Is it normal to be good at maths and unable to do mental arithmetic?

: Is it normal to be good at maths and unable to do mental arithmetic?
I just got a high a* on my maths taken a year early but still am unable to do really basic maths without pen and paper. People who are far worse than me at maths can. It’s embarrassing!

Answers and Views:

Answer by mathsmanretired
Don’t worry at all. I’ve heard it said that a good mathematician often makes mistakes with basic arithmetic. That’s what calculators are for.

Answer by S.U.R.
i guess its perfectly normal, so u dont have to be embarrassed about it 🙂 its just because we have this thing called the calculator, which has replaced mental math
happens with me too

Answer by Mr Frontera
It really depends on what you are getting wrong.

If its really simple, then you probably just need to think about it for a minute, or if you get stuck and cant figure it out. Review it and memorize it.

Answer by bskelkar
It certaily is!!! Practice is the virtue!!!