At Sixes and Sevens: How to Understand Numbers and Make Maths Easy

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After initially aiming to forge her future in finance, Rachel found the corporate world monotonous and soon turned to other avenues that would utilise her skill set.

Rachel Riley celebrates incredible news following birth of Rachel Riley celebrates incredible news following birth of

Maths aren’t for everyone, and while numbers may come easy for some, Rachel wants to make the subject more enjoyable for those who find it more challenging. Low confidence with numbers remains a significant barrier for many, and while such anxiety presents practical issues for individuals on a daily basis, it also holds talented individuals back from considering a career in financial services. For the first five weeks, Riley suffered from stage fright, commenting that "As soon as the music would start, I would have a fuzzy brain and it was like an out-of-body experience"; after seeing a cognitive behavioural therapist she was able to control her breathing, and so was only able to truly enjoy the show for what proved to be her final appearance.The confidence-focused campaign, which runs from 7 to 11 November, is more relevant than ever this year as we all cope with the challenges of the rising cost of living. But also the initials spell out ‘Mark’, because my uncle died while I was pregnant, so that’s a way of honouring him. There are a couple of light explanations as to how Rachel calculates the Countdown Numbers, nothing revelatory is given away. With support from founding partner TP ICAP, as well as Experian, Capital One, the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and ambassadors like Rachel Riley, Bobby Seagull, Peter Sawkins, Harry Baker and Timi Merriman-Johnson, Number Confidence Week aims to empower you to get on with numbers so you can fulfill your potential at work, home and school. Maths, maintains Riley, has almost infinite applications — from time travel for astronauts, to helping people to decorate their house by calculating the numbers of tiles or rolls of wallpaper.

Book Rachel Riley | Speaker Agent - Champions Speakers Book Rachel Riley | Speaker Agent - Champions Speakers

Riley has visited schools to enthuse pupils on the "joys of applied maths, quantum mechanics and time travel and so on". In February 2019, Riley and fellow campaigner Tracy-Ann Oberman instructed a lawyer to take action against 70 individuals who had posted tweets which Riley and Oberman regarded as either libellous or harassment. In fact, she says, “I’m hoping my book will give people more confidence in themselves and their abilities with maths. I would have liked 'tests' at the end of chapters, or sections, to embed what has just been explained.

Riley notes, however, in her role with the Centre for Countering Digital Hate — of which she is “immensely proud” — that there is “so much overlap between anti-vaxers, conspiracy theorists, and antisemitism.

Number Confidence Week 2022 | National Numeracy

In this brilliant, well-rounded guide, Countdown's Rachel Riley will take you back to the very basics, allow you to revisit what you learnt at school (and may have promptly forgotten, *ahem*), build your understanding of maths from the get-go and provide you with the essential toolkit to gain confidence in your numerical abilities. Nearly half of all adults in the UK struggle with everyday maths which can mean it's hard to get to grips with news about the economy, difficult to get jobs or qualifications, and to support children with their learning. Laughing, she said she and her husband had some private ideas for the name of their second child but were not yet ready to share them. Prepare to get cozy with your best eReader as you "discover how to divide and conquer, make your decimal debut, become a pythagoras professional and so much more with these easy-to-learn tips and tricks,” according to the book’s synopsis. Another important issue Rachel is actively involved in campaigning about is antisemitism, coming from Jewish heritage herself.Rachel knows a thing or two about maths, having gained a maths degree from Oriel College, Oxford, and achieving other notable successes thanks to her skills with figures – including the recent book At Sixes And Sevens, a guide to making maths easier. In July 2020, Riley and Oberman dropped their joint libel suit and contributed towards the defendant's legal costs. Her many fans were thrilled with the announcement, as one said: " Rachel congratulations on your new book I'll be getting it when it comes out.