Is anyone here experienced in algebra two?

[Madame Catfish]

On another note, I was wondering how many of us have difficulty with the more abstract mathematics. Geometry always seemed so concrete and natural to me, but algebra is terrifyingly abstract. Do you feel as though the more abstract branches of mathematics are hard to digest? If so, do you think this is related to your Asperger's and/or autism? Any tips on how to approach the abstract pit of doom that I frequently encounter in class?

 

[StephF]

I've always found algebra easier because its more like linguistics than maths. Of course I could just be a freak of nature though

 

[Madame Catfish]

I've always found algebra easier because its more like linguistics than maths. Of course I could just be a freak of nature though

Huh. I'm pretty good with linguistics (I taught myself three, going on four languages by the time I entered highschool), but have always been deplorable with algebra. Could you please explain how you see algebra like a linguistic system? Having it explained in such a way might really be helpful to me.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I was very, very angry with my highschool math. 2x+3 is not an answer, that is a step before the final answer, and I HATED how incomplete it was. Trig was evil, I felt that if it could not be solved directly through pencil and paper then it was a waste of time. So I didn't get along with calculating by most sin, cosin, and tangent. Now, I love it. Gimme a few functions, I'll plug and play all day long. It's just something I grew in to. I even made peace with trigonometry, and gladly accepted sec, csc, and cot. But I am a lot more abstract and grey area than those days, I was still very black and white and rather strict about things.

Greek and I are still in tense terms. That sigma...

 

[Maelstrom]

On another note, I was wondering how many of us have difficulty with the more abstract mathematics. Geometry always seemed so concrete and natural to me, but algebra is terrifyingly abstract. Do you feel as though the more abstract branches of mathematics are hard to digest? If so, do you think this is related to your Asperger's and/or autism? Any tips on how to approach the abstract pit of doom that I frequently encounter in class?

Hi M Catfish, sorry I only made it through collage Algebra I by the skin of my teeth and that took heroic efforts. I did manage a B-, I think in Geometry it was more fun. I would have had a better grade but I crashed and burned on the chapter on compound interest just totally blanked on the test 18%. The funny thing was my math teachers were waiting to ambush me that day for cheating, they thought that because I did better on the tests than the classwork. They were so shocked when I almost flunked that they blabbed the whole thing, all I did was give them the blank aspie look and walk out. So I don't know if this will help Catfish, but the reason I did so well on the tests was I was checking out school math video tapes for each chapter and watching them at home. Then I would write down each kind of formula in the test chapter on a piece of paper, then I would do one matching problem from beginning to end, next to each formula on the paper. Then I would take the paper with me too the test just to remind me how the stuff worked. You may want to get permission to do this, we had open book tests so it was okay. I hope this helps, God help you, I'm glad I don't have to do that dreadful stuff any more. Mael

 

[StephF]

The reason I "get" algebra and quantities like 2x+3 is because it doesn't matter what x actually is. it is just describing a relationship. Its like twice whatever x is then add three. I see it as abstracting the numbers and talking about how quantities relate and interact with each other.

Polynomials are fun and very useful. Finding the roots of a polynomial and points of change, I could do that all day long.

I saw a t-shirt once that summed it up for me completely. It had a picture of a light switch marked "Totally obsessed" and "Not interested".
I guess that describes how my Aspieness comes into effect.

I'm a total Geek !

 

[Madame Catfish]

The reason I "get" algebra and quantities like 2x+3 is because it doesn't matter what x actually is. it is just describing a relationship. Its like twice whatever x is then add three. I see it as abstracting the numbers and talking about how quantities relate and interact with each other.

Polynomials are fun and very useful. Finding the roots of a polynomial and points of change, I could do that all day long.

I saw a t-shirt once that summed it up for me completely. It had a picture of a light switch marked "Totally obsessed" and "Not interested".
I guess that describes how my Aspieness comes into effect.

I'm a total Geek !

