How Good is Your Memory?

[Hedgecutter]

Rather spookily, that multiplication is one I struggled with at school, and spent so long revising it that I've now burned into my memory. I know the answer of it instantly

I still struggle with times tables. 20th Century problem though seeing as virtually every computer and mobile phone has a calculator now.

My brother on the other hand knew all of his times tables before going to primary school - although he did sit and stare at the numbers on the microwave for entertainment!

[sampajack]

[sampajack]

After year's of excess my memory is like this charming chap

[Mr Prez]

.................................................................yesterday

[Cardinal Richelieu]

19QOS19's "memory palace" trick certainly works. It seems counter-intuitive that rather than learn a simple list of items, you need to basically construct a fictional world in your brain where you place objects, but it really does work and takes no time at all if you can already picture different places in your house, or a route you often walk. Workplaces also work well if you can picture where all your colleagues sit.. just imagine their reaction if you go and give them the random item (or hide it in their drawer, rub their face in it .. the more surreal the image the better it works).

Slightly harder to remember is long list of random numbers. One system is the mnemonic system, where each number is represented by a letter it looks like or sounds like. (e.g. 1 is L, 3 is M and 9 is b or p).

When you need to remember a long number, you can simply replace the numbers with letters and construct a nonsense sentence out of it, e.g. 465461431092 is replaced by RGLR GLRM LSBN.. Rugs Leer Goalie Room Lesbian. Easy enough to picture that in your mind and remember it as a sentence - even in the medium term. The harder part is, of course, translating to and from the long number, but like anything, with a lot of practice, it gets easier.

[atfccfc]

My Short term memory is absolutely shocking! I can go into a room with the intention of doing/ getting something and when I get there... mind goes blank, gone for ever. But my long term memory is outstanding. I can remember dacts and the most useless of information for years. It has got so bad I have a note book and write stuff down all the time. Which seems to help.

[Ross.]

I'm horrendous when it comes to remembering names, even folk I meet several times a week, but faces I can recognise even if I've only met the person once and it was several years ago. Always wondered what was going on with that.

[Hedgecutter]

I'm horrendous when it comes to remembering names, even folk I meet several times a week, but faces I can recognise even if I've only met the person once and it was several years ago. Always wondered what was going on with that.

I found that if I'm introduced to a random guy with the name e.g. Cameron, then all I need to do is imagine something like him getting taken from behind by David Cameron. Bizarre, extreme, but usually very successful. It's helped a lot, albeit a bit awkward speaking to him whilst sometimes getting images of the Prime Minister raping his arse whilst I'm trying to speak.

[Ross.]

I found that if I'm introduced to a random guy with the name e.g. Cameron, then all I need to do is imagine something like him getting taken from behind by David Cameron. Bizarre, extreme, but usually very successful. It's helped a lot, albeit a bit awkward speaking to him whilst sometimes getting images of the Prime Minister raping his arse whilst I'm trying to speak.

Is a not a tad embarrassing when he notices you have an erection?

[Hedgecutter]

Is a not a tad embarrassing when he notices you have an erection?

No. My imaginary David Cameron has had a stroke.

[calum_gers]

Rather spookily, that multiplication is one I struggled with at school, and spent so long revising it that I've now burned into my memory. I know the answer of it instantly

Is this some form of whoosh or are you boasting about knowing what 6x7 is?

[ARMAND IS THE ONE (TWO)]

I RE,NEWR C HELS WIN THE LEEEG BACK IN THE DAYs. CHEKS CHJEKLS C HEKS

[Nightmare]

Is this some form of whoosh or are you boasting about knowing what 6x7 is?

I don't think he is. It's like, if someone asked him 9x6, he'd have to think about it. Even if just for a fraction of a second, he'd have to think. But if 7x6 is asked he can give the answer immediately because it's a memory rather than logic.

Some shite like that.

[ARMAND IS THE ONE (TWO)]

I don't think he is. It's like, if someone asked him 9x6, he'd have to think about it. Even if just for a fraction of a second, he'd have to think. But if 7x6 is asked he can give the answer immediately because it's a memory rather than logic.

M8Some shite like that.

U WOT

[ayrmad]

What's your memory like in general?

