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Best way to self teach maths?

I'm self teaching myself maths. I'm starting off revising the GCSE stuff I've done before but can't really remember then I'll move on the the A-level stuff.

Can anyone give me any tips on what is the best way to approach it?

Also, as I've not done sciences in quite a while, what is the best way to revise for maths/physics?

E.g. history for example I'd read a chapter twice, summarise it, then make a spider diagram with the main points.

Clearly this isn't something easily done with maths. I have planned on using internet and text books to take me through the methods, answer some of the questions then move on to the next topic. When I reach a certain milestone, for example GCSE/AS/A2 I'll revise the whole thing and the do past papers.

Does this learning method seem decent or are there better ways I can go about it?
Reply 1
Avatar for dean01234
dean01234
19
Examsolutions

This guy is awesome and his videos could help you to learn some of the methods.
Reply 2
Avatar for bestofyou
bestofyou
OP
18
Original post by dean01234
Examsolutions

This guy is awesome and his videos could help you to learn some of the methods.


thanks

any advice for the actually method of revision though?

or is really the best/only way:

learn method >>>> revision questions >>>> breifly revise topic again >>>> past paper questions

?
Reply 3
Avatar for Magenta96
Magenta96
16
Well I'm an A grade GCSE maths student. What I did was use the CD MathsWatch for GCSE topics, it's always highly recommended, the CD basically has all the topics that are in GCSE maths and once you click a topic there's actually a woman's voice guiding you through it so it's almost like you're in a class and listening to your teacher writing on the whiteboard. The CD also has practice questions and the end and sample worksheets. If you don't want the CD a textbook from your exam board will work the same. Once I'd gone through that entire CD I went and gathered about 6 past papers.

I completed each past paper, marked it harshly, saw where I went wrong and asked for help on TSR and in school until I got those questions right. Make sure you do the past papers at least twice each until you're getting above 90% in each paper. Once the exam comes no matter how hard it is or how much you think you've failed, because you used the past paper method you're GUARANTEED at least an A. That's what I found worked for me in GCSE maths.

For A level maths though I keep hearing about websites such as KhanAcademy and ExamSolutions so they must be really good so try them out. Once you think you're confident with a method start doing past papers.

To summarise:
Textbook > Past Papers > Mark them > Improve > Repeat until confident

Hope this helps :smile:
Reply 4
Avatar for dean01234
dean01234
19
Original post by bestofyou
thanks

any advice for the actually method of revision though?

or is really the best/only way:

learn method >>>> revision questions >>>> breifly revise topic again >>>> past paper questions

?


yeah that is the best way, past papers are excellent revision for maths...

Just make sure you mark them and get help if you need it. good luck :smile:
Reply 5
Avatar for SillyEddy
SillyEddy
18
I self taught AS maths with mechanics.

I bought the CGP revision guides and read through them. I took notes on each of the chapters and then did the revision questions at the end of the chapters. Then I did some past papers and checked my answers on the aforementioned Examsolutions.co.uk website (they do video tutorials of each exam question, so I could check if my answer and method were correct).

I basically revised by brute force. Just learn it and learn it and learn it.


Physics was much the same. Of course, don't rush. Make sure you know the stuff. I had four levels of revision - Study, revise, practise, complete. I studied a chapter, then read over it again, then practised it (past papers and chapter questions) and completed it. When it was nearing exam time, I went through it again. I marked off all the topics with a green/yellow/red pen. So I knew the green stuff, half knew the yellow stuff and was stuck on the red stuff. Then I prioritised my time with the bad topics and worked back towards the yellow and green ones.
Work through the exercise books, do summary questions, do past paper questions.

That's all I did. Although I only self taught further maths AS, had maths + further maths A2 taught to me.

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