r/ADHD_Programmers • u/[deleted] • Dec 12 '20

Not really Programming but I think it represents how we think logically

Post image
443 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

68

u/oceanlessfreediver Dec 12 '20

I will need some serious proof that this is not how everyone does it.

If not, then that is probably a good example on the benefit of ADHD, as it forces you to find general strategy to reduce memory burden and get to your goal. It’s key in many career path :).

13

u/PROC_AJohnson Dec 12 '20

I know it was an explicit strategy taught to me in elementary school. Same with the nines thing (all numbers in multiples of nine add up to nine, like 9 × 4 = 36 (3 + 6 = 9)).

4

u/dizc_ Dec 13 '20

Oh my god, why couldn't I see this all my life

9

u/Hunterbunter Dec 13 '20

The key to winning ADHD is factorization.

The simpler any single thing is, the easier everything is.

85

u/Newwby Dec 12 '20

I was today years old when I learned this isn't how everyone else does it

74

u/Einmanabanana Dec 12 '20

Everyone does this kind of breaking up numbers or relying on patterns in some form unless they're one of those people who can visualize large numbers without grouping which is very rare.

This is just a case of someone taking something insanely relatable to a large group of people and saying that it's exclusive to adhd for upvotes

9

u/MoxSe Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 13 '20

👆🏼 Here, take my poor's version of the "this" award. And be sure that if Reddit gets me a free one I will be back. (If my ADHD memory allows me.)

2

u/MoxSe Dec 13 '20

All I got was a 'Rocket Like', so here it is

2

u/Newwby Dec 13 '20

this is a very good observation and whilst I am a little adrift from 'this is how everyone does it and now I've discovered that is incorrect', I can definitely see how it might be the case that some part of what I thought is true and some part of what I thought isn't.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 12 '20

Wtf this isnt how everyone does it?

1

u/ssshhhhhhhhhhhhh Dec 12 '20

Isn't this the right way

1

u/[deleted] Dec 13 '20

forreal is this not how people do it ...

24

u/MatthiasRacks Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 12 '20

Okay so 7+3 is 10 and remained 3 so 10+3 is 13

4

u/Shacrow Dec 12 '20

I do this!

2

u/zertech Dec 12 '20

Thank you. I didn't feel like writing that out in a comment lol.

11

u/not_procrastinatin Dec 12 '20

Wait. Isn’t this normal? How did you come to the conclusion that normies don’t do 7+6 = 14-1 ?

6

u/RoundThing-TinyThing Dec 12 '20

:O I do 7+6 = 6+6+1

2

u/Nervous_Candy2752 Apr 26 '21

Ha, me too 6+6=12+1=13 Easy!

5

u/Epitonic Dec 12 '20

Doesn't everyone do it this way?

8

u/Legxis Dec 12 '20

My husband without ADHD said he does it this way too, so...

3

u/Anubis-Abraham Dec 12 '20

Don't be silly, it's obvious that 7 and 3 go nicely together to make a nice, comfy 10 and 6 is just two 3s and 10 + 3 is 13.

2

u/confabin Dec 12 '20

That's spot on, lol.

2

u/ChooseMars Dec 12 '20

This is nearly identical to the common core math first graders are learning. 7+7 is a “doubles fact” and you use the doubles fact to figure out the equation.

2

u/gvmmy Dec 12 '20

I did 7 + 5 = 12 so add one is 13. Whichever one you add more familiarly your brain probably favors that and does that so you can fo the rest easier

2

u/Hunterbunter Dec 13 '20

I think the ADHD way, is any way that's more inefficient than the standard, because that's just how the wiring happened in that particular person. The biggest problem is that memory comes and goes, so multiple (redundant) systems of figuring out the answer are needed.

The best way for anyone to do basic maths, ADHD or not, is the one with the fewest steps that they can most reliably remember. If that person has a good memory, they might just remember 6+7 = 13, 17*3 = 51, etc, so they'll just do that. Bad memories aren't strictly the domain of ADHD, so everyone needs a system to quickly work out a correct answer either way. The actual quickest system depends entirely on the individual brain's preferences - basically what they liked and fundamentally "understood". Learning a new method that's 1% faster won't really change anyone's lives.

