If you’ve ever felt a wave of anxiety at the sight of a spreadsheet, wondered how to critically evaluate a news headline, or worried that your math skills are "too rusty" for college, you are not alone—and this course is built specifically for you. Mastering the Numbers is a practical, supportive introduction to quantitative reasoning designed for adult learners returning to education. Instead of focusing on abstract formulas and memorization, this course treats math as a language for solving real-world problems. You will learn how to think critically about data, interpret visual information, and use logic to make informed decisions in your studies, your career, and your daily life. By shifting the focus from "getting the exact algebraic formula" to "understanding the bigger picture," this course will help you dismantle math anxiety and build the foundational logic required for college-level coursework. What You Will Learn: 1) The logic of data: how to read, interpret, and question graphs, charts, and statistics found in college textbooks and media; 2) financial Literacy & logic: applying mathematical reasoning to real-world scenarios like budgeting, interest rates, and understanding economic trends; 3) problem solving strategies: developing step-by-step techniques to approach complex word problems with confidence, rather than confusion; 4) proportional and statistical thinking: mastering percentages, ratios, and probabilities to evaluate risks The first step is meeting with our student advisor - reach out today (207.664.7110; adultedinfo@ellsworthschools.org; text 207.659.6106). This is an in-person class. Instructor: Vanessa Richards