What actually makes someone good at maths? Speed, accuracy or logical thinking?

I've been thinking about what it really means to be good at mathematics.

Some people can calculate incredibly fast but struggle with unfamiliar problems. Others take longer but have excellent logical reasoning skills.

If you were designing a short maths assessment for school students, which abilities would you prioritise?

  • Numerical fluency
  • Logical reasoning
  • Conceptual understanding
  • Problem-solving ability
  • Calculation speed

Would love to hear perspectives from maths teachers, students and enthusiasts.

Author: mathsloveofficial