Can you explain Natural Log to me? I mean, I understand how its used, but I don't understand what it actually means or how it is found. Am I making any sense? Probably not. Maybe you will.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Natural log makes a beautiful slow curve on a graph and generally computes growth. As for what it means, I dunno. It came after the lesson on the square root of negative one, and I'm still trying to figure how the heck that works.

 

[wyverary]

I'm not sure if it has to do with my Nonverbal Learning Disorder or not, but Algebra I always found incredibly difficult. Senior year I passed Algebra II by the skin of my teeth, and I think that might be because my teacher (who is, frankly, one of exactly two good math teachers I ever had in HS) was feeling sorry for me. Like Maelstrom , though, I certainly enjoyed geometry quite a bit more! I was absolute aces when it came to proofs and, in true NLD fashion, I always wrote them out verbally. Signed, of course, with the traditional "QED"

 

[Maelstrom]

I'm not sure if it has to do with my Nonverbal Learning Disorder or not, but Algebra I always found incredibly difficult. Senior year I passed Algebra II by the skin of my teeth, and I think that might be because my teacher (who is, frankly, one of exactly two good math teachers I ever had in HS) was feeling sorry for me. Like Maelstrom , though, I certainly enjoyed geometry quite a bit more! I was absolute aces when it came to proofs and, in true NLD fashion, I always wrote them out verbally. Signed, of course, with the traditional "QED"

My sympathies wyerary on the audio thing. We played bible jepordy last friday at church the pastors wife explained all the rules and stuff with great enthusiasm and asked if we all understood every thing. I gave her the aspie look, and said, I don't remember a single thing you just said. Everyone laughed they thought it was a great joke, but it wasn't a joke. By the way my dark stuff is based on a form of geometry not regular math. I'm a visual savant maybe, definitely not a math, or spelling savant, and if note taking was required for survival I'd be dead already.

 

[wyverary]

I'm a visual savant maybe, definitely not a math, or spelling savant, and if note taking was required for survival I'd be dead already.

The ironic thing is, my spatial reasoning is very poor (hence the co-morbid NLD diagnosis)...but I was easily able to grasp all the logical aspects of it; as long as I was able to quantify the measurements, I could work from there.

 

[MicroWeiss]

I never could learn logarithms and natural logarithms. The concept would get explained, and I could follow the examples and even remember how to do it for a few minutes at a time. By the time the test rolled around I would get confused and do everything backwards. All other maths are ok, but I never bombed tests as consistently as with logs. But I made an A+ in every math class.

 

[shakeitup94]

I was always really good at maths until we came to the 'proves'. Anything I had to prove I just gave up on. By the end of high school I hated maths because I did a very high level and everything was prove and all that stuff. But in general I liked the 'ometries' but as much as I liked algebra I was a semester behind like we'd do it in semester 1, I'd suck in the half year exams then by yearly exams I'd ace it. And I was awesome at probability. Never dropped a mark in an exam.

 

[Maelstrom]

The ironic thing is, my spatial reasoning is very poor (hence the co-morbid NLD diagnosis)...but I was easily able to grasp all the logical aspects of it; as long as I was able to quantify the measurements, I could work from there.

Hi wyverary is okay if I ask what those terms mean I can't keep track of all these AS terms and sub groups etcetera.. I'm assuming co-morbid is introverted? Which means I'm the same as you on that my extrovertedness is learned not natural. I have no idea on NLD?

 

[wyverary]

Hi wyverary is okay if I ask what those terms mean I can't keep track of all these AS terms and sub groups etcetera.. I'm assuming co-morbid is introverted? Which means I'm the same as you on that my extrovertedness is learned not natural. I have no idea on NLD?

Co-morbid simply means one diagnosis alongside another diagnosis. NLD is Nonverbal Learning Disorder, which is characterized by a profound gap between verbal and spacial reasoning (verbal IQ being much higher) but also accompanied by a good many Aspie traits (impaired social functioning, stereotypy, etc.). There's quite a bit of controversy as to whether NLD should in fact be considered a separate diagnosis, and it is in neither the DSM-IV nor the DSM-5. There's a thread here on the subject somewhere, as well as a few articles online.