For those that can, Try this link and let us know how you get on. The first one, I personally struggle with 5, succeeding maybe half the time (I can usually recite it but the last couple of digits just disappear from mind when I type the first 3 in). The second spatial one is a disaster. I get lost after the first 3 or 4 in normal order, never mind reverse.

For those that can be arsed reading my story: If you gave me 50 pictures, took them away and then went through a bigger selection saying "Did you see this one? What about this one?" then I'd get ~95% correct, if not 100%. However, if you asked me afterwards "Name as many as you can without me showing you any" then I'd be doing incredibly well to get even half of them.

Numbers however?! Forget it. 2 years from getting a new mobile, I still can't remember my number. I got stuck at the bus station a few weeks back when my mobile battery died (too much P&B!) because a year on from getting a new land-line, I couldn't remember the number (yeah, a mere but tricky six digits after the Aberdeen code) when I tried using a pay-phone. If you gave me the number 36423, I can guarantee you I won't be able to recite that in 5 mins time (in fact, I'm struggling already because I'm typing this). If you told me that number, waited 5 secs and then said 69735, there's no way I could tell you the first lot. I'd probably forget the second one too trying to remember the first.

Short term memory - I often left my desk for a cup of tea from the kitchen but if I got distracted by someone in the hall, I could head straight back to my desk, forgetting to go to the kitchen completely. When I do have a cup of tea, it's frequently found sitting on some other desk where I was 10 mins before. I am however told that I'm an encyclopedia of generally useless crap (which however is very useful for pub quizzes) and I can remember places I've been once several years ago as if I was just there last week (very, very handy when running field courses). Visual seems to be superb as long as I'm given enough time to process it.

Can anyone else here relate to this? A large part behind this is that I have a very mild but particular type of epilepsy and I'm trying to work out if this is a major reason behind it. A lot of folk keep saying "ach, we all forget things" but I'm not convinced it's as straight forward as that.

They can't be correct, I got 8 twice out of 2 shots on the 1st one and 7 on the spatial one, I know goldfish with better memory than myself.

[ayrmad]

19QOS19's "memory palace" trick certainly works. It seems counter-intuitive that rather than learn a simple list of items, you need to basically construct a fictional world in your brain where you place objects, but it really does work and takes no time at all if you can already picture different places in your house, or a route you often walk. Workplaces also work well if you can picture where all your colleagues sit.. just imagine their reaction if you go and give them the random item (or hide it in their drawer, rub their face in it .. the more surreal the image the better it works).

Slightly harder to remember is long list of random numbers. One system is the mnemonic system, where each number is represented by a letter it looks like or sounds like. (e.g. 1 is L, 3 is M and 9 is b or p).

When you need to remember a long number, you can simply replace the numbers with letters and construct a nonsense sentence out of it, e.g. 465461431092 is replaced by RGLR GLRM LSBN.. Rugs Leer Goalie Room Lesbian. Easy enough to picture that in your mind and remember it as a sentence - even in the medium term. The harder part is, of course, translating to and from the long number, but like anything, with a lot of practice, it gets easier.

That sort of technique just doesn't work for me, I have severe problems visualising things, no idea why I can't visualise,wish I could as it would certainly be something I would benefit from.

[ayrmad]

I don't think he is. It's like, if someone asked him 9x6, he'd have to think about it. Even if just for a fraction of a second, he'd have to think. But if 7x6 is asked he can give the answer immediately because it's a memory rather than logic.

Some shite like that.

It's actually frightening how many people don't have an automatic recollection of every product of the times tables.

[Hedgecutter]

It's actually frightening how many people don't have an automatic recollection of every product of the times tables.

Why 'frightening'?

[ayrmad]

Why 'frightening'?

Apart from those that have problems with figures I believe everyone should be able to multiply 6 and 7 together without thinking about it, if the basics aren't 2nd nature the difficult stuff will be an almighty struggle for most.

[Hedgecutter]

Apart from those that have problems with figures I believe everyone should be able to multiply 6 and 7 together without thinking about it, if the basics aren't 2nd nature the difficult stuff will be an almighty struggle for most.

I personally think "where in 21st Century life is the desperate need to know the answer to 6x7 off the top of your head?"... or any complex arithmetic.

I'm personally quite decent at many forms of maths even though I'm horrendous at arithmetic, despite numerous people deciding that arithmetic = maths. Don't get me started on non-calculator maths tests though!