x(y-1)+ z(y-7397)-4x. Solve for h.

I've always been absolutely terrible at math. I have no idea how someone who is (sorry, but I'm patting my own back here so get over it) an excellent musician can be so lost when it comes to math. I have no idea how I made a B in Trig. in high school- probably all of the tutors my parents hired. Even in college, I took the simplest math course available (along with every other music major), and I STILL didn't get an A. Then again, Math 23 was at 8 AM, downtown, and was taught by a man with a very thick and hard-to-understand Nigerian accent. But I digress.

This is a complete mystery to me, as I began learning to read music before I had any sort of math class. I can compose you a Renaissance motet, or a Bach-like invention; I can jump key signitures and time signitures with the best of 'em, and I can sight read almost anything. But ask me to multiply fractions, and I'm stumped.

I've spent some time this week brushing up on my math skills, or lack thereof, because I'm taking the ASVAB today. What is the ASVAB? Well," a timed multi-aptitude test, which is given at over 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide and is developed and maintained by the Department of Defense ". Basically, I have to take it before I audition for the Field Band. I took a practice test last week when I visited with my recruiter, and scored a 57. I have no idea what that means, but he said anything over a 31 is passing. On the ASVAB, incorrect answers do not count, but of course, the more questions one answers correctly, the higher the score. And, a higher score can result in a higher enlistment bonus. That may or may not effect musicians.

So think of me this afternoon while you're typing a TPS report or something- I'll be trying to remember how to do long division.