Why can't I figure math in my head when I am a majoring in accounting with straight A's?

Question

Yes, I understand that mathmatics is different than accounting, but most accountants are very good in math. I on the other hand have never been really great in Math but now my instructer gets aggravated with me because I miss a few of the really simple questions like forgetting to reduce something to its simplest form while getting more complicated questions correct. Is there a secret to math success or is it just remembering all the rules.

Answer 1

Don't stress over this minor point. I can read and write and spell but cannot write a poem nor can I write a story. I have done taxes for 36 years and I don't try to do the math in my head anymore; that is why God created the calculator. In this day and age we are so bombarded with information and yadda that our brains are working at their highest RPMs.

Answer 2

Don't worry about not being able to do math in your head. In the business world, whenever you have to even add 1+1, you have to run a tape on your 10 pad. Calculators are a wonderful invention.

Answer 3

A better question would be "Why are you majoring in accounting if you can't do math in your head?". We can't actually answer that either, but career choices are easier to analyze that natural talents. You can choose you major, but not your talents.
I determined sometime in high school that when it comes to math, I simply think differently than most people. I got straight A's in math without any studying until half a year into College Calculus. Then I "hit a brick wall". 15 years later, I still can't get past that point.

Answer 4

Taja- I easily have those days long previous in the process an identical theory technique after returning to varsity following a 10yr holiday. i'm presently in seek of an utilized arithmetic considerable with a minor in accounting. After speaking with various experts who comprise a occupation consoler, business enterprise experts, college consoler, and my spouse who's an performing CPA, CFE, and CIA, the final comments are as accompanied: A) while you're making plans on staying in the business enterprise sector aside from the occupation of an actuary, than considerable in accounting. even with the undeniable fact that, pursue an accounting considerable with the anticipation of sitting for the CPA examination which demands one hundred fifty credit hours whilst in comparison with the universal 128 hours for different business enterprise ranges. maximum individuals agreed that if one became drawn to business enterprise in some style yet uncertain of ways or the place they might extra healthful, a CPA became maximum suitable. B) in case you like an excellent extra liquid degree that opens doorways in the business enterprise international which comprise actuarial, finance, and business enterprise admin as nicely as professions exterior of a strict business enterprise direction which comprise engineering, laptop technology, statistician, or cryptography than considerable in utilized arithmetic with a minor in accounting. the two majors additionally are solid guidance for an MBA application. desire information facilitates and solid success to you

Answer 5

It's aggravating isn't it. I have a photographic memory with almost total recall and I can't do math in my head very well at all. My dad can do math in his head all day long but I suck at it. He tried to help me with it; you have to kinda of visualize it and I've gotten somewhat better at it but I'm no where near as good as he is.

To try and improve your skill one thing you might try is to find a friend or partner who likes to play chess and ask them to play a few games of "mental" chess everyday for a week or so. Strangely enough, you'll find you get better and better at it.

Good luck!

Answer 6

I too am good in math and doing figures in my head, but when it comes down to business, you MUST use an adding machine to caculate figures to ensure total 100% accuracy with your books for your company or client. It was one of the first things I learned and had to get used to in business. I was slow on the adding machine at first, but it honestly is MUCH faster than in your head.

Answer 7

Mathematics and Accounting are two different disciplines. You might be good at understanding accounting principles, but that doesn't make you adept in mathematics.