How does one do well when they struggle in maths (1 Viewer)

[eyeseeyou]

Sometimes I'm blind (if you get what I mean) and can't see the obvious in maths, however I'm willing to put in the hard work in order to do well. Could anyone here give me advice (to someone who struggles at times) to do well in maths (and improve exponentially)

Thanks in advance

 

[astroman]

Understand a concept before you attempt questions. Don't rote learn, learn why you use that formula instead of just blindly plugging in numbers. Also drawing a picture of the questions (if applicable) is always helpful.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Understand a concept before you attempt questions. Don't rote learn, learn why you use that formula instead of just blindly plugging in numbers. Also drawing a picture of the questions (if applicable) is always helpful.

Thanks

 

[Dragon9000]

Also do an absurd amount of questions. Learning how to apply concepts to the questions that might be given is essential, for both now and the future. I don't know if you already do this, but focus really hard, re-read the question, and imagine what the question is asking you to do (visualise the concepts/steps to get to the answer).

 

[eyeseeyou]

Also do an absurd amount of questions. Learning how to apply concepts to the questions that might be given is essential, for both now and the future. I don't know if you already do this, but focus really hard, re-read the question, and imagine what the question is asking you to do (visualise the concepts/steps to get to the answer).

Thanks again

 

[leehuan]

Can you be a bit more specific on missing the obvious?

Because I may be wrong, but the obvious things you miss seem to focus a lot on just the terminology used in a question

 

[eyeseeyou]

Can you be a bit more specific on missing the obvious?

Because I may be wrong, but the obvious things you miss seem to focus a lot on just the terminology used in a question

Like sometimes I can't see obvious things and then when it gets shown to me, I'm like "Ohhhhhhhhhh"

 

[leehuan]

Like sometimes I can't see obvious things and then when it gets shown to me, I'm like "Ohhhhhhhhhh"

Give me 3 examples to prove your point.

Cause it's kinda hard for me to just give tips blindly without knowing exactly what's escaping your mind.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Give me 3 examples to prove your point.

Cause it's kinda hard for me to just give tips blindly without knowing exactly what's escaping your mind.

Look at the easy maths questions I posted in the prelim maths thread (the trigonometry ones). I can't really explain this

 

[leehuan]

Look at the easy maths questions I posted in the prelim maths thread (the trigonometry ones). I can't really explain this

Use your formula sheet. Find any relevant identities that could be applied and apply them.

(Since most of the trig ones are just identities questions)

 

[eyeseeyou]

Use your formula sheet. Find any relevant identities that could be applied and apply them.

(Since most of the trig ones are just identities questions)

Thats like basic advice lol but thanks anyways leehuan

 

[eyeseeyou]

HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND MATHS? (not rote learn)

 

[Silky_Smooth]

I'm not good at maths, but if there is one thing I know from observing people who are good at math is that they NEVER look at the answers.

Even if something is COMPLETELY obvious like 1 + 1 = 2 and they are just not 'seeing' it for lack of a better word, they still never look at the answers. Ever. They stay at that question for hours, days even.

Looking at answers should be a last resort. It's the staring down at the question and thinking endlessly about it & improving your skills from thereon that make it better -- even if it is obvious.

I strongly disagree with this. I think looking at the answers can be one of the best ways to learn. Also if you're learning something for the first time, you MUST look at the answers to know for sure that you are tackling the questions correctly. Even those that are good at maths will need to refer to the answers at some point...

 

[Silky_Smooth]

HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND MATHS? (not rote learn)

The only way is by doing heaps and heaps of questions. There is no shortcut. Those that tell you otherwise are lying

 

[Nailgun]

HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND MATHS? (not rote learn)

just practice really

you have to master the fundamentals first by being able to do easy questions, then harder questions become a lot easier when you can understand all the parts and the way they want you to solve a question

from the volume and type of questions you post, I think you still are aways from getting the fundamentals down, and that's a step you can't really overlook

I think you give up too easily as well. You really should only ask for help on here when you are actually desperate lol, so really you should never need to post like 20 questions at a time.

I think go grab a maths textbook and literally do every question until you can get them all right on the first go.

 

[Sien]

Tbh after you do a shitload of Qs, you start to see a pattern
Not sure if it's just me
and adding to what nailgun said, your maths questions seem to have the same recurring pattern, go and do the basics first, there's no point in doing harder questions if you don't get it
Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk

 

[leehuan]

Thats like basic advice lol but thanks anyways leehuan

Call it basic but you don't seem to use your formula sheet. Because you don't know when to apply what when the formula sheet actually makes it quite obvious.

 

[leehuan]

I'm not good at maths, but if there is one thing I know from observing people who are good at math is that they NEVER look at the answers.

Even if something is COMPLETELY obvious like 1 + 1 = 2 and they are just not 'seeing' it for lack of a better word, they still never look at the answers. Ever. They stay at that question for hours, days even.

Looking at answers should be a last resort. It's the staring down at the question and thinking endlessly about it & improving your skills from thereon that make it better -- even if it is obvious.

I strongly disagree with this. I think looking at the answers can be one of the best ways to learn. Also if you're learning something for the first time, you MUST look at the answers to know for sure that you are tackling the questions correctly. Even those that are good at maths will need to refer to the answers at some point...

It is a last resort.

It just shouldn't be a last resort to purposely avoid for no good reason.

But yes, not looking at the answers for days and days is pathetic. I agree with Silky_Smooth on that part.

 

[davidgoes4wce]

I kind of agree with Silky Smooth.

I remember doing Year 11 and 12 texts back in high school having only 'answers' to the questions given. (by that : I mean just numbers at the back of the book to compare against)

I think you need step by step worked out solutions in order to be good at maths. Having examples from textbooks help as well but its a 'process' in getting to the answer that troubles a student. When you see a multitude of questions and their 'step by step ' process you get better as a student.

I used a text by O.T Lee (which came with a fully worked out solutions manual I think it was around $100 back in the day, in comparison to the textbook which was about $70) back in my state and it helped improved my maths more so than say getting a tutor, who would also be able to explain it step by step.

But no doubt after you have mastered alot of questions you should be able to do further questions without needing to refer to a textbook. But in the initial stages of learning a new topic, you need solutions to get better.

I once tutored Physics (which I don't do anymore), and the parents were critical of me giving answers to certain questions from a text. Everyone has a different way of learning but I guess what I should have told them was 'it was for the benefit of their learning', which I didn't get the chance to explain to them. (I think about it now and I say I didn't do too much wrong, I think they failed to see my side of things or I should have emphasized a bit better what the point of giving him answers was for). Having tutored a number of students I provide my students with worksheets+answers, exam papers, tests, theoretical notes which isn't being too unreasonable. (in fact most of my students demand more material....I found that more the case in NSW since there are a wide variety of texts to use, every student wants any slight advantage over their classmates) I can totally understand if you aren't given solutions but can work a way of getting to the answer (by reading up more on the topic, watching videos, checking with friends/teachers etc) it makes your understanding a bit better than simply looking up the solutions.

 

[eyeseeyou]

How does one UNDERSTAND MATHS? (without practicing) I wanna understand first before applying