When and how did math click for you?

[physicsboard]

Although it's been said, I have yet to wake up and think 'so that's how that math thing works'

however, I find every time I finish a year and have a summer break, I find upon my return what was once the shaky structure is now embedded in the foundation from which to further build. That said, I probably couldn't solve most of the stuff I was doing at the end of the previous semester, but the underlying rules and structure seem natural as opposed to confusing or contradictory.

 

[bluemoonKY]

Math has clicked for me more than once.

First time I can remember was after learning division in elementary school, later that day my dad taught me binary. Realizing arithmetic worked in binary was an amazing discovery for me; realizing counting made sense in a new way, also had a huge impact on me.

I know that one (rough) definition of binary is something that deals with two, but I think Gale is talking about something beyond that definition when she speaks of binary.

What does binary mean in mathematics beyond the definition I already stated above? Gale, what does it mean when you say you realized arithmetic worked in binary?

 

[Mentalist]

When I was in HS, I called up the prettiest girl in the class to ask if we could study together. That's when it clicked for me.

Lies...

I understand math in the sense of completing problems and applying it to some situations. But mostly, I feign understanding to myself in the hopes that one day it will 'click'.

 

[wukunlin]

when i was 4 and my mother commented how i could write the number "2" calligraphically with a pencil all the time

 

[Astronuc]

I was just wondering how old you were, and what got you to finally understand math?

4th grade. The music teacher confiscated my math book during music lesson, and my 4th teacher admonished me for being so far ahead of the class. I didn't show my work because I did it in my head instead of canceling and carrying over with pencil and paper.

We also had math contests with flash cards where the teacher would call out a number and we had to pick the card with the appropriate dyadic scalar operation to solve the problem. I found myself considering whether or not I should not respond so quickly and let a girl in whom I was interested win the contest. I chose to answer the problems quickly and win the contest. I was subsequently given the name Spock because of my interest in math and science, my generally serious demeanor, and my resemblance (mainly my hair) to the character on Star Trek.

Between 4th and 5th grade, I was introduced to matrices and matric algebra during a summer program.

Unfortunately, my education in primary school was rather incongruous.