Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Question for the math geeks, (self.Blind)
submitted by shasha_neequa
How do you do long math problems ? Like integrals or even long division. I used to transcribe nemeth braille, and while the problem seems to be neat and understandable, how do you do the work for it ?
PS I am sighted , and an advocate for the blind. In Newark NJ and hosting a diversity event next month to bring sighted and blind people together to sculpt and socialize and have food. I'll probably post more about it :)
PS I am sighted , and an advocate for the blind. In Newark NJ and hosting a diversity event next month to bring sighted and blind people together to sculpt and socialize and have food. I'll probably post more about it :)
fastfinge 3 points 6y ago
I used an Abacus myself right up to grade 10 or so. Though showing my work was always a challenge. After grade 10, I moved to a computer with a Braille display.
awesomesaucesaywhat 3 points 6y ago
Did you have to take geometry, algebra, and calculus?
fastfinge 2 points 6y ago
Yup. Those were the part of math that started me moving towards the computer. I could do it in Braille up through grade 9, no farther.
shasha_neequa [OP] 2 points 6y ago
wow I wonder how it was like before computers. What would you miss most about tech if it was suddenly taken away?
fastfinge 2 points 6y ago
EVERYTHING! Today, I read ebooks on my phone. I use it for GPS while traveling. I keep my calendar online. I communicate with people via Email, Facebook, etc. I store my recipes on the computer. I can't think of a single thing I do that doesn't involve tech in some way.
Graham87 2 points 6y ago
When I was in school, I used a computer and calculator notation as /u/Codeofdusk mentioned for simple maths problems, but for more complex problems I preferred to use Braille; it was just easier having my working at my fingertips. I didn't have access to a Braille display, so I just used a $1, a Braille typewriter. It was clunky but it worked. I'm in Australia so our maths courses are a bit different to the US and Canada; I did your equivalent of Algebra I and II, a bit of calculus, and your equivalent to Prob-Stats ... but no geometry. I also did a maths enrichment course run by a university that focused on problem-solving. I didn't use Nemeth Braille; I used the Australian Braille maths code, which is less efficient. It's a bit like the new Unified English Braille maths code.
codeofdusk 2 points 6y ago
shasha_neequa [OP] 1 points 6y ago
Oh cool! My computer science friends use LaTeX for writing papers I think, I'll have to ask them more about it.
How do you do scratch work though? Do you think everything through and write your final steps in LaTeX? Or does an assignment usually start off as a mess and you clean it at the end ? I ask because I am really dependent on scribbling calculations on the side of my paper so my assignment looks clean, was wondering what it's like for you.
How do you do scratch work though? Do you think everything through and write your final steps in LaTeX? Or does an assignment usually start off as a mess and you clean it at the end ? I ask because I am really dependent on scribbling calculations on the side of my paper so my assignment looks clean, was wondering what it's like for you.
codeofdusk 1 points 6y ago
Before Pre-Calculus, I used what I call "calculator notation." Basically writing everything as it would appear on a scientific calculator. So + for addition, - for subtraction, * for multiplication and / for division. ^ for exponentiation, sqrt(x) for the square root of x, nrt(x) for the nth root of x. Fractions were written (numerator)/(denominator). Vectors were written vec(x,y). Absolute value abs(x) or |x|. The measure of angle ABC was written mangle ABC. Angle, ray, line, line segment, congruent, parallel and perpendicular written as words. I sometimes still use that system for scratchwork but 99% of the time I just write everything out in LaTeX (too much potential for ambiguity in calculator notation). Sometimes I use a halfway system between TeX and calculator notation. Unfortunately some long expressions can be really verbose (I've considered learning a Braille math code for personal use, but when I tried Braille math in elementary/primary school it was nothing but disaster).
Edit: more on my workflow: here's how I'd work out a simple linear equation:
Let's do the equation 2x+3=4x
I start by copying the equation to my clipboard and pasting it on another line. I then "move the 3 to the other side" by subtracting 3 from both sides of the = side on the second line:
2x+3-3=4x-3
Copy-paste once again, and on the new line delete +3-3 (it equals zero):
2x=4x-3
We've isolated x, but we need to divide a 2 through. Copy-paste again, and perform the division on the new line:
2x\div 2=4x\div 2-3\div 2
Copy-paste again, delete 2/2 (it equals 1):
x=4x\div 2-3\div 2
4/2=2, so copy-paste and simplify:
x=2x-3\div 2
Copy-paste and move 2x:
x-2x=2x-2x-3\div 2
2x-2x=0, copy-paste again:
x-2x=-3\div 2
x-2x=-x so once again we simplify:
-x=-3\div 2
Copy-paste, delete negative signs, and make 3/2 look better:
x=\frac{3}{2}
Please let me know if anything is unclear/you want me to show you how I'd work out other types of problems.
Edit: more on my workflow: here's how I'd work out a simple linear equation:
Let's do the equation 2x+3=4x
I start by copying the equation to my clipboard and pasting it on another line. I then "move the 3 to the other side" by subtracting 3 from both sides of the = side on the second line:
2x+3-3=4x-3
Copy-paste once again, and on the new line delete +3-3 (it equals zero):
2x=4x-3
We've isolated x, but we need to divide a 2 through. Copy-paste again, and perform the division on the new line:
2x\div 2=4x\div 2-3\div 2
Copy-paste again, delete 2/2 (it equals 1):
x=4x\div 2-3\div 2
4/2=2, so copy-paste and simplify:
x=2x-3\div 2
Copy-paste and move 2x:
x-2x=2x-2x-3\div 2
2x-2x=0, copy-paste again:
x-2x=-3\div 2
x-2x=-x so once again we simplify:
-x=-3\div 2
Copy-paste, delete negative signs, and make 3/2 look better:
x=\frac{3}{2}
Please let me know if anything is unclear/you want me to show you how I'd work out other types of problems.
shasha_neequa [OP] 1 points 6y ago
This has been more detailed than I could have hoped!! Thanks!
I don't know if I mentioned this but I am a transcriber of Nemeth Braille. Is that the math braille you spoke of?
I don't know if I mentioned this but I am a transcriber of Nemeth Braille. Is that the math braille you spoke of?
codeofdusk 1 points 6y ago
I said "math Braille" as there are a few codes in active use; Nemeth, used in some parts of the US, old phased-out national Braille math codes (for the UK and Australia) and the new $1 math code, now used in the majority of the English-speaking world. Not to mention the Braille codes used in other languages besides English.
Many people who do higher-level math prefer Nemeth for efficiency (they say it takes fewer cells to convey information than the equivalent in UEB), but I can't comment from experience as it never really worked for me (then again, I'm a fairly slow Braille reader to start with).
Many people who do higher-level math prefer Nemeth for efficiency (they say it takes fewer cells to convey information than the equivalent in UEB), but I can't comment from experience as it never really worked for me (then again, I'm a fairly slow Braille reader to start with).
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