why cant people do simple maths without a calculator nowadays?

[numberouno]

was in a shop t'other day. the shop assistant could not work out 24 x 2, i was saying it out loud muttering (which is normal for me) assistant said ill just go work it out for you! i said its ok its 48 - it stopped him in his tracks!
as a child i knew my times tables etc. any one else come across this type of annoying thing?

[dustypuss]

What did the mathematician do about his constipation

He worked it out with a pencil

[loonytunes]

Regettably, "dyslexia" is used by many people who do not have the condition to excuse their lack of expertise with words. I expect many others will blame some sort of condition for not knowing how to do maths. I can do all sorts of mental arithmetic, not because I am clever, but because I was made to do it by my parents and my teachers who would probably be locked up now if they used the methods they used on me. It was normal to test times tables every morning and the headmistress used to come in the classroom without notice, get a child to stand in front of the class and recite a given table. Ridicule and cane often followed.

I can, however, take comfort in the fact that I can add up my supermarket shopping as I go round and have the exact money in my hand when asked. The look on the till assistant's face is often a picture. I take the view that anyone who respects themselves and their future prospects could practice arithmetic, which can be done very easily every day. After all, I have seen uneducated farm workers take 39 away from 472 in a flash when playing darts. I guess I am in the minority by not wanting to use a calculator.

[cazzz1975]

so what happens when you discover someone has genuine learning difficulties looney tunes? do you ridicule it out of them?

[another-view]

But why shold anyone learn maths skills? In this electronic age, calculators are everywhere. It is a skill that no longer has a use in today's world.

I'm sure the caveman thinks we are useless because we can't start a fire without using a match. It doesn't make us lazy or stupid but just means we are using the technology available to us.

[annie0000]

I actually suffer from that type of dyslexia which affects the times tables and also the alphabet order and other memory things. I can however do maths and have a good grasp of grammar and spelling - probably not demonstrated by this post!

You do develop coping mechanisms though and I do find the easier calculations as easy as anyone else, its when you get to the "hard" ones like 8x6 that I have to work out by doing 8x5 plus 8.

It also takes me ages to look up something in a telephone directory.

I do however have a tested IQ of between 142 and 146 depending on which test was the most reliable, so I know that I am not thick. I also went to school at a time when times tables and the alphabet were most definitely taught. Just one of those quirks of the brain.

[wonkon-wonk]

lol@ cazzz

[catcuddler]

i have practised maths skills over and over and i still Cant grasp it although not to blow my ont trumpet english,spelling writing etc is my forte.i only wish i was good at both but sadly not.its nothing to do with education.i was taught well but just cant get the hang of it

[WhiteBear]

im dyslexic, and i struggle to do minus and divisons.

but no problems adding or multiplying.. i dont know why.

i need to dig out my Nds again and practice on the brain traninng game.

i tell you what annoys me the most:
when the shop assistant gives u the change, they give u the notes first and then the coins on top!! that irrtates me the most, because 9/10 the coins ends up on the floor!!

or .. they put your change on the table! how rude, and annoying.

One more thing... they dont smile!

[Tom Braider]

It's called dyscalculia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscalculia

[Ethel]

Shame on you, another-view, if you have to get your calculator out to work out when you should set off from home to catch the train, or what time to put the beef in the oven, or how much interest you are going to get on your savings or pay on your loan.

We use basic maths throughout the day and I can manage it perfectly well without a calculator.