 

[Maelstrom]

"wyverary, post: 189270, member: 1090"]Co-morbid simply means one diagnosis alongside another diagnosis. NLD is Nonverbal Learning Disorder, which is characterized by a profound gap between verbal and spacial reasoning (verbal IQ being much higher) but also accompanied by a good many Aspie traits (impaired social functioning, stereotypy, etc.). There's quite a bit of controversy as to whether NLD should in fact be considered a separate diagnosis, and it is in neither the DSM-IV nor the DSM-5. There's a thread here on the subject somewhere, as well as a few articles online.

Thank you wyverary It sounds like me maybe HA! maybe we are somewhat alike. I'm off the chart on the spacial visual thing and logic, not so good on audio verbal thing, mild dyslexic, poor on gramer, math, and spelling, but very high on vocabulary and reading. I seem to be somewhat like Temple what ever that is.

 

[Madame Catfish]

Thank you wyverary It sounds like me maybe HA! maybe we are somewhat alike. I'm off the chart on the spacial visual thing and logic, not so good on audio verbal thing, mild dyslexic, poor on gramer, math, and spelling, but very high on vocabulary and reading. I seem to be somewhat like Temple what ever that is.

Same here! Good with visuals- I still remember the wallpaper pattern and colours on my nursery walls from when I was 14 months old, but can hardly remember what my mother asked my to do with my socks a few minutes ago...
Very Ironically, I'm good with languages, though, maybe even to an idiot savant level. I have no idea how, since my verbal memory is horrendous. It's weird though, because I can remember certain sounds very accurately, almost like playing a record, but the meaning of the sound doesn't come with it. Am I making any sense? Maybe you're the same way? Maybe not.

 

[Maelstrom]

Same here! Good with visuals- I still remember the wallpaper pattern and colours on my nursery walls from when I was 14 months old, but can hardly remember what my mother asked my to do with my socks a few minutes ago...
Very Ironically, I'm good with languages, though, maybe even to an idiot savant level. I have no idea how, since my verbal memory is horrendous. It's weird though, because I can remember certain sounds very accurately, almost like playing a record, but the meaning of the sound doesn't come with it. Am I making any sense? Maybe you're the same way? Maybe not.

Yes Madame Catfish we are allot alike on the visual thing I love patterns, colors, pictures, I sort of can almost see pictures of objects floating in my head but not quite, it's like they're behind a black mist. I can sort of spin objects in my head and draw them from different angles.
I'm not maybe as good as you with the sounds and language, I wish I was. It is funny the russian word slushensun (phonetic spelling), kept popping into my head the other day I don't even remember what it means I just keep hearing it in my head, I suppose it means I have mild turrets syndrome or something. I took a little russian in alaska, don't remember much tho.
I used my picture thing to crack the lower end of the atomic code
don't ask me to explain it. It would take pages and get me in trouble. I got massacred on the teacher note taking thing you may want to cultivate note friends in your classes Catfish so you don't lose assignments like I did. Good luck on the school stuff. Mael

 

[Madame Catfish]

Yes Madame Catfish we are allot alike on the visual thing I love patterns, colors, pictures, I sort of can almost see pictures of objects floating in my head but not quite, it's like they're behind a black mist. I can sort of spin objects in my head and draw them from different angles.
I'm not maybe as good as you with the sounds and language, I wish I was. It is funny the russian word slushensun (phonetic spelling), kept popping into my head the other day I don't even remember what it means I just keep hearing it in my head, I suppose it means I have mild turrets syndrome or something. I took a little russian in alaska, don't remember much tho.
I used my picture thing to crack the lower end of the atomic code
don't ask me to explain it. It would take pages and get me in trouble. I got massacred on the teacher note taking thing you may want to cultivate note friends in your classes Catfish so you don't lose assignments like I did. Good luck on the school stuff. Mael

You see things float around when you close your eyes, too!? I thought that was just a crazy thing of mine! It used to be more intense when I was younger, but sometimes when I close my eyes I can still see pictures or patterns, mostly memories or stray bits of information that somehow floated out of my "filing cabinet"- but it's much more dark and grainy than whenever I am remembering something or purposely going through my "filing cabinet". About spinning objects or seeing them from different angles, I'm the same exact way! It can be kind of stressful because sometimes I'll see a three-dimensional object and my brain will randomly show it to me at different angles when I don't want or need it to. This quirk makes me pretty good at anatomy, though, because I have a sort of 3D model in my head that I can consult. Just curious, if you can also move objects around in your head, are you good with reconstructing things?

