Why can't I be good at math?

I'm in U of Michigan and I just can't EVER get the hang of doing math. I still need a few more so I can get into the Computer Science part (which I will try to major in and actually love doing I think)





I'm getting C+'s up to A-'s on math exams so far, so my gpa in math ends up being B's. No matter how hard I try (without killing myself over studying) I just seem to study the wrong materials in the exams.





If there are around 9 questions, I'd answer 5 in about 20 minutes like I just wrote a paper about it... The other 4, I spend the rest of the exam time on... Btw I just had a C in my first midterm and I studied enough I thought... I feel like dropping math altogether and do something easier





The Math department grades mercilessly (which is understandable; they don't give much partial grades) so I feel like an idiot to be honest (I don't study on my other classes and I get B+'s with it) :(





Can anyone tell me how to get better?

Why can't I be good at math?
I went to Purdue and I ran into the same problem....The only way that I could get better grades was to take my math classes in summer school. The classes were smaller, I had more one on one attention, and the teacher would explain what was going to be on the test so it would eliminate studying the wrong thing. I took my summer math at Indiana University. There would have been no way that I could gotten good grades at Purdue. I could not even pass the math class that was a precursor to the class I was supposed to be in.





Yeah math sucks --





Does your class offer any free tutor help or a help room? Those are good places to go because usually it is the TA from the class in the room so they go over exactly what you need.
Reply:your brain just isn't wired that way...seriously





but keep trying, get tutoring, there are online resources, check out videos at the library.
Reply:Some people are good at mathematics, some arent. I am skilled with maths, and the only advice i can give you is try to really understand what you are doing. All forms of math equations, geometry etc have formulas and rules. Dont think, "how am i going to apply this formula?", think WHY.





Once you understand what you are actually doing, you can do any form of equation etc etc If your marks dont improve, dont worry, not being mathematically minded is alright.





But for anything you do, understand when, how and why you are using a certain method. Practise from simple to more difficult exercises, and prepare yourself for anything. I hope this helps, although i may have told you nothing :S
Reply:im not good at math either. its just i cant pay attention to learn the lessons, im easily distracted.

gardenia