Math - A Rant

Cranky

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I am feeling like the world's biggest dumbass right now. I'm in school again (yay for me and all that) and of course, I have to take math. This is a really basic math class, like Algebra I, okay? So, my school has online assessments and tutoring and practice stuff. I take them, and my god, I know NOTHING. I had to answer "I don't know" to more than half the questions, and some of it was what I know is simple stuff, like, write this as an improper number. WTF is an improper number again?! "Evaluate this expression?" Ha. Ha. "Write this in expanded form." Come again?

I struggled with the fractions, can't remember my stinkin' TIMES TABLES, so I'm counting on my goddamn FINGERS. Can't figure out how to properly add, multiply or divide integers, and exponents? Forget it! I'm lucky I can remember the FOIL method for Pete's sake! Yet, I can remember what square roots are and if it divides evenly enough, I can figure it out without a calculator. Like, hello, I'm grateful I know what the square root of 25 is!!! Actually, to tell the truth, I'm not even sure I got that right, either. I'm going through all the practice/tutoring stuff, and I'm still not getting it. I literally am not comprehending this stuff.

I am so going to fail this class. It'll cost me, because I'll have to keep on taking it until I pass, or I won't get my degree. And it's BASIC MATH, people! I'm gonna go cry now. I have never felt more incompetent in my life.

/rant over
 

raburrell

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Cranky, if it makes you feel any better, I have a doctorate in engineering and there are days when basic math eludes me lately. Give your brain a chance to remember how to be a student again. FWIW, if you have a specific q on something, PM me and maybe (if *my* brain decides to work) I can help.

You'll get it :)
 

regdog

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:Hug2: It will get easier the longer you do it.
 

KTC

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If you ever need specific help...just PM me.
 

Cranky

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Cranky, if it makes you feel any better, I have a doctorate in engineering and there are days when basic math eludes me lately. Give your brain a chance to remember how to be a student again. FWIW, if you have a specific q on something, PM me and maybe (if *my* brain decides to work) I can help.

You'll get it :)

Thanks for the offer. :) ETA: And thank you, too, KTC. :)My husband is a math whiz, so I'll probably ask him if I can stand to. Mostly, I have an irrational, over-the-top response to my failures in this regard, though, so mostly I just struggle through on my own, rather than inflict my drama over it onto him or someone else.

I find that hard to believe. :)

You have no idea the depths of my incompetence on this one, fluffy. Yes, it's really THAT BAD.

:Hug2: It will get easier the longer you do it.

Honestly, math has never been easy for me, ever. Not even when I was learning to add two plus two. It's the one thing I have nearly always failed at. I don't know why, either. Maybe it's because my brain is a sieve for this stuff...nothing sticks.
 

spamwarrior

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I'm just like you... math leaks out of my brain like a sieve. It's super annoying, and I'm taking a calculus and analytical geometry class this fall and pretty nervous about it. Some of us just weren't made for numbers so we have to struggle harder than others. Just give us a little time, and we can pass.

I hope your math whiz hubby can help =)
 

Angie

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Algebra II was the only course in high school I needed tutoring in. I just don't do math. And I was an honor roll student. I was mortified that I pulled a D in that class the first semester - thank goodness I got a good tutor and managed to pull it all the way up to a B by the end of the year.

Algebra is still a nightmare for me.
 

roonil_wazlib

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I failed basic Algebra four times in five years before I finally passed it (and that was only because there were a grand total of four people in the class). Two of those failed classes were in university, where it set me back two school quarters and about $2k :eek:

I know exactly how you feel. I tried to get tutoring help from my dad and he kept looking at me like I had just asked where the NE Key was on my keyboard.

You'll make it eventually! Take it from a total math failure - the trick is to keep on chuggin, keep on chuggin . . . . :Hug2:
 

Bubastes

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:Hug2: Hang in there, Cranky. What raburrell said, too. I have an engineering degree, but if I saw an algebra problem, it probably would throw me for a loop for a moment. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions -- maybe two brains will work better than one!
 

Susie

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You'll do great, Cranky
'Cause it's YOU!

Much good luck and try to relax. Bet you'll do super. :Hug2: Here's :Cake:!
 

Cranky

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I'm just like you... math leaks out of my brain like a sieve. It's super annoying, and I'm taking a calculus and analytical geometry class this fall and pretty nervous about it. Some of us just weren't made for numbers so we have to struggle harder than others. Just give us a little time, and we can pass.

I hope your math whiz hubby can help =)

I hope so, and I hope I can keep my cool while I wrestle with this stuff. I've found that I always need more time to understand the concepts than is usually given. And of course, you have to have a handle on each thing before you move on to the next. *sigh*

Good luck with your classes!

Algebra II was the only course in high school I needed tutoring in. I just don't do math. And I was an honor roll student. I was mortified that I pulled a D in that class the first semester - thank goodness I got a good tutor and managed to pull it all the way up to a B by the end of the year.

Algebra is still a nightmare for me.

I've heard tell that some folks do better with geometry than algebra. I'm one of them. Never made sense to me, but there you go. And I was an honor roll student too, but math just defeated me completely after basic algebra.

I failed basic Algebra four times in five years before I finally passed it (and that was only because there were a grand total of four people in the class). Two of those failed classes were in university, where it set me back two school quarters and about $2k :eek:

I know exactly how you feel. I tried to get tutoring help from my dad and he kept looking at me like I had just asked where the NE Key was on my keyboard.

You'll make it eventually! Take it from a total math failure - the trick is to keep on chuggin, keep on chuggin . . . . :Hug2:

Yeah, I can't quit. And you've got to keep on trying. I just wish I had more time to try to master this stuff, but I don't. Nine weeks, that's what I've got. I'll be happy as a pig in you know what to get a C. That would be success! LOL

Thanks, everyone. :)
 

Button

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I suck at math. I became a writer so I wouldn't have to use math. ;)

I make heavy use of calculators and Excel when I need to do business dealings and figures.
 

aadams73

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*Kicks math really hard*

I hate math with a burning passion. Part of this is because I moved countries(twice) and crucial times, so I missed out on a lot.

And, go figure, one of my two best girl friends is a mathematician.

Good luck, Cranky. :)
 

Cranky

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You guys...:Hug2:

I feel a lot less alone in this now. Thanks.
 

Devil Ledbetter

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I struggled with math in college until I got a hunky Korean personal tutor. Just sayin'.
 

som1luvsmi

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Okay. So there are going to be people who disagree with me on this, but...

Math is evil and from Satan himself. There. I said it.

I took my Algebra I&II and geometry in HS, and passed them. (B and C are still passing, right?) I hated every minute of it. It's hard and most regular people don't use any of it except the basic stuff. I'm convinced that is there for the sole purpose of humiliating those of us with children who will come to them later in life and ask for help with their homework, only to find out that the stuff you learned has leaked out of your brain like a sieve, just like Spamwarrior said.

So, it's not you, Cranky. It's that EVIL math that is the problem. :D
 

KTC

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I hate math too, som1. But all of it always came naturally to me. I knew all the answers...they just came to me. I just fucking hated numbers. They're really ugly. Except for 5.
 

KTC

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I wish it all came naturally to me. Like the answers raining down from heaven or something of the sort.

that's exactly how it is. for us idiot savants, anyway.
 

bettielee

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**sprays math with mace**

cough! There! That'll teach it!

I also went all retard when my niece started asking me for help with basic English. I thought, oh, I'm a writer, right? Well... adverbial clauses are a lot more elusive than they were when I was a kid!

are there maybe some basic math tutorials online for free to help with definitions, etc?

I sorry cranky! I am no good at this at all, but I commisserate!