[Ahmed Kajee]

Ahmed Kajee  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hello Mr. Chris

I am a 16 year old boy, who attends school, and lives the life of an everyday teenager. I can however "count alphabets". I can tell the number of an alphabet in quite quick time. E.G. "L is the 12th letter of the alphabet, X is the 24th" etc. Is this a known condition? Could it be used in some way?

Hope to hear from you soon
Thank you
Ahmed Kajee

What do you think?

[RD]

Is this a known condition?

Possibly number-form synesthesia

[CliffordK]

Could it be used in some way?

Ahmed,

It sounds like you are at a point in your life with a lot of decisions in front of you with school, college, and your future. 

I don't know much about code encryption or cracking.  I know that a lot is done with computers now, but I am sure that it is a complex interaction with humans and computer algorithms.  Are you bilingual?  trilingual?  Anyway, perhaps you might consider a future in so-called "intelligence".

Have you heard about memory mnemonics?  You might at least find them interesting.
There are several methods for memorizing odd lists.  Usually using some form of visualization.  Here are some number association methods, but there are also spacial association methods.
http://www.patmoss.com/memory/memorypegs.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic_peg_system

Also look at some of the "See-Also" links at the bottom of the Wikipedia page.  If nothing else, it can astound some of your friends.