For the love of calculators
You know what I like to use when I am doing a math problem?
A calculator.
When I was learning long division and complicated multiplication as a kid, you know what I reassured myself I would be able to use as an adult?
A calculator.
You know what is not allowed on the ACE personal trainer exam?
A calculator.
Yeah, they give you a dry erase board and a marker.
I took a practice exam last night, and tried to remember the division and multiplication without cheating (using a calculator).
Yeah. That didn’t go so well.
165/.85, 35,000/60, 108×4, 200 x .5 (to .8), 20 x 1 (to .2).
Some of them went better than others (thankfully). Multiplication is easier.
I asked Steven to help me with some of the decimal point division and he jokingly suggested that I just look at the multiple choice answers and use multiplication in reverse. Ha ha.
I told him, I was going to ask Bobbi‘s kids to reteach this stuff to me. We both decided that would look REALLY bad.
So.
Time to relearn some math.
They actually offer a math refresher course. Looks like I will be taking it.
When my parents visited in May we were playing Triominoes and I was the score keeper for awhile. Until everyone realized that I am not that great at math. As my dad took over as score keeper, we all discussed how we do math calculations in our head, and I found out that I am taking a lot of extra steps to figure things out. I waste a lot of time breaking numbers in to easily management increments in my head, then I have to keep track what I split the number in to, and so on. It’s really weird.
Anyway. Enough about math.
The good news is, I can tell you how to calculate your desired body weight based on lean body weight and desired body fat. I can tell you how many grams of protein the book thinks you need. How fast the book thinks you should lose weight. How much water you should drink before, during and after you work out. And much more.
I am just FULL of useful information.
Ha ha.
Sigh.
Themocracy
at one of walk to run sessions, they had someone who broke down the amount of protein one needs based on their weight/activity level/etc…it was complicated!
I minored in math in college… but that doesn’t mean that I don’t use a calculator (or excel spreadsheet) for a lot of my calculations. It’s funny how advanced math is so much easier for me than basic math.
Sounds like you are food at math, just not arithmetic. You can set up the problem. I’m like that too.
Do you know how to estimate? That always helps me get the ballpark of the right answer so I can check to make sure I didn’t come up with something weird or oddball.
Yeah! I can set it up, just can’t get the answer.
Gosh. And I am not sure I even know how to estimate. UGHGHGHGHGH.
math sucks. and since my oldest took after me in the love of math it’s a lot of fun during homework time. lol
I’d love to help you! Not only because I love math but because I’d love to hang out. I’d prefer running but i do have mathy skills. Math and I are friends. I’ll introduce you.
YAY! Thank you so much! See you tonight! 🙂
P.S. I owe you BIG time (in advance).
You know how I feel about math. 🙂 But I get that not everyone can do it in their head, and I’ve always thought it’s weird that calculators aren’t allowed for certain tests, since pretty much everyone always has access to them anymore.
And actually, Steven’s advice is something I heard when prepping for the SAT, so it’s not the worst thing to take advantage of the multiple choices. I’m sure you wouldn’t be the first to do it!
You little math nerd. Hee hee 🙂 I LOVE spreadsheets. And calculators. Doing it in my head? Uh, no.
I am happy Steven pointed that out, as it may resort to that!
I forgot my calculator for my Accounting final in College… I ended up retaking the class, WOMP.
Now, there is this: http://www.wolframalpha.com/
80085 lawls
Oh wow! Thanks for the link! That is very helpful! 🙂 🙂 🙂
80085!!!! Ha hahaah
I’m right there with you on the math. Ew. Chris (the husband) is taking an IT certification test and it requires long hand multiplication and division. Not fun.
And I really how you are saying “what the books says” because that is so true! It is so variable.
It’s so interesting, I missed a practice test question, because I was thinking about the rate I do something, not what the book says. Derp. I need to break that habit!
boobs. heh. back in the day of the pager, I used to page John with 80881 🙂
I heart math, and am good at it, as are my hubs and kids. you have lots of help around (Riyanti is the BOMB) if you need it – ASK!
When I first started my job I had to do a bunch of calculations and I hated it! Then I had a student worker help me set up the formulas in Excel. It seems so silly that those tests don’t include a calculator function. The testing programs and facilities are just so antiquated (says the girl who had to do an essay format certification exam that didn’t have spellcheck).
WHAT? No spell check?! No. Just, no.
When I was talking to Lisa, I was like, “Why can’t they build in a calculator!” Le sigh. Riyanti will teach me. If anyone can, it’s her. Ha.
No. Spell. Check. Any words in the questions I couldn’t remember how to spell I wrote down on my dry erase board so I could refer to them later 🙂
I got seriously excited when I was studying for the GRE because I got to do a lot of math! I can’t do it all in my head and I usually need a piece of paper so I can write it out.
If you need more help, let me know!
Hee hee, that is awesome!
Thanks! I will let you know 🙂
I suck at math. Just ask Bobbi lol. Yup. That’s all.
LOL!
Seriously?!?!? They don’t allow you to have a calculator!?!?!?
When I was in college, my tax professor let us use our textbooks to take the exams because it mimicked real life. To do your taxes, you don’t memorize the tax code – so why test you as if you had to, right? Makes perfect sense to me! And in real life, you’ll be able to whip out a calculator in your training digs! So that seems like kind of a raw deal that you have to brush up on your math skills for this (coming from someone who has completely lost the ability to calculate anything without some, uh, help. Hello, Microsoft Excel. =D )
Also, irl, I would have this book to reference… ha ha ha. I wish I could bring both. That is cool you got to bring your textbook!
Boo to the test for not allowing a calculator! 🙁 Matt and I are naturally good at math and Bryson is a math whiz! Seriously, that kid is working about two grade levels ahead in math. It’s nuts.
As a teacher, if my students didn’t know an answer we would talk about strategies to try and find the answer. It’s a very important skill! Steven’s advice is definitely something I would tell my students. We would have them cross out the answers they know are wrong (there’s always one that doesn’t even make sense) and then proceed from there. Since multiplication is easier, I would totally flip the question, use the answers provided, and multiply. You have to use what you can to figure out what you don’t know!
That is awesome that Bryson is so good. Hmm, wonder where he got it?! 😉
Riyanti was saying she teaches that as a strategy too, so I plan to do that! I just need to look at my notes and see how to do the backwards math again. It’s so cool that teachers help with test taking strategy now!
Both my daughter and I have a hard time with math. She struggles with it now (it’s her last test to pass for her GED) and I avoid it at all costs. Although I should say we both understand the basics and a good deal of daily life needs math. Just not trig or geometry or calculus.
WHA? I’d totally need the calculator.
No calculators, I would have to cram hard for that!
Do you not agree with the protein or other calculation recommendations in the book? (The way you said it made me think not.) Hey, Personal Trainer Lady, I’ll ask you to calculate these things for me, but you can use a calculator. 😉
I have no idea about the protein – I am sure it is mostly accurate. I was just thinking about how their recommendations are completely different than what works for me 🙂 Yes! Thanks for letting me use a calculator. Someone sat down next to me at the testing center, with a calculator (he was taking a different test). So jealous (until I realized none of that math crap was on there except making me calculate BMI (wtf) and a question about calories from fat).