Suck at Mental Math

I’m honestly terrible at mental math — especially when it comes to adding and subtracting negatives and positives. It’s kind of funny because I do really well in adv math classes, but I've been way too reliant on a calculator. Does anyone have any websites or resources they’d recommend for practicing?

4 Comments
 

To improve your mental math skills, especially with adding and subtracting negatives and positives, here are some actionable resources and tips based on the most helpful WSO content:

  1. MathHeads.net: This is a gamified platform designed to enhance mental math and analytical skills. It offers three difficulty levels (easy, medium, and hard) and is available on both desktop and mobile. Practicing on MathHeads for just a week can significantly boost your confidence and speed.

  2. TraderTest.org: This site is specifically recommended for practicing speed math tests. Start with the easy section and aim for 15 reps daily. It’s a great way to simulate the pressure of timed tests and improve your accuracy.

  3. Daily Practice Routine: Dedicate 30-40 minutes daily to mental math exercises. Track your progress by writing down your scores and observing your improvement over time. This method helps build intuition and confidence.

  4. Mental Math Tricks: A simple trick shared in WSO threads is to round numbers for easier calculations. For example, instead of adding 17, add 20 and subtract 3. This approach simplifies calculations and reduces errors.

By consistently practicing with these tools and techniques, you’ll see noticeable improvements in your mental math abilities.

Sources: MathHeads.net - Level up your mental math skills, Does anyone know of any sources online to learn more math/statistics?, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/school/how-i-got-a-770-on-the-gmat-whitecollarandsuspenders-version?customgpt=1, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/trading/the-definitive-trick-to-passing-a-prop-trading-math-test?customgpt=1, Mental Math -- How to Start?

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Secrets of Mental Math by Arthur Benjamin. Starts of kind of basic but gets interesting quick. I was pleasantly surprised I was already doing some of the tricks. 

 

Ea sunt itaque non eius ipsum et. Magni reiciendis voluptatum magnam consequatur quam molestias. Provident molestias voluptatem aut ut est repellat magni id. Eveniet consequatur facere ea autem dolore sit labore. Fuga quo error ad sed.

Omnis ipsa exercitationem dignissimos aut ipsa. Voluptatem deleniti aspernatur eum nostrum voluptatem quia. Qui perspiciatis molestiae et repellendus voluptatibus ut maiores. Et natus illo nisi ea tenetur illum sint. Veniam sed minus beatae necessitatibus deleniti et enim.

incentives trumph ethics

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”