I know I probably sound horribly morbid, but since I was about eight I took a large interest in crime scene reconstruction. Most bloodstain pattern analysts have to take measurements and make calculations of blood spatter in order to determine angle of impact and point of convergence (they often have to tramp around the scene and stick string on the stains to find where they meet) but I just see it. I can see liquid as well as solid objects move. I just know. Are you the same way? Does anyone else here have a filing cabinet? Does any of this have to do with autism in your opinion? Maybe I'm just crazy. Well, I already know I'm quite mad, but maybe this crap is just another component of my madness...

Ah. I'm ranting again. Incredibly off topic, too.
What were we talking about? Algebra two? Ancient Khmer civilisation? The economic implications of chinchilla coats? Honeybees? Ugh,why do I try...

Never mind. But Mael, I do think you should know that I am a cold-hearted *****, and even though you specifically said not to ask about your perception of atomic theory, I must insist. When you have time, of course, maybe you could give me a brief glimpse? Pretty please?

 

[Maelstrom]

"Madame Catfish, post: 189600, member: 2750"]You see things float around when you close your eyes, too!? I thought that was just a crazy thing of mine! It used to be more intense when I was younger, but sometimes when I close my eyes I can still see pictures or patterns, mostly memories or stray bits of information that somehow floated out of my "filing cabinet"- but it's much more dark and grainy than whenever I am remembering something or purposely going through my "filing cabinet". About spinning objects or seeing them from different angles, I'm the same exact way! It can be kind of stressful because sometimes I'll see a three-dimensional object and my brain will randomly show it to me at different angles when I don't want or need it to. This quirk makes me pretty good at anatomy, though, because I have a sort of 3D model in my head that I can consult. Just curious, if you can also move objects around in your head, are you good with reconstructing things?

I know I probably sound horribly morbid, but since I was about eight I took a large interest in crime scene reconstruction. Most bloodstain pattern analysts have to take measurements and make calculations of blood spatter in order to determine angle of impact and point of convergence (they often have to tramp around the scene and stick string on the stains to find where they meet) but I just see it. I can see liquid as well as solid objects move. I just know. Are you the same way? Does anyone else here have a filing cabinet? Does any of this have to do with autism in your opinion? Maybe I'm just crazy. Well, I already know I'm quite mad, but maybe this crap is just another component of my madness...

Ah. I'm ranting again. Incredibly off topic, too.
What were we talking about? Algebra two? Ancient Khmer civilisation? The economic implications of chinchilla coats? Honeybees? Ugh,why do I try...

Never mind. But Mael, I do think you should know that I am a cold-hearted *****, and even though you specifically said not to ask about your perception of atomic theory, I must insist. When you have time, of course, maybe you could give me a brief glimpse? Pretty please?

Hi Madame Catfish see I see stuff sort of floating in my head it's not like TV, more hazy, sort of thoughts and the inner eye mixed a little. I do 3d modeling at a extremely high level in my head, I can move, spin, and interlock anything I want to, you sound like you could be a little stronger than me? With your language thing you could be a double high level savant. The C.I.A., (who I'm not overly fond of), would fall all over them selves for someone like you. I can see why you are interested in crime scene stuff, it is the looking for hidden patterns, or finding clues by spotting disruptions in natural patterns that attracts you to it. No I do not think you are mad, I think you are a Temple imaging savant like me, and yes it is likely a Auti gift, a nice one in my opinion. You love history like me too, I love to look for patterns hidden in history, the whys for things not in the history books. Sometimes I can read the future a little on governments, wars etcetera with my pattern thing. I'm working on the perfect symbiotic small farm thing.