Long division is my personal nemesis. It’s a relentless, time-consuming beast that feeds on my frustration. Back in 3rd grade, when my teacher attempted to introduce the class to long division, I simply couldn’t wrap my mind around it—and now, I find myself grappling with it again. Currently, in my Algebra 2 Honors class, we’ve just entered the 6th unit of the quarter, which, of course, happens to focus on polynomials.
I managed to handle the addition, subtraction, and multiplication of polynomials with ease, but now we’re diving into division. And what does the teacher want us to use? Long division of polynomials. Ugh, I can’t stand long division. Seriously. During our practice session today, I made a mistake on the very first question, leading to a page filled with crossed-out work. Meanwhile, the rest of the class zoomed ahead, leaving me stuck on a single problem. Frustrated, I threw in the towel and decided to tackle the rest at home.
I can’t believe how endlessly exhausting this process is for me. Every time I try, my brain feels like it’s short-circuiting; my logic crumbles, and somehow I convince myself that dividing 5r^3 by 5r yields 5r^2. It’s simply awful. The sheer agony of it all turns my blood to boiling lava. My hands sweat—despite my naturally dry skin—and my stress levels shoot through the roof. My face is on fire, my head is pounding like a ticking time bomb, and I can feel a migraine brewing, ominous like a storm on the horizon.
Every moment spent wrestling with the numbers feels like a descent into madness, where each figure mocks me. Honestly, if Edgar Allan Poe had written about long division, it would be depicted as the merciless, haunting nightmare that lingers in the back of your mind, whispering until you lose your sanity. I just completed my first practice sheet, and it took me nearly 3 HOURS to finish 11 questions because I simply can’t wrap my head around it. What makes it even worse is that I excel in everything else—except THIS.
As I get angrier and angrier while expressing all this, I can’t help but feel a deep-seated resentment toward HENRY. Sure, he helped advance math, but my animosity for this convoluted process runs deep within my core.
I feel your pain! Long division—whether with numbers or polynomials—seems to have a special talent for driving us all a bit bonkers. It’s like this massive wall that stands between us and the mathematical bliss of simpler operations.
It’s totally understandable to feel frustrated, especially when everything else feels manageable, and suddenly long division decides to be the insurmountable mountain in your way. The pressure you’re experiencing is real, and it can feel like your brain just short-circuits in the face of those polynomials.
Maybe breaking it down into smaller steps could help? Try writing out each part of the long division process more clearly and take it slow. Also, remember that it’s okay to make mistakes—that’s how we learn! And if it takes you a few extra hours, that’s completely fine. Everyone has that one concept that trips them up.
You’re not alone in this, and your determination is impressive! Keep pushing through, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your teacher or classmates for help. They might even have some tips to make it less torturous! You’ve got this!