Do you make notes for Maths? (1 Viewer)

Wonder

Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
101
Gender
Female
HSC
2014
I'm curious, how many of you here make or made notes for maths? I used to but then it became rather time-consuming and I just used the textbook notes instead. It became a bit of a hassle when studying for the last exam, though, when I didn't have a place of comprehensive notes to turn to and had to keep flicking between textbooks and the notes given by my teacher, so I'm starting to wonder again if I should...

Also, if you do make notes, what do you put in your notes? Absolutely everything you need to know, so you have a comprehensive set and don't need to look at textbook summaries? Just formulas and things you need to rote-learn [EDIT: this means things that you HAVE to memorise, like the trig pythagorean identities]? Only examples that are relevant to you? etc.
 
Last edited:

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,886
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
I'm curious, how many of you here make or made notes for maths? I used to but then it became rather time-consuming and I just used the textbook notes instead. It became a bit of a hassle when studying for the last exam, though, when I didn't have a place of comprehensive notes to turn to and had to keep flicking between textbooks and the notes given by my teacher, so I'm starting to wonder again if I should...

Also, if you do make notes, what do you put in your notes? Absolutely everything you need to know, so you have a comprehensive set and don't need to look at textbook summaries? Just formulas and things you need to rote-learn? Only examples that are relevant to you? etc.
I kind of felt that notes were fairly useless for maths - I had a sheet or two with formulas on it, but other than that I didnt really use notes. With maths, I found that practice was pretty much the best way to study - I did work from the textbook to build my knowledge then I went on to past papers to prepare myself for the exam.
 

Aysce

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2011
Messages
2,394
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
I'm curious, how many of you here make or made notes for maths? I used to but then it became rather time-consuming and I just used the textbook notes instead. It became a bit of a hassle when studying for the last exam, though, when I didn't have a place of comprehensive notes to turn to and had to keep flicking between textbooks and the notes given by my teacher, so I'm starting to wonder again if I should...

Also, if you do make notes, what do you put in your notes? Absolutely everything you need to know, so you have a comprehensive set and don't need to look at textbook summaries? Just formulas and things you need to rote-learn? Only examples that are relevant to you? etc.
One of the mods on here is very against this but in my opinion, you can still rote learn 2u and get away with it I guess...

Back to the question, no I don't make notes for maths. I just do the questions and learn the theory ie. How the formulas are derived followed by lots and lots of practice. Even if you were to rote-learn, you'd hammer in the formulas into your head with much practice rather than just sitting there and trying to memorise it from a formula sheet, for example.

Ultimately, I don't think making notes will benefit you much but it varies from person to person I guess.
 

HeroicPandas

Heroic!
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,547
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
I'm curious, how many of you here make or made notes for maths? I used to but then it became rather time-consuming and I just used the textbook notes instead. It became a bit of a hassle when studying for the last exam, though, when I didn't have a place of comprehensive notes to turn to and had to keep flicking between textbooks and the notes given by my teacher, so I'm starting to wonder again if I should...

Also, if you do make notes, what do you put in your notes? Absolutely everything you need to know, so you have a comprehensive set and don't need to look at textbook summaries? Just formulas and things you need to rote-learn? Only examples that are relevant to you? etc.
I dont' make notes :D

I do questions :)

BTW ROTE-LEARNING, is not good for maths, u have to gain experience in maths

The way i remember formulas is by applying them to questions, for e.g. Pyfag formula: c^2 = a^2 + b^2, i did about 5 qestions on them and remembered it
But u have to revise constantly like every month if ur confident, every week if u feel weak about it
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,886
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
The whole rote learning issue depends on what you define it as being - my definition of rote learning is pretty narrow. So according to that definition, I dont think you can rote learn much of two unit. However, by another definition, two unit may be rote learnable if that makes sense.
 

HeroicPandas

Heroic!
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,547
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
The whole rote learning issue depends on what you define it as being - my definition of rote learning is pretty narrow. So according to that definition, I dont think you can rote learn much of two unit. However, by another definition, two unit may be rote learnable if that makes sense.
YES, rote learn in maths and u fail (i mean like u wont get ur desired mark)

This is because u can't "see" pathways to approaching a question
 

Peeik

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2009
Messages
274
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
I never really had notes for maths. I think people who dont have notes demonstrates that they are competent since they know their stuff inside out. Much like the standard integral sheets given in the math exam. It pains me that some students need to use the table to find simple integrals.
 

