Are you one of those people that has always been "Math Challenged"?If so then you might want to check out this very old system of Mathematics.
http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.trachten.html
http://hucellbiol.mdc-berlin.de/~mp01mg/oldweb/Tracht.htm
You should try to find a copy of the book The Trachtenberg Speed System of Basic Mathematics by Jakow Trachtenberg, A. Cutler (Translator), R. McShane (Translator), Rudolph Mcshane (Translator), on the used book market.See also the Wikipedia entry.