| ||
| ||
|
||
|
|
|
An Easy Cure For Math Phobia
Why is it that one person enjoys math, while another person hates it? Why does one child happily and quickly calculate a simple sum, while another won't even attempt it because they're convinced they're simply "no good with numbers"? The problem certainly isn't caused by lack of intelligence. In fact there are many examples throughout history of seemingly "stupid" people who could do amazing things with numbers. Take the case of Jedediah Buxton (1702-1772), an illiterate laborer who became famous for his number skills. His employer once asked him: "In a body whose 3 sides are 23,145,789 yards, 5,642,732 yards, and 54,965 yards, how many cubical eighths of an inch are there?" Before giving the answer, Buxton asked "which end" of the 28-digit answer he should start at, as he could recite it just as easily forwards or backwards! Of course, mathematical prodigies are born, not made. But it does beg the question: "If somebody who can't even read or write is able to perform these kinds of breathtaking calculations, what stops other people from doing even simple sums?" Clearly, something went wrong along the way. Young children naturally enjoy numbers. And even people who now have an intense dislike for math often say they once enjoyed it. What has happened to them is generally an unfortunate event in their past. Perhaps they were ridiculed for a mistake they made with numbers, in front of the entire class. Maybe they missed some crucial math lessons and never really caught up. Or perhaps they were taught to handle numbers mechanically - when what they really needed was some explanation of why the numbers work the way they do. Whatever the specific reason, bad experiences with numbers left an emotional scar, which developed into a phobia to keep the sufferer safe from further harm. The point here is that if you have "math phobia" or "math block", it isn't a permanent state of mind. As a perfectly normal, healthy human being, you can do math and enjoy it as much as anyone. You can make this change yourself, anytime you want. You just need to ignore the disliking attitude and actually try manipulating a few numbers from time to time. Start with something easy, like adding small numbers in your head, or on paper if you prefer. Next time you get some change in the shop, check it's correct. Or better still, reckon up the change you expect while you are waiting to pay. Avoid perfectionism, especially in the early stages. Realize there are two ways of working with numbers: approximate and exact. Often, an approximate answer is all you need. For example, when you pick up a grocery item priced at $3.98, just call it "four dollars". The next thing you pick up in the shop is priced at $7.95, so call that "eight dollars". Add them together and you now expect to pay "nearly twelve dollars". Try it and you'll see how easy it is. The cure for math phobia is to allow a few numbers back into your life. Don't make a big thing of them, just do whatever you feel comfortable with. To summarize: 1. Recognize you have an aversion to math, whether it's full-blown math phobia or just a few math blocks here and there. 2. Make a conscious decision to do something about it. 3. Give yourself a regular math workout, however small to start with. You'll find it all gets easier, and you'll soon enjoy math once again. Kenneth Williams is author of "Fun With Figures", which shows you a completely different and much easier method of doing numbers in your head. Check it out here: http://FunWithFigures.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Psychology - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Treatment Modalities and Therapies Narcissism constitutes the entire personality. It is all-pervasive. Artificial Intelligence - What Have We Learned Through Natural Ignorance? During the late '80s and early '90s, I had the opportunity to work with expert systems in real-time production environments. I found artificial intelligence, or AI, to be thoroughly intriguing. How Big of a Problem is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - "ADD" or "ADHD" - affects between five to ten percent (5% - 10%) of all children in the United States, and three to six percent (3% - 6%) of adults. About 35% of all children referred to mental health clinics are referred for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, making it one of the most prevalent of all childhood psychiatric disorders. Is China Testing Bio Weapons on Its Own People? Well the conspiracy theorists are out in full force I see. I had an interesting meeting the other day at a coffee shop and talked with a highly paranoid chap, who claimed to have some real insider information. The Diagnosis Myth Although I risk dissension by doing so, I must say something that I think many of us in the mental health community have acknowledged for quite some time: every single diagnosis of a mental disorder is fallible.Before I proceed, I should note the value of diagnoses. A Jungian Approach to Mental Illness All of us suffer from some form of emotional distress at some stage. Some forms of distress can last longer than they should and may significantly impair our everyday functioning. Split Personality - A Myth or a Reality? IntroductionIn this world today, there are a lot of unbelievable diseases. One of them is the disease of human's mind, and a split personality is counted as one of the disease. Birds in the Room Alter Sleep Patterns of Humans Birds have always been considered good pets of modern day humans. It seems our living in close proximity may have given us a closer bond than we know. Hypnosis: A Brief History Evidence of hypnotic-like phenomena appears in many ancient cultures. The writer of Genesis seems familiar with the anaesthetic power of hypnosis when he reports that God put Adam "into a deep sleep" to take his rib to form Eve. Anti-Social Behaviors and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Anti-social behaviors are common with ADHD individuals. About 60% of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder kids are also oppositional or defiant. Metaphors of the Mind (Part I) The brain (and, by implication, the Mind) has been compared to the latest technological innovation in every generation. The computer metaphor is now in vogue. What is the Addictions Recovery Measurement System? As I climbed 15-feet on a wooden ladder to the top of an old platform, next to this wall of leathery gray flesh, I caught a good whiff of fresh animal dung that immediately cleared my sinuses. Attempting to hide my fear from my wife with a poker face, and already feeling a little queasy, we were then advised by an old man who held a hammer in his right hand, to step into a shaky bamboo cradle seat atop of this seemingly gentle 8000 lb mammoth giant. What is the Theory of Multiple Intelligences? Part 1: Biological Basis Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences is based on the premise that each individual's intelligence is composed of multiple "intelligences," each of which has its own independent operating system within the brain. These intelligences include: verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. What is the Treatment for Bipolar Disorder? How do we treat bipolar disorder? Specifically, how do we treat mania or depression associated with bipolar disorder? The treatment of these two clinical states is not the same.The treatment of mania is dependent upon its severity and acuity. I'm Sorry! Blame-Game or Accountability? A powerful tool for health as we approach the new year can be to focus on giving and/or receiving only real apologies when we want to heal a rift with a family member, friend, or co-worker. We hear apologies all the time, but I don't think many of them are sincere. The Mind, Information, and Attitude Information is flowing to us at a great rate. The radio, television, the internet, advertising, newspapers and magazines are giving us information all day. Fairies and Mental Health Schizophrenics hallucinate alternate realities. People who claim to have been abducted by aliens are accused of having Fantasy Prone Personalities. The End of Psychotherapy In two articles entitled "We Are Not Our Personalities" and "Eliminating The Past" I make the point that it is now possible to "dismantle" all the life experience that is stored in the human bio-field, i.e. Metaphors of the Mind (Part II) Storytelling has been with us since the days of campfire and besieging wild animals. It served a number of important functions: amelioration of fears, communication of vital information (regarding survival tactics and the characteristics of animals, for instance), the satisfaction of a sense of order (justice), the development of the ability to hypothesize, predict and introduce theories and so on. The Undeniable Power of Suggestion How exactly is the Human Psyche effected by the trivial "power of suggestion?" When a thought or seed is planted into the human mind, the psyche responsively triggers a lingering product of that thought. For example, urban legends have been circulated throughout history; in doing so, a mindset is incorporated into the psyche, creating a deceitful illusion that cannot distinguish fact from fiction.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
