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How Imagination Helps You Get Good At Mental Math
To get really good at math, say yes to fun and say no to school algorithms!
Imagination is the last word that comes to mind when you wish to get good at mental math. In school, students typically learn mathematics via algorithms. Because of the unyielding curriculum, most students never even get to understand the algorithms. These students typically memorize the algorithmic steps and execute them based on pattern recognition skills.
“If I am given two sides of a right triangle, I HAVE to use something called the Pythagoras theorem to calculate the third side.” — Typical Math Student
My question here is: where is the imagination in all of this? What if I told you that imagination is key for you to get good at math quickly? Not only that, but imagination also lets you have freedom. With freedom, you have more control over your method to arrive at solutions. You are no longer bossed around by rigid algorithms. Once you start this journey, mathematics turns into a game of sorts. Yes! I am indeed talking about having fun. So, without further ado, let’s go ahead and have some fun.
Focus on What You Can Instead of What You Cannot
When you encounter your next mental math problem, imagine yourself wearing a pair of special green-coloured glasses. These green glasses serve a special purpose. They enable you to have fun while solving the problem. Furthermore, they let you focus on what you can do about the problem as the first step rather than what you cannot.
If all this sounds vague and mystical, worry not. I have you covered with a simple example. Imagine that you wish to purchase two separate products at an electronics store, and would like to quickly sum up their prices in your head. The price of the first product reads $569, and the price of the second product reads $743. Now, if I were to use conventional addition taught in schools, I would try to do something like this in my head:
