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MakeItSo1701's avatar

What can help with innumeracy?

Asked by MakeItSo1701 (13818points) 3 hours ago

A lack of ability to understand and use numbers in calculations

I cannot, for the life of me understand math. I have done online lessons like Khan academy, I have had multiple one on one times with teachers, I was in math intervention. It takes me hours to do basic assignments.

I never did ordering when I was a manager because I couldn’t figure out the math despite 3 people explaining it, and I could never understand gross profit nonsense. Again, no matter how many times it is explained.

If you asked me what 26+8 is I would have to use my fingers.
This has been my whole life, so it is not the calculators fault.

I have an economics class coming up, and am stressing out. I know I can use my college’s help center, but that has never helped me in the past. Nothing clicks for me and everyone just gets frustrated.

I want to reach out to the teacher, but I don’t know how. I feel he will tell me to just use the schools help center. I am also just embarassed to be 24 and incapable of math. I mean seriously, I struggled counting change until my cashiering job at 21, and it took me a few months.

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6 Answers

canidmajor's avatar

Considering your personal history, there is a good chance that what you call “innumeracy” is called by some professionals Discalculia, kind of a numerical version of dislexia. Your therapist may be able to recommend someone trained to help you deal with this.
Look it up, it’s different from simply being bad at math.

Good luck with this.

MakeItSo1701's avatar

Thanks. Yeah, the class starts before therapy though so I need to email the teacher. Should I say it is discalculia if I am not 100% sure that is what I have? I was reading about that and it makes sense.

MakeItSo1701's avatar

I have tried reaching out to student accessibility, but I won’t hear back until Monday.

smudges's avatar

You’re a strong person. Stick up for yourself if the professor is an ass. I don’t have math skills either and I’m 68. I still count on my fingers or have to write down an addition problem and use my fingers. I think part of the problem is we try to understand it like we would a sentence, but I think for some of us it’s just a matter of memorization. I was so embarrassed in school that I would keep one hand in my lap so no one could see me counting. People have various skills. Yours and mine isn’t math. Trust me, we’re in a very large group. I feel for you though.

I understand psychology like it’s second nature, and others just don’t get it. We have different talents.

MakeItSo1701's avatar

Thank you. I have filled out the form and explained I am working with a therapist, I am just unsure if she can do anything.

We will see.

Did not realize this was a legit problem. I just thought I needed to “get good”

canidmajor's avatar

I have known a couple of people who deal with this, it is very legit. I know there are ways to work around it, but you will need someone who has a certain level of training to help you find workarounds.

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