If you're weak at maths does that mean your thick?

bmwguy · 21-07-2016 12:39PM

Da Vinci along with being a famous artist was also a very accomplished engineer and mathematician in case anyone just thought he was a ceiling painter.

Designed things that were centuries ahead of their time, like a helicopter.

Didn't go into production for obvious reasons but he thought of the concepts

Jawgap · 21-07-2016 12:41PM

kerryked wrote: »

......I assume you know it was Michelangelo that did the ceiling - at the time daVinci was in Florence and Milan.

Claw Hammer · 21-07-2016 12:41PM

Thoie wrote: »

[*]If I say I'll meet you back here in an hour, that you can work out when that will be.
[/LIST]

If that is the case all Irish people are thick. As sean Lemass said, the man who is on time in Ireland wastes an awful lot of it.

OldGoat · 21-07-2016 12:42PM

2 out of 4 times the ratios of the probabilities of statistics are totally inappropriate by a margin of .6 which infers inferior maths skills.
QED

Jawgap · 21-07-2016 12:44PM

failinis wrote: »

It's not about appreciating history, it is saying does an artist need maths to be able to paint - no.

However Da Vinci is a bad example as he excelled in many fields including maths
The whole Renaissance included introducing these "rules" of math to art

Course you can argue there are many examples of maths in arts, but not in terms that would help in a math exam!

No, it's saying I don't know the difference between renaissance artists and turtles

As for artists not needing maths.....

Michelangelo likely used mathematics when painting the Creation of Adam

Also in his work as an architect wouldn't Michelangelo have had to understand maths? Pretty difficult to make a building stand up if you don't.....

kerryked · 21-07-2016 12:44PM

Jawgap wrote: »

......I assume you know it was Michelangelo that did the ceiling - at the time daVinci was in Florence and Milan.

Thread title asks if youre not good at maths does it mean youre thick, well we've just proven that you don't have to be bad at maths to still be thick.

Congratulations you win. :pac:

BabyE · 21-07-2016 12:45PM

Claw Hammer wrote: »

If that is the case all Irish people are thick. As sean Lemass said, the man who is on time in Ireland wastes an awful lot of it.

Apparently in France it is rude to be on time, so if you say you will be there at 6 you should probably arrive a little later. Probably bull**** but it's what I've heard.

SEPT 23 1989 · 21-07-2016 12:46PM

Einstein was unable to tie his own shoe laces

Thoie · 21-07-2016 12:47PM

Claw Hammer wrote: »

If that is the case all Irish people are thick. As sean Lemass said, the man who is on time in Ireland wastes an awful lot of it.

BabyE wrote: »

Apparently in France it is rude to be on time, so if you say you will be there at 6 you should probably arrive a little later. Probably bull**** but it's what I've heard.

It doesn't mean you'll actually be there at that time, but at least you should be able to work out exactly how late you are

Steve F · 21-07-2016 12:48PM

fryup wrote: »

Well does it?

i've heard it mentioned in conversations over the years

Life is for living OP not thinking about stuff like this.;)

You'll come to realize that as you get older

We've learned how to make a living but not a life

I have yet to hear of someone on their death bed say they regretted not being better at Maths,earning more money,or spending more time working.

Live for today!

failinis · 21-07-2016 12:49PM

Jawgap wrote: »

As for artists not needing maths.....

Did I say they never used maths?
I said it is possible to not understand maths and still be able to create, but many, including Da Vinci (or Mic) were involved in a movement that was all about introducing mathematic formula's to art.
I can barely do any basic maths, yet I understand the rules of art.

Keane2baMused · 21-07-2016 12:54PM

My son (7) who has autism struggles with maths.

Ask him what 2+7 = and he gives you a blank look.

Ask him what day of the week a given date falls on and he can tell you in 2 seconds flat.

Smart is relative as is thick!

Claw Hammer · 21-07-2016 12:54PM

failinis wrote: »

Did I say they never used maths?
I said it is possible to not understand maths and still be able to create, but many, including Da Vinci (or Mic) were involved in a movement that was all about introducing mathematic formula's to art.
I can barely do any basic maths, yet I understand the rules of art.

