Yeah, I know what you mean about not having to think about something, and then describe it in detail to someone alien to it.
Writing it down helps for sure. Then basically doing what we can to get n on its own is the next step. Add 2, the divide by 5. The way you did it seems the simplest to me.
Calculus was a lot harder for me. I did those maths courses @ UMIST too, without the Maths A level beforehand. I got by, but it was a lot harder for me to identify what I should be doing next to whittle the sides of the equations down. 5n-2=39 cries "Add 2" whereas your hieroglyphics cry "Your move!" to me.
Some people just have a knack for seeing how the unknows are cloaked. This is what the really good maths people on my course seemed to have. I don't think you can teach that, although it might be possible to *learn* it by watching how they did it.
I didn't beat myself up, it's just a natural mental gift they have - there's no point beating yourself up that people are taller than you (a physical merit) so why worry about the mental ones too?
I found this an interesting read:
"Daniel Tammet is an autistic savant. He can perform mind-boggling mathematical calculations at breakneck speeds. But unlike other savants, who can perform similar feats, Tammet can describe how he does it. He speaks seven languages and is even devising his own language. Now scientists are asking whether his exceptional abilities are the key to unlock the secrets of autism. Interview by Richard Johnson"
Yeah, I know what you mean about not having to think about something, and then describe it in detail to someone alien to it.
Writing it down helps for sure. Then basically doing what we can to get n on its own is the next step. Add 2, the divide by 5. The way you did it seems the simplest to me.
Calculus was a lot harder for me. I did those maths courses @ UMIST too, without the Maths A level beforehand. I got by, but it was a lot harder for me to identify what I should be doing next to whittle the sides of the equations down. 5n-2=39 cries "Add 2" whereas your hieroglyphics cry "Your move!" to me.
Some people just have a knack for seeing how the unknows are cloaked. This is what the really good maths people on my course seemed to have. I don't think you can teach that, although it might be possible to *learn* it by watching how they did it.
I didn't beat myself up, it's just a natural mental gift they have - there's no point beating yourself up that people are taller than you (a physical merit) so why worry about the mental ones too?
I found this an interesting read:
"Daniel Tammet is an autistic savant. He can perform mind-boggling mathematical calculations at breakneck speeds. But unlike other savants, who can perform similar feats, Tammet can describe how he does it. He speaks seven languages and is even devising his own language. Now scientists are asking whether his exceptional abilities are the key to unlock the secrets of autism. Interview by Richard Johnson"
{Link}