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asphelper
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07 Apr 2008, 12:45 pm

:idea: I work as an assistant to a boy with aspergers, he is really bright but is struggling to remember things in maths. I thought it would be really useful to hear from anyone else with aspergers who has had the same problem, and might have some tips on the best way to help him get really good at remembering maths.
I would really appreciate anything you could tell me.
Thankyou! :D



Kaleido
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07 Apr 2008, 12:49 pm

Well, lots of aspies see and understand things in pictures, so if you could draw pictures and then let the person translate those into his own kind of pictures, that could help. Not just one picture but often a series like a mini film is sometimes needed too.



zghost
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07 Apr 2008, 1:29 pm

I was never good at math. (And still not.) But it was strange, I could add and multiply easier than I could subtract and divide. Why, I don't know. I managed to make it through geometry and algebra I, but failed algebra II miserably despite trying everything I could think of, and various tutors. Triginometry, I was lost again.

Some of math just doesn't make any sense to me. Fo example, the triangle formula: A squared + B squared = C squared. Look at it. If you straightened the 2 sides, they're way longer than the third side. So how can they equal it? To this day, I can't process this one, but I can use it. (Most other geometry I've forgotten.)

I know this isn't really helpful, but just my perspective. It's really hard to learn something that doesn't make sense to you.

I agree that visual aids (if it's something that you can use them for) are a good idea.



Lordnarfington
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07 Apr 2008, 1:39 pm

I was fairly good at math till I got to algebra II, don't even get me started on calculus. What exactly is it that he has a hard time remembering, and what specific math is it?


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iceb
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07 Apr 2008, 2:59 pm

I have always found maths easer to understand and remember when I can apply it to a real world problem I can visulise and understand.


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KingofKaboom
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07 Apr 2008, 3:05 pm

I learn math best when taught to me one on one b/c it helps it sink in for some reason.


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Alaspi
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07 Apr 2008, 3:49 pm

i agree with the pictures technique...although when i got to calculus all i could see was myself throwing an apple at Newton's head. :D



Grey_Kameleon
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07 Apr 2008, 8:19 pm

Help me help someone else. . .wow, that's like helping two people at once. What codependent personality can resist that? :wink:

If he's having trouble with forumulae, or just general facts, see if you can take advantage of his skills. For example, I have excellent musical memory, and my high school math teacher sung the quadratic formula, and I still hear it in my head sometimes. Calculus will be harder than remembering "negative b, negative b, plus or minus square root, plus or minus square root, b squared minus 4ac, b squared minus 4ac, all over 2a, all over 2a" to the tune of Frère Jacques.

Just a thought. See if you can apply that principle in any way.



ebec11
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07 Apr 2008, 8:23 pm

zghost wrote:
I was never good at math. (And still not.) But it was strange, I could add and multiply easier than I could subtract and divide. Why, I don't know. I managed to make it through geometry and algebra I, but failed algebra II miserably despite trying everything I could think of, and various tutors. Triginometry, I was lost again.

Some of math just doesn't make any sense to me. Fo example, the triangle formula: A squared + B squared = C squared. Look at it. If you straightened the 2 sides, they're way longer than the third side. So how can they equal it? To this day, I can't process this one, but I can use it. (Most other geometry I've forgotten.)

I know this isn't really helpful, but just my perspective. It's really hard to learn something that doesn't make sense to you.

I agree that visual aids (if it's something that you can use them for) are a good idea.
But C is ALWAYS bigger then A and B, so it works.