67%

I was a fast learner, as a general rule,
Except for with numbers - they weren't so easy.
I wasn't the best maths student in school;
Due largely to teachers giving up on me.

My pleas were ignored, when I asked for their aid;
They'd already explained to the class, they said.
But I'd not understood how those answers were made;
I was told to re-read the textbook instead.

Unhelpful, frustrating; It messed with my head.
Was I really so stupid, and not worth the time
To explain once again, the parts I'd re-read,
But not understood? It seemed like a crime!

To graduate high school, I needed to pass
With 50% on the final maths test.
Despite the floundering endured in that class,
I studied intensely - well, re-read and guessed.

Not based on method, but rough guesstimates,
Were my answers to questions, as the months came and went.
Don't ask how I did it; I just thank the fates -
For the final exam, I got 67%.