Rant of the night.

[ploomf]

Why does my brother seem to think that I will suddenly, after 26 years on this earth, morph into a math genius and be able to help him with his algebra homework? Because I won't, I and a team of dedicated but foolhardy teachers tried all through high school and it didn't happen. In fact at this point I am convinced it will take a miracle along the lines of Lazarus coming back from the dead to get me to a point where I can count to twenty without all removing my shoes and socks. So how can I get him to understand that when I see a math problem it just looks like this to me...

Edited February 14, 2013 by ploomf
Because Wingnut pointed out that I have ten fingers.

[pam]

That's exactly how I see algebra.

[ploomf]

Finally! Someone who understands my pain. See this is why we are pals pam. My brother just calls me a wuss when I run away whimpering when he shoves his math books under my nose.

[Dravin]

Interestingly enough sometimes when people have problems with one area of math they do well in another. The Brits, unlike Americans, speak of maths, and honestly I think that's more accurate. I wonder how many people who struggle with algebra decide math is horrid and never move on to discover they have a knack for trigonometry or calculus. Personally trigonometry is my bane, I can use the functions jut fine and I can do identities, but word problems in trigonometry tend to short circuit my brain when they get more complicated than figuring the height of a flag pole.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Dravin

[Wingnut]

In fact at this point I am convinced it will take a miracle along the lines of Lazarus coming back from the dead to get me to a point where I can count to ten without all removing my shoes and socks.

Why? Are you missing fingers?

[Backroads]

It's like when Husband asks me for help on his Calculus homework.

[ploomf]

Why? Are you missing fingers?

That's what happens when you post at 3 in the morning, fueled by caffeine and jittery from sugar because you just ate way to many cupcakes.

[Wingnut]

That's what happens when you post at 3 in the morning, fueled by caffeine and jittery from sugar because you just ate way to many cupcakes.

I just figured you really were really bad at math!

[ploomf]

I just figured you really were really bad at math!

Well yes, that too. (Secretly I just hate wearing shoes and will seize on any excuse to remove them.)

[annewandering]

Your brother is gloating. I come from a family that has people who love to play with math. I think they are nuts but oh well. I can think of a lot of things I would rather play with than numbers.

Its there. Its useful. Its boring. Tell your brother to get an interesting hobby and you will play that with him if he will leave his math at home.

[Dravin]

Your brother is gloating.

Or he's just trying to share something he thinks interesting with someone close to him. Sometimes people are blind that others don't share their interests but that isn't necessarily gloating. If his interest was collecting stamps and he kept on trying to get his brother interested would you conclude he's gloating?

[annewandering]

Or he's just trying to share something he thinks interesting with someone close to him. Sometimes people are blind that others don't share their interests but that isn't necessarily gloating. If his interest was collecting stamps and he kept on trying to get his brother interested would you conclude he's gloating?

Everything is different than math. With math its gloating. :) lol my brother, one year older, used to come home and tell me secrets. They were secrets of math. When he was in the 1st grade. They were interesting. Old stamps are interesting. Soap making is fascinating. The thing about math is they just dont seem to catch on that not everyone loves math like they do. Do you know anyone who loves math who understands why others dont love it? If they do I bet its that they have decided its because that person just isnt smart enough to love it.

Oh sheesh. Ok no more ranting. As you can see this is a pet peeve kinda thing with me.

[pam]

Your brother is gloating.

How is he gloating if he is asking for help with his homework? Now if he said "I bet I can get the answer and you can't." That would be gloating.

[annewandering]

How is he gloating if he is asking for help with his homework? Now if he said "I bet I can get the answer and you can't." That would be gloating.

Does the brother doing homework know his brother is not a mathematician? I am guessing he does. So why does he go to him for math help? Its illogical.

[pam]

Because maybe he went to his sister thinking that she could help? And I know she has been to college so perhaps he really did think she could help.

Edited February 15, 2013 by pam

[ploomf]

Yep am a girl not a boy. He wasn't really gloating, he hates math as much as I do, it's just that I'm so much worse at it than he is. And while in theory I should have retained some knowledge of math (it's only been a few years since school) in reality he would have had a better chance of getting an answer if he'd asked the cat, well if he wanted a correct answer that is, I can give wrong answers all day.