I loved math until I hit calculus. It was years before I finally figured it out on my own, and realized that my math professor sucked. Good math teachers are crucial.
I was good until Integral. I got Differential, after a couple of detours. And I get Integral conceptually, but I can't integrate anything but the simplest equation.
Same here. As a matter of fact, I felt that I was good enough at math/algebra/trigonometry (etc) that, when I arrived at the Naval Academy, they asked me if I wanted to be in their first class of Calculus with Computers. I was full of enough piss-and-vinegar that I said "Of course".
Total flameout! I don't know whether it was the combination of trying to learn the calculus at the same time as computers (or what passed for computers in 1972) or it was just simply beyond my understanding. Functions did not make sense and "imaginary numbers" made the final drawing stroke across my throat.
I'm still pretty good at math and the like, but my "math ego" certainly took a critical hit from calculus.
I didn't mind calculus. The symbols and terminology were confusing but the basic idea wasn't so bad.
Don't get me started on trigonometry, though. I really hated that.
You are correct. Same experience. As for algebra, I’m no math whiz, but the most important thing I learned from that subject was when you are having trouble solving a problem...math or otherwise...try inverting. I do that at least once a week. Thank you, Jacobi.