Are you right-handed and bad at maths? Well lucky for you, there’s finally an answer as to why! Studies reveal that left-handed people are actually better at mathematics, so if like myself you’re terrible with numbers and adding and stuff, it could all be down to your handedness – hoorah! Finally, an explanation.
In a study carried out by the University of Liverpool, results reveal that left-handers are typically gifted in math whereas the right-handed perform terribly in mathematics. Although righties, we don’t have it the worst – the study also proposes that the ambidextrous suffer the most with mathematics, so a win in some ways for us right handers.
Psychologist, Gionvanni Sala carried out the study on over 2,000 students aged between six and 17, where subjects were tasked to complete numerous mathematical tasks, both arithmetic and problem-solving.
The outcome revealed a significant correlation between handedness and mathematical capability often influenced by age, type of mathematical task and finally, gender – with teenage left-handed teenage boys coming out on top.
Personally, as a statistic and a part of the whole 'I’ve been bad at math my entire life, and I’m right handed,' I for one am ecstatic at the results. No longer will I be penalised for not being able to count my change at Pret fast enough, for I can scream 'I’m right handed, there’s now a study!'
Presented at the annual British Psychological Society conference, the study raised quite the controversy. So righties, if you suck at maths, chances are it’s not at all your fault and once again we have science to thank.
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.