Improve Math Skills, Take a Walk

A recent study from Italy has found that mental addition and subtraction can be improved by taking a walk.

The study, which involved 52 people, found that people performed mental math problems better when they were walking around instead of sitting down. Specifically, they were much better at adding numbers when they turned right, and that they were much better at subtracting numbers when they turned left.

Previous studies have found that people can add better in an elevator going up, and subtract better in an elevator going down.

The research team concluded, “…the present findings confirm the existence of a connection among numbers, space, and motor processes, by showing the emergence of a congruency effect when subtractions and additions were calculated while moving also along a horizontal axis.”