[hackinthebochs]

I would also agree that spatial reasoning is key to strong programming ability. Most data structures are best understood through spatial reasoning, for example. But I would also say that spatial reasoning is key to mathematical ability. I'm actually surprised that you would consider yourself strong with spatial reasoning but had trouble with calculus. Perhaps you just had a bad teacher or lacked proper motivation?

[kasey_junk]

I'm terrible at spatial reasoning but have no problem with formal logic. I'd also like to think I have strong programming ability (of course we don't know how to measure that).

Spatial reasoning is a key mathematical ability for certain classes of problems (a big chunk of calculus as you mention) but helps not at all with another big class of mathematics (set theory for instance).

Finally, to you data structures are best understood via spatial reasoning, but there is nothing actually spatial about data structures so that is probably most likely just your own preference for modeling them.

[hackinthebochs]

I'm sure my bias plays a role, but I would disagree that there's nothing spatial about data structures. Linked lists, trees, heaps, etc, all have the characteristic property of a geometric interpretation: a natural notion of "distance" inherent in their definitions.

[walshemj]

Set Theory?