Bad with numbers

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I am officially diagnosed with aspergers. A lot of things I've seen say that people with aspergers are good at one specific thing (referring to special interests), but almost all of them use math as an example. I am bad at memorizing phone numbers and birthdates. Looking at equations makes my head hurt and I start to become angry. I often make simple errors in calculation; recently I messed up addition and I was using a calculator. What the heck, how does that happen.

Anyways, I was wondering if it was highly unusual for people with aspergers to be bad at math? I like the idea of math, I like that it always has a set answer, but I do not like the practice of it, because I cannot get the answer.

I have never been good with mental arithmetic. I think it is because of a deficit in working (very short term) memory. I think this is also the reason I have not been good at learning computer programming nor philosophy.

Strangely enough, I always earned A's in math in school. I think it is because there, you learn processes and procedures, and need to demonstrate that you know them. But in everyday things, a lot of people I know who never had advanced math classes are very accurate and rapid at computing things in their head. I admire them.

On the other hand, I'm a kick-ass speller and pretty good at pattern recognition.

I consider myself fairly decent at math, although I'm much better at writing things down and working them out than I am at figuring them out in my head. I also use the "nines trick" when multiplying numbers by nine. Sad but true.

I was bottom of the class in maths at school. I've learned quite a bit in in 39 years since leaving and I'm good at basic arithmetic now, and I understand Pi etc. But what the hell use equations are or how they work, I still have no clue. I am much more interested in, and competent with words.

I´m best with words - but I´m not a-mathematical. I just have difficulty reading numbers. There is only a weak connection between the number and the sight of it. Sometimes I even "read" numbers, that aren´t there.

In the WAIS test, I impressed the psychologist by remembering the longest rows of numbers, he read to me, but, when I had to do them backwards, I fell with a bang, - because I only remembered them by sound of their names - as sound patterns. I couldn´t reverse them.

I'm good at understanding complex math formulas, but I'm terrible at adding two numbers together, or memorizing anything. So as long as I have a calculator I'm okay, but otherwise it's pretty embarrassing

Thank you for your responses! I was able to remember complex number patterns and say them back as well- but I also was just remembering the sound pattern. I could still do it backwards though.

I also use the nines trick, and I know how to multiply 3's by doing the school house rock songs. I can multiply any numbers except for 6 and 7, and I get to those by multiplying 5 and then adding.

I am great with word meanings but terrible at spelling. I got a 100 percent on the language portion of the IQ tests for adults even though I am not yet an adult, but I still make very basic spelling errors.

Once I understood a complex formula in chemistry and it made me so happy. It just made so much sense and the way it was laid out was visually appealing, it was easier than basic multiplication for me, even though most of my classmates hated that formula and thought it was hard. I loved that math problem, but that is one of the only math problems I have licked. Sadly, I have forgotten how to do it now :C

I also have a good feel for grammar, where commas should go and such, but I can never remember the names of the rules. I just follow them instinctively, which is not so good when I am quizzed on their names :/

I make errors in addition and I'm not sure how that happens.

My mom is dyslexic. Do you think dyslexia could play into this?

Being good in mental arithmetics is not a prerequisite for being good at math. Math is about so much more than that. In fact, I'd say it's more about abstract concepts than the numbers itselves. I know many good mathematicians and scientists which are just average or even poor in mental arithmetics. Don't think of yourselves as poor in math because you find it hard to add numbers in you're head. Then you're poor at just that; mental arithmetics

Roach, you don´t sound dyslectic.

Dyscalculia?

Yes! Like that! But I've heard several of those things are autism things; like being bad at reading a clock and having poor face/name retrieval.

Those things can be associated with ASD, but they are not a part of the diagnostic criteria. Many people with Autism have comorbid conditions.

I'm bad at math & numbers but I have dyslexia & on top of my Aspergers

We might be known for being good at math or computers but that doesnt mean we enjoy it. Also we are known for not being good at simple stuff.

Yes, I´ve got 8 of he 16. Dyscalculia, that is.