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Lyll
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01 Oct 2013, 2:36 am

eric76
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01 Oct 2013, 8:24 am

Lyll wrote:
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/blogs/lightningrod/item/54442-is-there-hope-for-math-challenged-scientists-temple-grandin-eo-wilson-speak-out-

That made me feel real good. :)


It's always nice to post some kind of summary instead of just a link.



OddDuckNash99
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01 Oct 2013, 8:29 am

I'm living proof that you needn't be a math genius to be a scientist. I have NVLD and am a scientist. Granted, I am good at algebra and statistics, but I still have never been able to do physics. (I understand physics conceptually, but I cannot do well in physics courses due to my math problems.) But while you can excel in science without being a math prodigy, I think it's pretty hard to do well in science if you aren't good with logic and reasoning. That's why I'm good at statistics- probability is all about logic and reasoning. Who cares if you can figure out a p-value if you don't understand what that p-value MEANS?


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Joe90
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01 Oct 2013, 11:56 am

I have more hope of becoming an extroverted socialist than a math or science genius. I don't mind. :)


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Quill
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01 Oct 2013, 12:30 pm

Thank you very much for posting that article. Seriously, it was PERFECT timing for me to read something like that, and I've printed it out. :)

I always wanted to go into some kind of science for my career. When it was time to start college, I changed my mind and choose English as my major because I'm not good at math. I have recently been thinking about changing my major to environmental science because I'm really much more interested in that kind of stuff than the classes that are required for my English major (though I love reading and writing--as a hobby). I've found a few online things to help with math, and I looked at the reviews of all the possible teachers I could take classes with. I also go to an online school, and have found that online learning works a lot better for me than regular classroom learning. I was just trying to get up the courage to actually change my major. This article helped solidify my decision. I'm going to do it!

Thanks again for posting it!



Opi
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01 Oct 2013, 1:12 pm

i did horribly in math in public school.

at some point i decided to go into engineering. i never followed through, but i did take a selfpaced remedial math course to get me started from basic fractions which is where i lost my way before.

i worked myself all the way through calculus - fortunate enough to have an EXCELLENT calc professor.

it doesn't come naturally to me, i have to really work at it, but i can do it. (unlike english language skills which i've had nailed down since first grade). not sure i would have made it past that first level of calculus though. but, if you aren't doing physics, all you really need is some algebra and a good understanding of fractions to take statistics, which is much easier (and i personally found very boring, but my sister loves stats). Stats is all you need to do most science.

i have considered and reconsidered entering a scientific field just because i do purely love science. but i think i enjoy reading about it more than actually doing it.

i had a friend who was studying to be a general contractor. she was the type of student who can just sit and study for hours on end and memorize information. very logical and linear. i told her i could never do what she does. she told me, "every profession needs every kind of thinker." i think she is right, and i've never fogotten it.


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01 Oct 2013, 4:17 pm

For my ACT scores back in the '80s I scored a 26 in Natural Sciences and a 10 in Math. :mrgreen: I scored higher in science than I did in English, which was weird because I got A's in English and C's in science.


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Mirror21
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01 Oct 2013, 4:47 pm

I think from this article one of my favorite lines is " there are no hard and fast rules about how to be autistic."

Also:

Quote:
Grandin says she has worked hard to get as good as she can be. But at some point, she believes, you have to stop dwelling on your deficits, bank on your strengths, and start getting things done


I actually needed to see this today. It made me feel very good and clears up my mind for some troubling thoughts I have had for a little while.



Mirror21
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01 Oct 2013, 5:14 pm

On a small tangent, it was mentioned on the article the ability to be a visual thinker and suck at spatial reasoning. First I did not know what it was, then I took a small test for fun, well it had 8 problems and I only got 2 right -_-. Maybe that is why my drawing suck when it comes to proportions? I dunno. I am a very visual thinker, am good with vocabulary, though not always good at using it, but suck at math beyond all reason (got pity d-'s in college) i didnt think I would have spatial problems o.o

http://www.fibonicci.com/spatial-reasoning/



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01 Oct 2013, 6:59 pm

it was all I could do to pass pre-algebra with a D-. I could not assimilate the concepts as fast as the rest of the class was expected to learn it all.



Lyll
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02 Oct 2013, 6:07 am

@ Eric76
I thought it would be best to post it like this rather than distort the author's work. Plus I did not have much time