HeroicPandas

Heroic!
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,547
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
I never really had notes for maths. I think people who dont have notes demonstrates that they are competent since they know their stuff inside out. Much like the standard integral sheets given in the math exam. It pains me that some students need to use the table to find simple integrals.
I feel u mate, someone people need the sheet to integrate logs HAHAHA [NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE OFFENDED:)]
 

Wonder

Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
101
Gender
Female
HSC
2014
....when I said 'rote-learn' I was thinking only about formulas and things like pythagorean identities in trig (not talking about the proof, just the rule itself), etc. that you HAVE to memorise? Not really sure what you mean by rote learning in Maths aside from that? Of course I know that Maths is more about practice. xD

Interesting that so far not many people make notes, because I've heard advice to do so quite a few times...
 
Last edited:

HeroicPandas

Heroic!
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,547
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
....when I said 'rote-learn' I was thinking only about formulas and things like pythagorean identities in trig (not talking about the proof, just the rule itself), etc. that you HAVE to memorise? Not really sure what you mean by rote learning in Maths aside from that? Of course I know that Maths is more about practice. xD

Interesting that so far not many people make notes, because I've heard advice to do so quite a few times...
Yeh trust everyone who tells u not to make notes for maths
 

HSC2014

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Messages
399
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
....when I said 'rote-learn' I was thinking only about formulas and things like pythagorean identities in trig (not talking about the proof, just the rule itself), etc. that you HAVE to memorise? Not really sure what you mean by rote learning in Maths aside from that? Of course I know that Maths is more about practice. xD

Interesting that so far not many people make notes, because I've heard advice to do so quite a few times...
Rote-learning in maths refers to a more broader time scale where you are just blindly following instructions (i.e. to do these types of questions first you divide the left by x and then times by y, etc). You have no knowledge of the content but rather a series of steps.
 

Wonder

Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
101
Gender
Female
HSC
2014
Rote-learning in maths refers to a more broader time scale where you are just blindly following instructions (i.e. to do these types of questions first you divide the left by x and then times by y, etc). You have no knowledge of the content but a series of steps.
Oh, I see. Well, that's definitely not what I meant, sorry about the confusion - I haven't heard that definition before.
 

enoilgam

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 11, 2011
Messages
11,886
Location
Mare Crisium
Gender
Undisclosed
HSC
2010
....when I said 'rote-learn' I was thinking only about formulas and things like pythagorean identities in trig (not talking about the proof, just the rule itself), etc. that you HAVE to memorise? Not really sure what you mean by rote learning in Maths aside from that? Of course I know that Maths is more about practice. xD

Interesting that so far not many people make notes, because I've heard advice to do so quite a few times...
With regards to study specifically, you should do what works for you. If you find that notes are effective for you then you should do it. Personally, I didnt find them to be effective, but that doesnt mean that they are ineffective for everyone.
 
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Messages
489
Location
Sydney
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
I have a book where I write down the formulas we learn and then write a question underneath where you use the formula. I only do this so I can revise easily before exams.. The best way though to get good at maths is practice, practice, practice :)
 

RishBonjour

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
1,261
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Nope, no notes for maths, no one in my year does it
get concept (youtube + text books), do questions--> try some harder questions to see if you understand concept, if you can't you don't understand it (e.g. ,me and perms and combs lulz, can't do the extension ones in cambridge)
 

LoveHateSchool

Retired Sept '14
Joined
Jan 30, 2009
Messages
5,136
Location
The Fires of Mordor
Gender
Female
HSC
2012
Uni Grad
2016
Going to be the voice of dissent here,

Yes. I do have notes for maths. I had my trusty method book, which is formula, theory and different worked examples of each Q type. I did it throughout Year 11/12 so by mid year 12 it had everything I needed in it. It is quite small and compact like a condensed theory. The way I did it, it was revision for me to update it. I would use different theory to the ones written in class, to reinforce, find applicable Qs from textbook to test I knew it as I put it in. It was SO useful during the year even though I barely need it anymore, it was page indexed so I could immediately what I was forgetting etc.

Now i think the most important thing for maths past paper practice. But I always had a little trouble with things sticking conceptually. And I dunno how much you can attribute to my method, but my maths results have improved so much for someone that maths used to be a very, very weak subject.
 

Wonder

Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
101
Gender
Female
HSC
2014
Going to be the voice of dissent here,

Yes. I do have notes for maths. I had my trusty method book, which is formula, theory and different worked examples of each Q type. I did it throughout Year 11/12 so by mid year 12 it had everything I needed in it. It is quite small and compact like a condensed theory. The way I did it, it was revision for me to update it. I would use different theory to the ones written in class, to reinforce, find applicable Qs from textbook to test I knew it as I put it in. It was SO useful during the year even though I barely need it anymore, it was page indexed so I could immediately what I was forgetting etc.

Now i think the most important thing for maths past paper practice. But I always had a little trouble with things sticking conceptually. And I dunno how much you can attribute to my method, but my maths results have improved so much for someone that maths used to be a very, very weak subject.
That does sound useful for revision, that was also why I made notes before. Did you find it time-consuming to make the notes though?
 
Last edited:

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top