r/askanything • u/mannliestmann • 22h ago

General Question Am I alone in being utter garbage at basic arithmetic but excel in geometry?

I realize geometry isn't "higher math" but, well it just seems to click. Get me something with some lots of PEMDAS involved and I miss it 85% of the time.

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

2

u/Mrthundercleese4 21h ago

I have always heard that people are either better at geometry or algebra and few are good at both.

1

u/ASingleBraid 21h ago

Algebra yes.

Geometry no.

1

u/LeggyRPG 21h ago

I am the same!

1

u/mannliestmann 13h ago

YAAAY! Not on the island alone after all!

1

u/Own_Transition6845 21h ago

Pretend the math is applying to geometric figures and you'll be better at it. You think spatially.

1

u/higras 21h ago

I'm relearning math be "geometrizing" everything and it is so much easier.

Is spatial thinking uncommon in math?

1

u/Inside_Drummer 20h ago

This is a good idea. The quadratic equation, Bayes theorem, derivatives and a lot of other basic math can be understood geometrically.

1

u/mannliestmann 13h ago

Thanks. I'll give it a whack.

1

u/Antiwokewarrior69420 21h ago

I can do basic calculus but can't remember how to do long division lol.

1

u/Over_Challenge_5626 21h ago

As I grow older, the more I agree on this take

1

u/Initial-Doughnut6438 20h ago

You probably have good spatial reasoning. Did you play with Legos?

2

u/mannliestmann 13h ago

The old wooden building blocks. We couldn't afford Legos.

1

u/Initial-Doughnut6438 11h ago

I was the same way in math until I got to geometry. Enjoy the trades.