How Do You Think In Maths?

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How do you think when thinking deeply in a mathematical subject directly involving mathematical type calculations?

When I think deeply in mathematical subjects I think in dots and patterns of dots. The shape of the pattern is then translated into numerical form as I count the dots I had imagined in my mind. (So could end up with many patterns of dots so can take a while to eventually bring them to pictures of a few patterns of dots together and them a few more patterns of dots I bring in and eventually add them all up. The part I sometimes get wrong is when some patterns of dots are not base ten when doing more complex equasions. All letters (E.g. "X" or "y" etc, I have to invest them in a numerical form for them to work in my mind as it does not work in letter form. This is when I can get the answer wrong because I can get confused between numerical and non numerical forms of dots).

(I could never in the past describe to maths teachers why I would answer sums in my mind and then invent the workings out later. I could not do difficult sums on paper numerical form as my mind translated them into dots, and I never thought of writing dots on paper as when being brought up in school one was only allowed to use the"Standard" way.

My Mum used to puzzle her teachers as she thinks in words and has to write each number out in word form to do the sums. E.g. Six times six equals thirty six. My method is slower as I have ::: x ::: = ::: ::: ::: ::: ::: :::

I think I do simple maths in my head with pictures of numbers , my minds eye is just like a calculator screen.

I have synaesthesia so every number or letter has a colour and personality.

Numerical form.

Interesting.

Is my Mum rare to use word form?

In "nonvisual spatial" concept-like form.

There were no 'symbols' in a visual way. But it can help or hinder due to short term memory.

The 'symbols' is more like an invisible 'gap'-like "feeling".

Like, if 'touch' is a 'sight' kind of strange.

Gained Number Post Count (1).
Lose Time (n).

Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.

I see numbers, but only two at a time. So A and B.

Quite simply, I can't. Which is incredibly frustrating because I tend to be a very visual thinker. Yet when it comes to numerical information I really struggle to visualise and process anything. It's like a whiteboard that keeps erasing itself without warning.

It was a big problem at school. When I had to do mental maths, I secretly wrote on my other hand under the desk or I'd gently tap the desk to count. Leg bouncing was also an option.

Keeping focus in regards to working out was difficult. I'd forget what sum I was trying to do, or I'd accidentally reverse the numbers or I'd forget where I got up to with counting and unintentionally start counting backwards because I zoned out.

I need to vocally talk through what I'm doing or at the very least have it written out in front of me. Otherwise I'll end up with a completely different set of numbers and unrelated daydream if I'm not careful.

Weirdly, I'm sort of like that with words to an extent. Sometimes when I know how to spell a word, I won't be able to spell it without writing it down. I can't find the sounds without having it in front of me. As if one part of my brain knows it and the other does not.

Trying to explain that your brain can visualise hyper-realistic places and faces in a video like format but not being able to hold equations in there is definitely an interesting one. Most people seem to find that confusing, but that's just what I know.

I use a pencil and paper.

I admit to skepticism about some of these responses.

Simple maths . . . I just "know" the answer. No conscious processing involved.

Geometry and trig . . . it's like having an holographic image in my mind where the function comes into focus (sometimes more slowly and indistinct than others).