Yesterday I was in the drive-through at McDonald’s trying to pay for my food with my debit card. The manager had to take my card to the other side of the store (the drive through machine wasn’t working) and needed to know my PIN number to complete the transaction. I told him “I don’t know what the number is, but it spells out ****,” and told him the four-letter word that I chose when I created my PIN.
The manager looked at me like I had four heads. How could someone possibly not know the digits to a PIN number? His face seemed to ask. When he came back, he handed me my card and receipt, and said “just so you know, your PIN number is ****,” and gave me the four numbers of my PIN code.
Odd. He must know only the numbers of his PIN, and not spell a word like I do. That got me thinking. How do people remember strings of numbers?
I put a lot of thought into it (admittedly, mostly in the shower and the toilet. I do my best thinking in those two places) and I realize that I remember numbers in three ways. Tell me if you do the same (please!?!) or if I’m the odd one in the group.
1.Acronyms – I spell my PIN number. I know what Dimitri’s cell phone number spells, I don’t know the numbers (CYNIC-17). When I was a kid, I only knew what my parent’s work numbers spelled, which made it incredibly embarrassing when I needed to have the school nurse call my parents to come pick me up from school. “What’s your dad’s number” (me) RYE WAVE “Not the name honey, the number.” (me) RYE WAVE “Poor dear, someone ought to recommend her for special ed.”
2.Spatial Relationships – When I dial my home number, I don’t think about the numbers I am pushing. Rather, I know the shape they make on the keypad, and I enter the shape of the number sequence rather than consciously pressing individual numbers. Similarly, when I check the voicemail on my cell phone, my pass code is a shape, rather than the numbers themselves.
3.As a unit– I’m sure there’s a better term for this. What I mean is: I see the numbers as a unit rather than as a series of digits. I don’t know what the term is for numbers, but when one is talking about words, we use the term sight reading. The vast majority of adults sees the word “scooter” and sees the word as a whole, and does not need to sound each individual letter out to figure out what the word is. With my Social Security number, I see them as a unit. When people ask me for the last four digits of my SSN, I have to repeat the whole number to myself before I can respond. Similarly, if you asked me how many 6’s I have in my Social Security number, I couldn’t tell you without repeating the sequence to myself first and counting them as I go.
Think about it: how do you use the numbers in your life?
I have always had a good head for numbers. I just remember number sequences. I see them in my head. I never had a phone book, I just know all the phone numbers I need to know. At least I used to. In the past 5 years I've noticed my powers have diminished. Someone near me must have Kryptonite or something.
I do sometimes know numbers by spatial relationships. Like my pin - I know its pattern on the number pad but I also know the number. But mostly I just remember the numbers. I know two of my credit cards, my soc, deb's soc, my bank acct, just because I know them.
Posted by: susan at April 26, 2004 7:55 PMwhen it comes to important numbers (ssn, phone numbers, pins, etc), i remember them as numbers. i even remember phone numbers i haven't had for 15 years. however, with less important numbers, (business phone numbers, appointments, etc) i find that i am dyscalculaic. that's numerical dyslexia. i transpose unimportant numbers in my head.
Posted by: kat at April 27, 2004 7:12 AMI remember numbers, too--comes easily to me. I would never think of having an acronym as my PIN.
FURTHERMORE, I would never, never give my ATM card to the McDonald's guy and then also tell him my PIN. Are you crazy?!
Posted by: JennySmith at April 27, 2004 9:23 AMI was stunned at the concept of giving your pin number to a guy at McDonalds. Then that thought was blown away by the concept of remembering numbers by spatial relationship. I can't really imagine remember a pattern on the phone keypad and not knowing the numbers.
My pin number is also a word. I hate password security setups that require alpha AND numeric combinations. I prefer one or the other. I'm an accountant but I don't have a great memory for numbers.
I usually try to find some pattern. If my phone number was 682-1852, I would note that both parts have 8 and 2. In the first part a 6 comes first, then the 6 is split into 1 and 5 and wraps around the 8. I know it's weird but it works for me until I just remember the number automatically.
But John, that IS a spatial relationship. You visualize the six as a five and a one wrapped around the eight. Spatial I tell you, spatial!
And about the McDonald's guy with my PIN: yes, I was a little uncomfortable giving him my PIN, but I'm a glass is half full kind of gal. I doubt that the McDonald's manager is out to get MY piddly checking account.
Posted by: Jen at April 27, 2004 1:38 PM