Surprising numbers of us suffer panic and memory loss when faced with even simple mental arithmetic, according to the Journal of Experimental Psychology. It's all due to the reliance on calculators and the abstract way maths is taught in schools. When asked, "What is 45 plus 29?" the "maths phobic" will try to add 5 and 9, forget to carry the 1 and so on. The secret of those who take it in the stride is understanding how numbers relate in the real world. They'll think, "OK, what's 45 and 30, then take away 1."