Are you guys good at doing math in your head ?

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Rx God
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My wife asks me questions like " If something costs $15, and it's 75% off, how much does it cost ? I'll answer $3.75 in about 2 seconds ! How do you figure that out ?, she asks !

I just do it in my head, I reply. I'm no savant ! I can multiply most any 2-digit number by another 2-digit number in my head. I can just extrapolate, and estimate ( if needed). I was always good at converting word problems to math equations in school.

Do you guys do it instinctively ? or use calculators and such ? I have little trouble determining which line is better.

I don't consider myself gifted, or anything, just able to do some things in my head, that others may not be able to. I'm sure most here are like that. It's almost a prerequisite to gambling in general. Card players need that ability, sportsbettors less so. A quick math mind is important for a gambler.
 

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Fish : I was looking for a little better than a yes/no answer, but if that's all you got !
 

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Yes, and I don't even do it consciously. The funniest part is that I was never a good math student in school either. But as the years have passed I realize I always had the ability to do the math in my head much better than on paper. In school they always wanted you to show the "work" on how you got the answer. I would give the correct answer but felt it was foolish to explain how i got it. If that makes sense. lol
 
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DougJ said:
My wife asks me questions like " If something costs $15, and it's 75% off, how much does it cost ? I'll answer $3.75 in about 2 seconds ! How do you figure that out ?, she asks !

It would take me a bit more than 2 secs, maybe 10.
At my age people are brain damaged.
 

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I think being a sports fan from day 1 is the main reason , its second nature to figure out these kind of calculations in our heads, atleast that's how it happened for me, batting avgs, era, fg pct...its all 2nd nature to sports nuts that most gamblers are...
 

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Journeyman said:
I think being a sports fan from day 1 is the main reason , its second nature to figure out these kind of calculations in our heads, atleast that's how it happened for me, batting avgs, era, fg pct...its all 2nd nature to sports nuts that most gamblers are...

You are so right!

I remember this distinctively from 2nd grade.

I was a whiz at flash cards because of football.

Every multiple of the number 7 was easy because of football scores.

Of course, a little later on, division was easy because of batting averages, as well as work with fractions.

---FISH---
 

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doug, same with me....wife asks me questions like that all the time and i can give an aswer in about 2 seconds......"real" math only like addition/subtractio/%'s no algerbra or chit like that......

4356 + 6789 would take me about 7 seconds......
 

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Fishhead- funny you say that about 7 and it's multiples....same exact experience growing up as a kid. 42,49,56,63.....

Sports has definitely made me a "head math" guy.

Although i will still subtract 8.5 from 77 at least five times in my head when the final score is 77-68 and i was laying the chalk!
 

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Sherman: How about Q's like " Which deal is better ? " 5-12 packs of Diet Pepsi for $10, or 3 for $8, obviously the former, but if you have to drive 20 miles to get it, you lose. I don't mind if she wastes an hour to save $3 on pop, costing $7 in theoretical mile charges. Problem is ,I don't gain the time, I get rid of her, but she calls on cell phone to axe more dumb questions !
 

hacheman@therx.com
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I think most people who's been wagering on sports for numerous years become good at math in their head if they weren't originally to begin with. Especially when figuring multiple possibilities with 3's & 7's ...........
greytongue.gif


 

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DougJ said:
Sherman: How about Q's like " Which deal is better ? " 5-12 packs of Diet Pepsi for $10, or 3 for $8, obviously the former, but if you have to drive 20 miles to get it, you lose. I don't mind if she wastes an hour to save $3 on pop, costing $7 in theoretical mile charges. Problem is ,I don't gain the time, I get rid of her, but she calls on cell phone to axe more dumb questions !

everything ok at home doug?
 

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no worse than usual ! I wouldn't marry again, not any woman ! A better than average week so far ! I think she's going thru them hot/cold flushes, that menopause crapola.
 

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Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by DougJ
Sherman: How about Q's like " Which deal is better ? " 5-12 packs of Diet Pepsi for $10, or 3 for $8, obviously the former, but if you have to drive 20 miles to get it, you lose. I don't mind if she wastes an hour to save $3 on pop, costing $7 in theoretical mile charges. Problem is ,I don't gain the time, I get rid of her, but she calls on cell phone to axe more dumb questions !
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

sherman said:
everything ok at home doug?


LOL Sherman...........

But Doug, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about brother!
 

Rx Post Doc
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I'm the opposite: I was always good at the math and even got a degree in math and taught algebra at the college level....but i'm awful with coming quickly to accurate results of say 7% of 18 or something like that. Also, in the same vein, I am not that quick with card games and such. I believe myself to be bright, but I am awful at the quick mind arithmatic that you guys are talking about. I have to use tricks like any number that has digits that sum to a number that is divisible by three is itself divisible by three. Or, 15% (tip amount) of $32 is 10% of 32 which is easy...plus half of that amount again. Anyway...no, I am not good with the quick calculations and I envy those of you that are. However, I can do a proof of some arcane corollary in real analysis. Whoohoo. tulsa
 

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The kids these days though, at the stores need that cash register to tell them how much change to give back....Give them the extra 6 cents to round something off and they're lost.
 

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LOL...Journeyman, that happened to me just a couple of days ago. At a drive thru I gave the young woman a five and 20 cents to pay for a purchase of $4.20. She absolutely could not understand what was happening. I just kept saying "A dollar. My change is one dollar." Her manager helped her out. Now, I am sure I have moments like that too, when someone wonders about my abilities. But, it is funny that you mention that. tulsa
 

hacheman@therx.com
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Journeyman said:
The kids these days though, at the stores need that cash register to tell them how much change to give back....Give them the extra 6 cents to round something off and they're lost.

You've got that right J~Man. Speaking of stores and cashiers, don't you love it when you present one of these brand new bills just recently put out by the govt that are supposed to be so difficult to counterfeit, and the cashier STILL has to check it by marking it or holding it up in the light......:movingeye
 

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Fishhead said:
You are so right!

I remember this distinctively from 2nd grade.

I was a whiz at flash cards because of football.

Every multiple of the number 7 was easy because of football scores.

Of course, a little later on, division was easy because of batting averages, as well as work with fractions.

---FISH---

That is so funny. as a kid 7's were my favorite multiplication numbers due to football.

Today when I ask kids in 2nd and 3rd grade math questions I always give them 7 times 4. If they hesitate then I say what is 4 TD's sometimes that sparkes an immeadiate answer and they get the connection! I tell them that they now know all the 7's easy.
 

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Hache Man said:
You've got that right J~Man. Speaking of stores and cashiers, don't you love it when you present one of these brand new bills just recently put out by the govt that are supposed to be so difficult to counterfeit, and the cashier STILL has to check it by marking it or holding it up in the light......:movingeye

I'm ok with that ! A $50 bill and the clerk rubs the yellow pen across it. No problem. I can instantly calculate a 15% tip. A great poker player can do head-math easily, a sports bettor has more time, but it's a skill that helps, it shows the right mindset to win. Does Daniel Negraneau have this ability ?, he has to !
 

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