Foolish Quotes
I was rather foolish in saying that I did not like arithmetic and to learn figures when I did – I was not thinking quite what I was about. The sums can be done better, if I tried, than they are.
"I was rather foolish in saying that I did not like arithmetic and to learn figures when I did – I was not thinking quite what I was about. The sums can be done better, if I tried, than they are."— Ada Lovelace
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Meaning of this quote
A young learner corrects an earlier complaint about arithmetic and recognizes that effort could improve her work.
Key takeaway:
Reassess a discouraged first reaction and try a more attentive attempt.
Origin of the quote
Childhood letter to Lady Byron, discussed in The early mathematical education of Ada Lovelace.
Who actually said this?
Scholarly article quotes the arithmetic passage; supplied wording expands the excerpt, and original manuscript not inspected.