Could you calculate a price for the job of painting the ceiling?
Could you calculate how much paint would be required?
Could you calculate the price of the paint?
Could you calculate how long the job will take?

Dravokivich · 21-07-2016 12:55PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Einstein was unable to tie his own shoe laces

But sure he could of looked it up in a book anytime he needed find out how.

Jawgap · 21-07-2016 12:56PM

failinis wrote: »

Did I say they never used maths?
I said it is possible to not understand maths and still be able to create, but many, including Da Vinci (or Mic) were involved in a movement that was all about introducing mathematic formula's to art.
I can barely do any basic maths, yet I understand the rules of art.

Intuitively I don't don't doubt that you do, but not understanding maths probably closes off an even deeper appreciation again......

Why the history of maths is also the history of art

Yet many artworks also express the mathematics and technology of their times. To research Math and Art I had to learn maths concepts like calculus, group theory and predicate logic. As a novice struggling to understand these ideas, I was struck with the poor quality and confusing content of illustrations in most educational books. So I vowed to create for my book a set of cogent math diagrams that are crystal-clear visualizations of the abstract concepts.

In answer to the OP's question, I'd say not understanding maths doesn't mean someone is thick - it probably means that they didn't have a good enough teacher, plus the maths syllabus in Ireland is not exactly grippingly imaginative!

Claw Hammer · 21-07-2016 12:59PM

Dravokivich wrote: »

But sure he could of looked it up in a book anytime he needed find out how.

What book? I have never seen any book with a set of instructions on how to tie shoe laces. In any case I know a man who can't tie his own shoe laces. reason- he always wears slip-ons and has no shoes with eyelets.

The Backwards Man · 21-07-2016 01:04PM

I have big problems with clockwise and anticlockwise. Not ideal for someone who spends half their day screwing.

failinis · 21-07-2016 01:04PM

Claw Hammer wrote: »

Could you calculate a price for the job of painting the ceiling?
Could you calculate how much paint would be required?
Could you calculate the price of the paint?
Could you calculate how long the job will take?

I would need to sit down with a calculator and pencil/paper to work out any of that - but within 15mins I could work out all the above, just not mentally as that is how dyscalculia effects me.

Jawgap wrote: »

Intuitively I don't don't doubt that you do, but not understanding maths probably closes off an even deeper appreciation again......

Why the history of maths is also the history of art

Well that is amazing as I have studied art history for a year and also an artist, but not being able to multiply must mean I am totally blind to appreciating it at all :pac:

fergal.b · 21-07-2016 01:05PM

failinis wrote: »

I have dyscalculia, assumed to be from being born very premature.
I was made to feel like a stupid **** all the way through education which severely impacted my self esteem.
It is certainly a common judgement that it makes you thick, but I feel people will find another area to excel in, for me it is art and english.
If you have a monkey and a fish and the test is to climb a tree, thats how it is.

Same here I still can't do my tables as they just come out a mixed up mess even though they were drummed into me all my school life, however I can build just about anything from an engine to a house and know how most things work just by looking at them so I don't think that if you are weak at maths you are thick you are just better at something else that someone who is good at maths is crap at.:)

.

Claw Hammer · 21-07-2016 01:06PM

failinis wrote: »

I would need to sit down with a calculator and pencil/paper to work out any of that - but within 15mins I could work out all the above, just not mentally as that is how dyscalculia effects me.

Well that is amazing as I have studied art history for a year and also an artist, but not being able to multiply must mean I am totally blind to appreciating it at all :pac:

How do you know it would take you 15 minutes to work it out?

strawdog · 21-07-2016 01:08PM

Jawgap wrote: »

Intuitively I don't don't doubt that you do, but not understanding maths probably closes off an even deeper appreciation again......

Why the history of maths is also the history of art

In answer to the OP's question, I'd say not understanding maths doesn't mean someone is thick - it probably means that they didn't have a good enough teacher, plus the maths syllabus in Ireland is not exactly grippingly imaginative!

