[postalrat]

Are you sure you aren't just visualizing how many bowling balls a bat is in length vs how many bowling balls in length you estimated a bowling pin is?

At least to me if you are even just imagining the lengths you are still visualizing.

[Jtsummers]

When you do mental arithmetic, say 48 added to 73, do you visualize 48 objects and 73 objects and then count them? Do you visualize a page like a 1st grade arithmetic homework sheet and draw out the numbers with a mental pencil and do all the carrying by mental hand? Or do you “just” add them and end up with 121 in your head?

[postalrat]

I add numbers when doing arithmetic.

I don't assign numbers when mentally comparing things. I compare them relative to each other. I think that's why it's hard to compare things that have a large difference in size.

[LocalH]

Someone tells you that they don't visualize in their mind, and your first instinct is to find out how they're wrong?