Numerical skills are a set of mathematical skills that include the ability to understand and analyze numerical information in order to draw logical conclusions and make multiple decisions to solve problems. Not only that, but these skills also include the ability to express ideas and situations using numbers and various other mathematical information. Having mathematical skills does not necessarily mean being a genius in mathematics and arithmetic. Intelligence is not limited to mathematical prowess alone, and success does not depend only on having the ability to solve complex mathematical problems. In fact, what we mean by “mathematical skills” here is having an acceptable background and basic skills in some mathematical subjects. In today’s article, we will learn about the most important mathematical skills and the best ways to develop and enhance them.
What are the most important math skills?
Arithmetic skills are not limited to numbers and arithmetic operations, as they may expand to include a number of other skills that may appear to the first-time viewer to be far from mathematics. Here is a list of the most important skills that fall under the umbrella of numeracy skills:
- Knowledge related to numbers and shapes.
- The ability to understand the relationships between numbers.
- The ability to translate sports information.
- The ability to remember.
- Information visualization.
- Argumentation and logical thinking skills.
- Calculation skills.
- The ability to understand business tendencies and trends in various fields.
- language skills.
- Measurement and analysis skills.
- The ability to work with graphic information and computer programs specialized in it.
How do I develop my math skills?
You may wonder if you are really qualified to have mathematical skills, especially if your inclinations and interests are far from the scientific and mathematical fields. Don’t worry; we don’t ask you to become an expert solver of complex math problems, and we won’t burden you with difficult exercises and impossible math tasks. All you have to do is follow and adhere to the following simple tips to acquire the mathematical skills required in the job market.
1. Try math games.
Sports games are a great way to develop your math skills. Simply type “Math Games” into your phone’s app store or on your browser, and a long list of the best games in the field will appear. Download what you like, and enjoy your time playing and learning at the same time.
2- Make mathematics a part of your life.
Use mathematical equations in your daily life and make them part of your routine, as this step helps you maintain your mathematical skills and protects them from fading due to lack of use. You can, for example, do the following:
- When you pay for your purchases, try to calculate the remainder before it appears on the payment machine screen.
- While watching a program on TV or online, if a commercial appears while you are watching, try to calculate the remaining time of the program you are watching.
- When in a theater or cinema hall, count the number of seats on one side and use them to find out the total number of seats. You can apply this method to counting the number of windows in a building, the number of lights in a ceiling, or the like.
- Instead of asking someone how old they are, ask them what year they were born in and calculate their age yourself.
- Calculate the number of days left until your birthday or your friends’ birthday.
- When traveling by car, try to estimate the distance you have traveled, then check it with the meter in your car.
- Change the ingredients of a particular recipe to serve 4 people instead of 10, for example, without using a calculator.
- Calculate the number of hours left to finish your shift at work or university.
3- Look at the big picture
Of course, it’s easy to get frustrated if all you do to improve your math skills is memorize mathematical laws and parrot them. Instead, try to look at the bigger picture, or, in other words, learn more about this mathematical law. Take, for example, the Pythagorean rule relating to the lengths of the sides of a right-angled triangle. Learn about Pythagoras. Who is this mathematician? How did he study triangles? How did he come up with this law, and why was he interested in it in the first place? Knowing such details will give you a deeper understanding of the mathematical laws and thus make them easier to apply and deal with.
4- Persist in practicing
Mathematics is considered an independent language, or any other language. They use numbers, arithmetic, and algebraic equations to express the relationships between numbers and explain different ideas. As is the case with learning languages, continuous practice and exercise are necessary; knowing the rules alone is not enough to master the language, and the same applies to arithmetic skills, as memorizing laws and proofs alone will not give you strong arithmetic skills; training and exercise on a daily basis is what achieves this goal for you.
As a result, we discover that arithmetic skills are not an impossibility or a far-fetched fantasy, but rather the ability to be the same as the case of various flexible skills that develop and advance with practice and perseverance. And if you find yourself unable to acquire these skills despite all your attempts, do not despair or be sad; remember that every person on this earth has strengths and weaknesses.
Read also: Organizational skills and the best ways to develop them
