When Vera was about 12 years old she was taught calculus by a family friend who was a graduate student at the University of Chicago. He saw that she had a real mathematical talent but Vera was not at this stage interested in mathematics.
Kapag Vera ay tungkol sa 12 years old siya ay itinuro calculus sa pamamagitan ng isang pamilya kaibigan na noon ay isang mag-aaral na nagtapos sa University of Chicago. Nakita niya na siya ay isang tunay na matematiko talento ngunit Vera ay hindi sa hakbang na ito interesado sa matematika.