The Logical (Mathematical) Learning Style

If you use the logical style, you like using your brain for logical and mathematical reasoning. You can recognize patterns easily, as well as connections between seemingly meaningless content. This also leads you to classify and group information to help you learn or understand it.

You work well with numbers and you can perform complex calculations. You remember the basics of trigonometry and algebra, and you can do moderately complex calculations in your head.

You typically work through problems and issues in a systematic way, and you like to create procedures for future use. You are happy setting numerical targets and budgets, and you track your progress towards these. You like creating agendas, itineraries, and to-do lists, and you typically number and rank them before putting them into action.

Your scientific approach to thinking means you often support your points with logical examples or statistics. You pick up logic flaws in other peoples words, writing or actions, and you may point these out to people (not always to everyone's amusement).

You like working out strategies and using simulation. You may like games such as brainteasers, backgammon, and chess. You may also like PC games such as Dune II, Starcraft, Age of Empires, Sid Meier games and others.

Common Pursuits and Phrases

People with a strong logical style are likely to follow such pursuits as the sciences, mathematics, accounting, detective work, law and computer programming.

You are more likely to use phrases that reflect your most dominant style out of the visual, aural or physical styles, however you may also use phrases like these:

• That's logical.
• Follow the process, procedure, or rules.
• There's no pattern to this.
• Let's make a list.
• We can work it out.
• Quantify it, or prove it!

Learning and techniques

• If you are a logical learner, aim to understand the reasons behind your content and skills. Don't just rote learn. Understanding more detail behind your compulsory content helps you memorize and learn the material that you need to know. Explore the links between various systems, and note them down.
• While you study, create and use lists by extracting key points from your material. You may also want to use statistics and other analysis to help you identify areas you may want to concentrate on.
• Pay attention to your physical state, for example your breathing and stress level. It's possible that you isolate your own body from your rational thought. Remember that you are just as much a part of the 'system' as any equipment you may be using.
• Also remember that association often works well when it is illogical and irrational. It doesn't matter how logical two items are together. You have a better chance of recalling them later if you have make the association illogical. Your brain may protest at first!
• In your scripting though, highlight logical thoughts and behaviors. Highlight your ability to pick up systems and procedures easily, and that you can detect when you need to change a set procedure.
• Make use of 'systems thinking' to help understand the links between various parts of a system. An important point here is that systems thinking helps you understand the bigger picture. Often the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. For example, you may understand the individual aircraft systems and flight surfaces, but you may not have a view of how all those systems support flight in equilibrium. Systems diagrams can help you gain that understanding.
• You may find it challenging to change existing behaviors or habits. You can rationalize all you want to about why you should change a behavior, but you may find it persists. Try the shunt technique to understand what behavior you currently have and what behavior you want to have. When you understand those behaviors, use the technique to divert from the old behavior to the new.
• You may sometimes overanalyze certain parts of your learning or training. This can lead to analysis paralysis. You may be busy, but not moving towards your goal. If you find you are overanalyzing which school to start with, or you are over-planning your course maps, stop and refocus on activities that move you forward. Consider how much 'bang for buck' you get from spending more time than necessary. Measure your activities by your speed towards your goal. Planning exactly how much time to spend on each chapter of theory doesn't help learn it anywhere near as fast as starting on the theory!
• If you often focus from analysis paralysis, write 'Do It Now' in big letters on some signs or post-it notes. Place them in strategic places around your work or study area.