Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional what would cause difficulty with algebra?

I believe I am probably a carrier or have tourettes (but it showed as OCD in me). I tested gifted as a child, read constantly, am an excellent speller and pretty much could do anything I set my mind to...

except algebra.

Even with a lot of studying I still had difficulty. I am now finding that both my children are 2e, one with TS+ one with primarily OCD symptoms - and both have separation anxiety.

So far they seem okay at math. I did find with standard math but once I got to algebra no matter how much I tried I failed at it. I could pass it, but just barely.

I am now wondering if there is some neurobiological reason for my inability to do algebra.... I have no problem with regular calculations, and can build anything from a plan or without one (I can make my own plan). My brother also had difficulty, but learned higher maths because he had to to go into the field he went into.

Just wondering...

I'm not sure of the cause of your difficulties with algebra specifically but the problem is not yours alone. There is a lot of debate and research into struggles with math and algebra in particular. Moving from concrete representations of numbers to abstraction involved in algebra is frequently mentioned but that would appear to be a symptom and not a cause. Why some people struggle with abstraction is a bigger question.

http://hepg.org/hel-home/issues/28_3/helarticle/the-algebra-problem_533

http://www.nctm.org/news/content.aspx?id=12332

http://usablealgebra.landmark.edu/instructor-training/math-deficits-why-do-students-struggle/

I am going to read these thanks! When I looked at this before (just doing a google search) there also seemed to be quite a few people trying to get a college art degree who couldn't pass it... I did pass it barely and to my humiliation because I had really tried (to this day when I am slow with something my DH teases me by saying "O4O" which is the course number of the algebra class I had to pass to graduate), and I did get my degree in fine arts.. so it's a stretch but I was wondering if it could be related to that as well. But I am sure there are some artists out there that are probably math whizzes too...