap for $14 has 115 loads is registered as the $13 one is a better deal because it has a lower number next to the dollar sign. They do know a pair of shoes is two shoes and a dozen eggs is 12 eggs. Visual representation helps A LOT. It's really the only way they can manage through even basic situations.

I'm no math whiz. It's the area of all those standardized tests where I score the highest, but I know I'm right there in the average range. I have an engineering friend who is a bona fide whiz and can practically be as fast as a calculator with any real life mathematical situation.

I don't think any of this is a failure of education. I'm sure it can help, especially if you can get a teacher who thinks outside the box and can tailor their approach for each person with difficulty. With the people in my life, I believe it is entirely an innate learning disability. I've learned how much of a true disadvantage they're at in our world. I can't even imagine how often they're hoodwinked by a sale, choose the least economically smart product size, etc. These are people working full-time jobs, having families, and living full lives. A whole element of modern living is entirely nonsensical and a true mystery to them.

This has to be the case for a lot more people than we guess. We take it for granted that numbers just automatically make sense because X, Y, and Z. And we assume they could be taught to make sense, and I'm nearly convinced that is not the case for some people. I don't think I'm wording any of this well enough, or maybe strongly enough, to represent these people. I have a difficult time talking about it because numbers innately make sense to me. As I go about my day, unknowingly and automatically applying math and using numbers, I don't know how else you can do it, but clearly, it can be done. Ignorance is bliss can only explain this existence to a point, and then it has to be utterly destructive to confidence and self-worth when they run into the brutal misfortunes of not being able to understand numbers. Life is merciless, and this has to be up there with the most unforgiving daily things.

 

[Singed]

As an education concept, arithmetic can be as confusing as the written word. I have to focus to do math and I often reverse series of numbers in a similar fashion to dyslexia. I always double check and sometimes triple check my arithmetic. That being said I always did well in school, perhaps because I knew my shortfalls and worked through them. Statistical mathematics and Calculus are utterly beyond my reach, though.

Commerce and marketing relentlessly strive to complicate arithmetic to deceive consumers. It goes beyond volumetric cost and shrinkflation. Product concentration, percentage waste, and packing density are also common tactics that are difficult to reveal or understand without basic arithmetic skills.

 

[Zeno Marx]

As an education concept, arithmetic can be as confusing as the written word. I have to focus to do math and I often reverse series of numbers in a similar fashion to dyslexia. I always double check and sometimes triple check my arithmetic. That being said I always did well in school, perhaps because I knew my shortfalls and worked through them. Statistical mathematics and Calculus are utterly beyond my reach, though.

Do you know if it has been determined to be a form of dyslexia? I know dyslexia is unique to each person, as I also have a couple people in my family with it. Talk about an affliction that is shown no mercy, and little empathy, in our culture and world, and I know it was much worse in the past. Both numbers and dyslexia are on that list of "tough sh1t, buddy. just live with it and get along" diseases and disabilities.

 

[Balisong]

From my days tutoring Math and Logic I noticed that the structured disciplines of the sciences are the strong part of education for some and the arts and literature are the strong part for others. Three students taking an even split of the disciplines can all average a 3.0 with some getting A's in the arts and C's in the science, some doing the opposite and some balanced with all B's.

 

[Singed]

@Zeno Marx I don't know if it has formal designation as a form of dyslexia. I was fortunate to have dedicated teachers that helped me adapt.