I was about to say the same. In School in the 90's I'd poor teachers, poor text books, and found the L.C. syllabus a mess. Found it impossible to fill in the gaps without paying for expensive grinds. I hope today teaching has improved and the syllabus is a bit more joined up and practical

Chris_Bradley · 21-07-2016 01:08PM

"I stopped trying to understand Maths when the alphabet got involved"

Says it all really.

Patrick_Swayze · 21-07-2016 01:08PM

Maths is basically the ability to solve problems so yes if you are weak at it you are generally not as natural smart as others but i wouldn't go as far as saying thick

Keane2baMused · 21-07-2016 01:10PM

Patrick_Swayze wrote: »

Maths is basically the ability to solve problems so yes if you are weak at it you are generally not as natural smart as others but i wouldn't go as far as saying thick

That's a huge generalisation.

I have met so many people who excel in mathematics but lack basic common sense for every day tasks and problems.

Winterlong · 21-07-2016 01:11PM

Patrick_Swayze wrote: »

Maths is basically the ability to solve problems

No it's not!
Maths is the science of logic, shape, quantity and arrangement.

andekwarhola · 21-07-2016 01:11PM

How do people rate themselves as weak or otherwise at maths? If they don't work in a field that requires it? (I don't). Or have difficulty with everyday life functions that require basic maths such as finance, kids homework etc? (I don't). Or is a grasp of higher, abstract mathematics?

Had to really ask myself there was I really weak at maths in school or not. IIRC, I never had any major difficulty with it but I considered myself mediocre. Looking back, I think it was more down to natural aptitude and disinterest. I just enjoyed other stuff a lot more: enjoyed and was good at life sciences and loved and excelled in humanities subjects so just maximized my efforts (and points) in those areas and pretty much did the bare minimum in maths.

Also had a typically disengaged maths teacher, the working class school lifer type that was just punching in and punching out.

WoolyJumper · 21-07-2016 01:14PM

I don't know, being good at maths is just one aspect of intelligence. Even at that there are many different aspects of maths that you might be good or bad at. I'm personally terrible at adding/multiplying in my head and in primary school maths was my worst subject but at I was really good at Algebra, geometry, statistics and probability and it ended up being my best subject in secondary school.

I think there are other aspects of intelligence that are underrated like emotional intelligence or even spatial orientation. Im always getting lost, struggle to open doors, can't give directions for ****e, i even struggle to tell the difference between left and right.

Jawgap · 21-07-2016 01:16PM

failinis wrote: »

.....

Well that is amazing as I have studied art history for a year and also an artist, but not being able to multiply must mean I am totally blind to appreciating it at all :pac:

Not really, we all know what we like art-wise, all I'm saying is that a deeper appreciation of maths probably allows a deeper appreciation of art, especially islamic art.

Plus, wouldn't it help with calculating and judging perspectives and proportions?

Is it a co-incidence that some of the greatest strides in maths were made during the Renaissance? I'd have thought the greater insights that developed into geometry, optics, and harmonics fed into Renaissance and baroque art forms?

HensVassal · 21-07-2016 01:17PM

Thoie wrote: »

Dyscalculia, dyslexia and the occasional typo aside, I don't expect everyone to be able to do differential calculus, or write novels. If you leave school without the following skills I'll think you're of below average intelligence:
Realise that if it takes 3 people 3 hours to paint a wall, it won't take 6 people 6 hours to paint the same wall.

Understand that "could of" is incorrect.

Be aware of common homophones, and use the correct word in the correct place.

Figure out how to adapt a recipe that serves 4 people to cater for a different number of diners.

Work out how many tins of paint you'll need if that wall is 10m x 5m, and a tin of paint covers 30 square meters.

Be able to check if you were given the correct change in a shop.

If I say I'll meet you back here in an hour, that you can work out when that will be.

How would you rate this girl:

:pac:

pajo1981 · 21-07-2016 01:19PM

"I have met so many people who excel in mathematics but lack basic common sense for every day tasks and problems."

That's just something thick people say

If you're weak at maths does that mean your thick?

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