If you miss a class, send an email to your teacher beforehand and ask what information you’ll miss. Also ask if there’s a way to make up any in-class assignments you won’t be able to complete.
Try to avoid looking out the window, daydreaming, or letting your mind wander to your after-school plans. Also stay off your phone and computer while you’re studying (unless you’re using them to look up something math-related). If you’re having trouble focusing, ask your teacher if you can sit at the front of the room where you’ll be less likely to get distracted. [3] X Expert Source Daron CamAcademic Tutor Expert Interview. 29 May 2020. While these activities may seem more enjoyable than following the math lecture, too much daydreaming will result in poor math grades.
Say that your teacher is going over how to find the area of a triangle. You’d want to write something like, “Area = half of the base (b) × height (h). If b = 20 and h = 10, the area = 100. ” Also draw a figure of a triangle with the base and height clearly labeled. If you take sloppy, incomplete notes, you’ll struggle to pick up the math concepts. Worse, you’ll perform poorly on tests and your grade will suffer.
For example, you could ask something like, “I didn’t quite understand what you said about the order of operations. Am I always supposed to solve equations within the parentheses first?” Or ask, “Can you remind me of the difference between reflection and rotation in geometry?” If you feel shy or nervous during class, speak with your instructor afterwards. Or, try sending an email if you feel a little shy about speaking with the teacher. If you’re in high school or college and your teacher keeps regular office hours, stop by and chat about whatever math questions you may have.
Pace yourself while you’re taking the test, and don’t put pressure on yourself while you’re working. Do keep an eye on the clock while you’re taking the test, though, so you don’t run out of time partway through. If a teacher spots where you made a mistake during your solution to a problem, they may show you how to avoid making the same mistake again in the future.
Refer to your notes and your textbook while doing your homework. If you’re struggling with a question, it may also help to recall some of your teacher’s points from the class lecture. Make it a habit to do your homework to the best of your ability, as if you were taking a test. In fact, you could think of homework as a “rehearsal” for a test. The more you’re able to learn while doing homework, the more your overall math scores will improve.
If you’re unsure of how to complete a problem or feel like a concept is over your head, ask your instructor or a classmate for help. If you don’t have time to ask for help, go ahead and complete the problem anyway. Even if you get it wrong, you’ll impress your teacher by having made an effort. The teacher should take this as a sign of your eagerness to learn.
When you have some extra time, search for math problems online or run through extra problems in the textbook. Again, focus on the areas that you don’t understand well or on which you routinely lose points. Once you’ve completed the extra problems, check your answers against the correct answers listed in the back of the book.
Ask 2 or 3 classmates if you can help them solve tricky problems and show them how to complete them to lock in your own skills. Say something like, “I’ve been solving quite a few problems that use the quadratic equation lately, so I think I have a pretty good grasp. If it’s okay with you, I could try to explain it to you and walk you through some of the problems. ”
If you’re seriously interested in becoming skilled at math for its own sake, check out your school’s math club. Math clubs will help you exercise your ability to learn math skills and will put you in touch with other math enthusiasts.
Prepare for each quiz and test by getting plenty of sleep and coming to class ready. Look over your notes one final time the night before the test and go to bed immediately after. Contrary to popular belief, cramming is one of the worst ways to study for a test. Not only will it leave you exhausted on the day of the test, but the knowledge that you forced yourself to learn will only stay in your brain for a few days. Visualize achieving a high score on the test. A positive attitude goes a long way!
Many universities and private high schools offer free on-campus math tutoring. Talk with your instructor or the administrative assistant in the math department to get connected with a tutor. If you attend a public high school, talk to your math teacher and explain that you’re looking for a tutor. They may know a professional math tutor who can help you. Or, look online for a math tutor at: https://tutors. com/math-tutors.
For example, say that you’re calculating the area of a circle. First, find the radius of the circle and multiply it by 2 to find the diameter. Once you’ve found the diameter, multiply it by pi (3. 14) to find the area. Make sure to write out each of these steps separately! Writing all of your calculations on paper will lead to correct answers and better grades. It will also help you see the progression of steps that it takes to solve a problem. This helps math seem less arbitrary or mysterious. It’s best to work your math problems in pencil, not pen, since you can easily erase any mistakes you make when writing with a pencil. [18] X Research source
Say that you’re learning algebra and are struggling to learn to add and multiply negative numbers. Take the time to work 2 or 3 problems that deal with this concept, and you’ll start to understand the concept better.
Even parts of math that seem especially impractical, like negative numbers, are grounded in real-world interests. Negative numbers are useful in expressing concepts like financial debt, which is something you’ll need to understand.
If you’re struggling with any of these foundational math skills, there are many online math-tutorial websites that can help. For example, check out: https://www. mathplanet. com/. For another option, visit: https://schoolyourself. org/.
For example, say you’re learning how to calculate the area of shapes in geometry. Master this skill before moving on to more complex topics like rotating and reflecting shapes across axes, or you won’t have a strong foundation for understanding higher-level ideas.
For example, say you’re struggling with trigonometry. Improve on this weak area by brushing up on ways to calculate the angles of various types of triangles. You could also try using flash cards to memorize key terms like “sine” and “cosine. ” Avoid making excuses for yourself by saying something like, “I just don’t think I’m cut out for understanding long division,” or “Trigonometry just goes over my head; there’s nothing I can do about it. ”
If you enjoy online quizzes, try taking one to assess your own learning style at: http://www. educationplanner. org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz. shtml. For another learning-style quiz, check out: https://www. how-to-study. com/learning-style-assessment/. The main learning styles include: visual, verbal, social, auditory, physical (kinesthetic), logical, and solitary.
