This is where I fall down when it comes to maths: I have slight dyscalculia anyway, but I really struggle with basic mathematical concepts.
I can understand that 0x4=0 because you have zero to start with. You can't multiply nothing. But when the whole thing is flipped and the sum is 4x0, I can't process it. At all. Because, to me, you have 4 of something to start with, so you must still have that at the end. If I have 4 cakes and I multiply them by nothing, I still have 4 cakes - not zero. The cakes haven't vanished.
It honestly makes no sense to me at all.
I had severe troubles with this when I was a child, even though I was pretty good at school. Math was the only subject where I ever needed after-school-assistance from the teacher.
What helped me is thinking it this way:
You have 4 cakes lying on a table (1 table). If you multiply them by 2 (4x2), you have a set of four cakes on two tables (2 tables). Therefore, you have 8 table-lying-cakes in total. (4x2=8, or 4cakes_ON_2tables_IS_8tablecakes)
You have 4 cakes lying on a table. You have one table (1 table). Therefore, you have got a set of four cakes on one table. You have 4 table-lying-cakes in total.(4x1=4, or 4cakes_ON_1table_IS_4tablecakes)
You have 4 cakes. You don't have a table (0 tables). Therefore, you don't have ANY table-lying-cakes. (4x0=0, OR 4cakes_ON_not-even-a-single-table_IS_0tablecakes).
Or:
4 cakes existing once -> 4x1=4
4 cakes existing zero times -> 4x0=0
-> The cakes never existed. You've got zero cakes.
(If this made you sad, go buy some candy. You have my permission.)
.
www.small-screen.co.uk
