does maths ability have a shelf life?

[rootsnall]

I did a Maths degree and I struggle to do a long division now. I think practice would bring it back if you could overcome being old, lazy and convince yourself it wasn't all a load of bollards.

[dang65]

I learned Italian to a reasonable standard at work about 15 years ago. I used to use it regularly and went to Milan and Rome for stints of work. I've kept it on my CV, but I've pretty much forgotten the whole lot due to total lack of practice since I left that job. I've no idea whether it would come back quite quickly or if I'd have to start again from scratch. Terrible waste, but I've really had no occasion to use it for years and years now.

Couldn't do Maths in the first place though, so that's not a problem.

[ratewhore]

Just accept you're a div and move on...

[Xenophon]

Just accept you're a div and move on...

Done.

[aussielong]

accounting

i'm struggling with some accountancy concepts, aswell as derivs maths

to skill up i've gone back to real basics such as probability. i've got through an excellent probablility book. which i'll have to read again. next i'm going to revisit calculus. after that differential equations.

i used to be good at pure maths and hopeless at applied, now i have to have a concrete example to be able to grasp the abstract stuff

i've effectively become more stupid

[ratewhore]

to skill up i've gone back to real basics such as probability. i've got through an excellent probablility book. which i'll have to read again. next i'm going to revisit calculus. after that differential equations.

[oracleslave]

i've effectively become more stupid

just remember to keep breathing

[Advocate]

i got an A in maths A-level 15 years ago but didnt touch it since

now i've come back to it and im trying to pick up fairly hard maths in work and im really really struggling to grasp it conceptually

am i out of practice, is "maths thinking" something i can get back into, or have 15 years of living well put it out of reach?

Ahem...

http://www.xkcd.com/447/

[Xenophon]

just remember to keep breathing

Top tip that one.

[sasguru]

i'm struggling with some accountancy concepts, aswell as derivs maths

to skill up i've gone back to real basics such as probability. i've got through an excellent probablility book. which i'll have to read again. next i'm going to revisit calculus. after that differential equations.

i used to be good at pure maths and hopeless at applied, now i have to have a concrete example to be able to grasp the abstract stuff

i've effectively become more stupid

You need to enjoy the stuff - so start gently.
Look up these books on amazon:

The Pleasures of Probability
Forgotten Calculus

They are relatively gently paced and can form the foundation for moving on.