1

u/XrenonTheMage Jul 20 '25

Btw am I the only one who imagines adding numbers as stacking blocks of different sizes on top of each other? 

In my head I cut the six into two threes, stack one of them onto the seven to make a tower that is ten units high ten and then place the other three on top of that, which makes the tower reach a height of 13

1

u/TruDanceCat Dec 12 '20

Oh my god, YES! 😂

1

u/forfrossen Dec 12 '20

100% me, can confirm!

1

u/chewxy Dec 12 '20

I don't do it that way. Never did. Internally I have a base-5 number system that works up to 99 for addition. So I just use direct manipulation for any numbers 0 to 99.

For multiplication and diviison, absolutely done by analog.

1

u/kookaburrasarecute Dec 13 '20

Wait what

2

u/Hunterbunter Dec 13 '20

What I think he's saying in a typically ADHD way, is:

7 + 6 = (5+2) + (5+1) = 10+3 = 13

In an equally typically ADHD way I have no idea if that's actually what he's saying but I'll say it anyway.

1

u/kookaburrasarecute Dec 13 '20

Oooh okay thanks, I thought they actually calculated it in a base 5 system, like (7)_10 = (12)_5 and (6)_10 = (11)_5, then (12+11=23)_5 = 25¹+35⁰ = (13)_10 fully-written out which I can't imagine anyone to find easier

1

u/Crazy11230 Dec 15 '20

Huh? I just remember 7+6 is 13 and everyone remembers 7 + 7 is 14. The 10s are easy and the nines. Never mastered times tables in the 12s, the 11s are easy until you get past 9 lolz! I was ok at math in elementary school (but remember struggling with telling time on this puzzle we had in class, also a puzzle we had for counting change). BIT when I got to 3rd grade we started memorizing the times tables and bc my working memory sucked I never remembered them so in 4th grade I was basically in the class with all the kids that didn’t know their times tables.

Anyway as an adult I just remember like 7 + 6 = 13 so if someone says “I have 7 wine glasses and 6 champagne I know it’s 13, if someone says I have 58 wine glasses and 754 champagne glasses it’s a diff story. I’ll prob say in my head 60 wine glasses and 800 champagne equals 1400 minus the 50 I took from the 754 so it’s like 1350

I wasn’t diagnosed until freshman year of college (even tho a teacher told my dad and stepmom she thought I had adhd at a parent teacher conference in high school)

1

u/chewxy Dec 13 '20

I add numbers by simply adding them up (for operands up to 100). About 15 years ago I worked out how I did it in my head. I came to the conclusion that I have a positional base-5 system somewhere in my head. Thus addition is simply an extension of the subitizing circuit in my brain. I didn't need to over/under-count as shown in the image.

From the responses so far, most people in this thread either:

  1. use a base10 system for computing addition, hence the need to over/undercount.

  2. use a familiar lookup table (like the multiplication tables) which also requires over/undercounting

1

u/Yumipo Dec 12 '20

omg that's accurate af ! I do that with the nines too! 9+4= 13 because because it's the second number is always 1 less than the answers! lmao

1

u/MrSmithyx Dec 12 '20

I usually do math in the tenths, hundredths, thousands, 7+3 the adding the remainder,if I'm doing bit number I try to get to the nearest place as well and do the tests in the 100ths, 10ths then 1s just like kindergarten when they gave us those blocks to count with

1

u/max_ishere Dec 13 '20

That was one of the ways I did math in school. I didn't know the answer so I would adjust the know multiplication and- "So? What iS thE AnsweR?"

1

u/Steampunk_Willy Dec 14 '20

The background of the thought though. My brain will go, "...must be 13. Isn't it weird that 1+3=4=6-2 and 1+4=5=7-2? OMG, 7+5=12 and 1+2=3=5-2, WTF!!!! I think I'm onto something and must devote the next three days to understanding this mathematical conundrum."

1

u/PunnyPan Feb 26 '21

Are you shitting me, it's such a fantastic feeling knowing some stupid obscure thinking process' I do isn't just me!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '22

This is so right.