Getting good at maths?

Hi!

I wonder how you get good at maths?

I've noticed understanding is important, but my problem is i got no one to explain to me - my math teacher argues it's useless to understand and that you only need to understand HOW you calculate something.

So people, I need your help here!

Reply 1

ShadowHawk

8

Firstly, the way I got good at Maths is that I try to understand fully what the question is asking me. I then try to apply what I know to the situation. Also, I was just good at Maths from a very young age so it just kinda stuck with me I guess.

Secondly, practice makes perfect. Choose a topic, read the examples thoroughly. Make sure you understand what is going on in the examples. Start off with easier questions, then work your way up to harder questions.

Thirdly, do NOT give up. Maths can be a bit of an ass at times. As long as you continuously practice and ask for help when you're stuck, you're good.

Thanks and good luck!!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 2

saizperez

6

RE:getting good at math

Censors: please do not delete this anecdote

To be honest when I was child the option of not being good at math was not available to me. My dad was an ivey leaguer and used to back slap me across the face if I every displayed the remotest signs of insolence as he explained a problem to me. One day in Montreal, he said to me "Ok, blank you have three opportunities here if you fail on the third chance I'll punch you in the face.... and so he did.

The thing is the guy would always devise these math riddles on the plane back from europe. And even when I couldn't solve them I invariably enjoyed them, mom did too by the way. When I went to school in Windsor where I've made the Dean's list by the way I used to tell this story to my brown friends and they were all like " you got slapped by your old man me too man" and a bond would be formed.

Now on to concrete advice. Now besides the aforementioned importance of having a mathematical tradition in the family, for the sake of skill in math travel is QUITE handy. You see different countries look at the teaching of math in different ways. Therefore by going thru, I admit this takes a long time, the syllabuses on both sides of the pond you get a variety of perspectives. Hence skills.

I find the french books I had in North Africa (5ieme, 6ieme) seem to be disturbingly obsessed with geometry, the irish leaving certificate books seem to skip entire sections of syllabus necessary for a basic understanding of functions and hence calculus. Now when I got back to Canada I found that the teaching bodies over there approached the instruction of mathematics in much more linear/sequential function -you can't learn how to walk if you don't even know how to crawl-

Math in Canada is taught with an emphasis on algebra, them moves on to basic functions progressively getting harder. As well I find Canadian questions A LOT easier to understand than British wording. Sometimes its a good idea to get a mature student high school book cuz they explain the concepts as if you were mentally impaired-no seriously it helps-

Well, I hope this diatribe helps

Sincerely and with probably too much familiarity

David Saiz

Reply 3

u0b2

do lots of practise questions.

Reply 4

saizperez

6

RE:getting good at math

Censors: please do not delete this anecdote

To be honest when I was child the option of not being good at math was not available to me. My dad was an ivey leaguer and used to back slap me across the face if I every displayed the remotest signs of insolence as he explained a problem to me. One day in Montreal, he said to me "Ok, blank you have three opportunities here if you fail on the third chance I'll punch you in the face.... and so he did.

The thing is the guy would always devise these math riddles on the plane back from europe. And even when I couldn't solve them I invariably enjoyed them, mom did too by the way. When I went to school in Windsor where I've made the Dean's list by the way I used to tell this story to my brown friends and they were all like " you got slapped by your old man me too man" and a bond would be formed.

Now on to concrete advice. Now besides the aforementioned importance of having a mathematical tradition in the family, for the sake of skill in math travel is QUITE handy. You see different countries look at the teaching of math in different ways. Therefore by going thru, I admit this takes a long time, the syllabuses on both sides of the pond you get a variety of perspectives. Hence skills.

I find the french books I had in North Africa (5ieme, 6ieme) seem to be disturbingly obsessed with geometry, the irish leaving certificate books seem to skip entire sections of syllabus necessary for a basic understanding of functions and hence calculus. Now when I got back to Canada I found that the teaching bodies over there approached the instruction of mathematics in much more linear/sequential function -you can't learn how to walk if you don't even know how to crawl-

Math in Canada is taught with an emphasis on algebra, them moves on to basic functions progressively getting harder. As well I find Canadian questions A LOT easier to understand than British wording. Sometimes its a good idea to get a mature student high school book cuz they explain the concepts as if you were mentally impaired-no seriously it helps-

Well, I hope this diatribe helps

Sincerely and with probably too much familiarity

David Saiz

Reply 5

tamimi

16

Usually it's a case of letting maths grow on you. You'll usually (not always) find that students that love maths are usually the ones that are good at it.

I'm by no means good at maths relative to the other students in my course, but I've become much better than I used to be once I started appreciating maths. Most students have a problem loving Maths because it's very intangible and not-applied-enough so it has no attachment to real life applications.

My point is, in my personal opinion, the best way to become better at maths is to learn to enjoy it,