I suck at math

Post Reply New Topic

I don't like math beyond grade 8 math very much. It's my worst subject. In fact, I've done well in every college course except math and I never failed a test except for in math (if you don't count the time in socials where I slacked off and skipped class a lot). I I do try hard in math (my instructor and my parents agree). I just can't get it. I have a tutor, which has helped a little, but it's still not my best subject.

My great-aunt, who has now passed away, was a high school math teacher. She used to tell me to go into the maths and insisted that I was good at it. The fact that I was pursuing social sciences made her mad. My mom isn't great at math either and she tutored her in high school.

Why am I good at every subject except for high school math and beyond?

Does it mean you are stupid if you're not good at math? I don't think this true, but many other people seem to.
What type of jobs can you get if you have autism and don't like math?

Anyone else terrible at math who also has autism? (It seems like most autistics like math)

I don't enjoy math much, but I'm okay at it.

You arent stupid because you arent good at math. Plenty of jobs require basic math or none at all. You could be a writer or an artist, or do customer service (as some examples).

I was always useless at maths. Doesn't mean you are stupid at all - I like to think I just have a different learning style to other people which wasn't the method used to teach me!!

I was the same, good at all other subjects, abysmal at mathematics except for basic ability for everyday life.

Math is of no use to me if I haven't something reasonably tangible to apply it towards.

The problem is generally bad math teachers. Math isn't just the boring adding of numbers, it's a complex landscape one can explore that describes the structure of nature and life itself. There's a good Netflix documentary on math, called "The Story of Maths".

I understand what you're saying but it's the complex stuff I struggle with. It's not that I find math boring so much is that I have difficulty with it.

No not at all, being bad at high school maths or any high school subjects does not mean anything about you, other than your motivation to do it. Which is probably why your parents dont want you dropping it alongside not having some basic maths knowledge like other students. Your intelligence can still come through in a variety of different ways - we all have multiple and diversified types of intelligence.

Sometimes, we may use one type of intelligence (intelligence in music or social science) to better help our ability to study in another field. like maths. This is what Leonardo Da Vinci did actually, he used his art and became a great doctor because of his amazement with art.

Somewhere in the history of maths, it actually came from other subjects. For example, Pythagoras theorem was in fact (calculating the sides of a triangle), a theory or idea derived from music and musical harmonies.

Keep trying Maths at high school though, even if you're not pursuing it later on, it may help with subjects later on, like at university. even if you dont do too well in it or dont like it, it helps open more opportunities later on, when opportunities to study at university are more important. i love the fact that i took up maths even if i didnt do too well all the time, as it now laid the basis for doing science at university. especially my year 12 physics knowledge can also help with my new consideration of science now, but it's all fundamental from high school.

high school is the hardest studying and gaining knowledge will be, because of the environment and the teacher commandeering everything, but it gets better later on, and the type of learning you get then will influence whether you have a foundation of maths in your head later on. i think you should definitely give maths a go, as it is an intellectual sport, not something that should be drowned out by the pseudo-intellectualism and competitiveness of high school. (mind me)

Plus, I was always good at harder maths equations and did well in physics, but when it came to arithmetic and basic calculation i was meager, and that brought my grade down.

Then I found out that Alan Turing, who invented the first 'digital computer' that worked at least, had the exact same complaint from his teachers. he also had autism. additionally Einstein, was also an average student, although he had an interest in mathematics, institutions just did not jive with his true intellectual capacity, and he often did average even at his university (which was a much less "prestigious" version of a university during his time). Also, considerably autistic and not good at institutional maths, but still the best at maths. I feel like those are two separate categories entirely.

I'm the opposite, it's the harder maths I have trouble with. I'm good at arithmetic.

Also, I'm actually in college, not high school. Sorry if I didn't make that clear in my OP.

Same. I struggle with most math classes, with the exception of the basics, geometry and statistics. No matter how much I study or go to tutoring, I have a hard time. I'm a Biochemistry major and I am taking Calculus II this semester and I already know it will be quite the struggle, but at least it's the last math class I need for my major. Not being good at math doesn't mean that you are stupid at all. You just have to work at it harder and take longer than others, at least in my experience. So be patient with yourself. Also your skill may be in another subject.

I never thought about what kind of jobs would be available to those of us on the spectrum specifically. I figure that we would do a job that best suits us individually, much like anyone else. My father brought it up with me but he was being somewhat ableist. I want to go into the medical field. I plan on getting my MD, and I desire to do medical research. I am concerned about how my people skills could affect my relationships with patients.

I think there are many jobs available to those who dislike math.