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ADHD and math (lemmy.one)
submitted 2 years ago by Havoc@lemmy.one to c/adhd@lemmy.world

Did anyone else have a weird experience with math? I could always do it in my head, really fast, get the answer, it's correct... But then I couldn't show my work or prove it, meaning it was useless. I'm curious if this is an ADHD thing? If so, does anyone know why?

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[-] certain_people@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

I am totally the opposite. I can work through complex algebra proofs, but ask me to work out 2 x 3 + 21? Good luck.

[-] theinfamousj@rammy.site 1 points 2 years ago

I am like this as well for the most part. I'm going to need a lot of paper in order to do complex math (and I was a math minor in college), none of it in my head except the derivative of e^x^.

That said, on rare occasions -- twice in my half a century life -- my brain has instantly popped out the answer to a math puzzle and I was correct. But do I know how I arrived at that answer? Nope. My brain told me and that's all there is that I'm consciously aware of. One of those instances was the winning point for my team in a Math Olympics type competition.

[-] apolo399@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I find showing my work and proving things super fun! It's a puzzle for me, to show how things work. I'm doing a master's degree in physics and I excel at the most rigorous classes and suck at the more heuristic ones.

[-] vinylshrapnel@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Sounds like my math experience.

[-] Redo11@szmer.info 1 points 1 year ago

I do everything in my head. I write only the outcomes of parts of my calculations, to not forget them or do errors.

[-] thanksbrother@kbin.social 1 points 2 years ago

This was why I fell off with math in high school and never got my mojo back. My mental math skills were above average but once discipline and showing work and “proofs” (especially proofs) came into play I was out

this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2023
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