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Very weak at maths - how to improve?

Posted on TheStudentRoom
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 1
Hi, I usually write out all my notes in a jotter at home and then go over some excercises in my textbook. The key I find for my is too practice. It may seem silly but I find that youtube has really helped me! There are lots of tutorials and people on there who can help you! Attend all support classes in school and always ask questions in class. You could mabye also study with a friend. Also desinate about 45 minutes to roughly about an hour for maths. Practice everything until you know it like the back of your hands. Also, once you know a topic remember to recap it every couple of weeks and months just so its fresh on your brain and on top of your head! I also need a B in maths this year!

Work hard! Good luck, I hope you get that B!!!
Reply 2
Don't worry. You have got time I just finished year 11 and now in year 12. Maths is the subject i'm the most proudest of From last Year 2013 June Exam i got an E grade and now in June 2014 I ended up with an A grade.
Revision tips/ What i did:
Start revision Early (i started in January)
Stay ahead of the class ( Learn things you've never learnt before and go over it frrequently)
Ask your Teacher for help (Stay after school if you have/ it shows your dedication)
MathsWatch Disc
Also no joke This is the Maths GCSE BIBLE it helped me soooooo much from edexcel it is written so sweet and simple for everyone to understand:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Revise-Edexcel-Mathematics-Higher-Revision/dp/1446900185/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413497616&sr=1-2&keywords=gcse+edexcel+maths
Reply 3
Original post by STUDYREVISE
I really need to achieve a B in maths, and although I am in year 11, I am currently working at Grade C, which in comparison to all the A's and A*s I am getting, is absolutely shocking.
I am not "naturally" good at Maths, never have been, but I really need this B.
I have printed out many past papers and will be working on them over the course of the next 3/4 months,
apart from this, how do I make notes for maths?
Flashcards? Files? Notebooks?

Please share any revision techniques that I should follow in order to bump up my grade.
Thanks!


By the looks of it you'd get a B if you keep going like you are. The only reason you are working at a C is probably because they are securing the knowledge before moving up to B grade

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I got an A in maths by doing exam papers. A heck load of them. Around 50+ between a calculator and non calculator in year 11. Its just practice cos you use all the appropriate skills and methods in a range of different ways. Having said that, i found maths a doddle and i am not resitting my first year of AS maths as the first year i did terrible and got an E, but dont worry about A-Level... thats a story for another day :l

best of luck and dont worry what happens, as long as you try your best.
Reply 5
Original post by nash2k7
Don't worry. You have got time I just finished year 11 and now in year 12. Maths is the subject i'm the most proudest of From last Year 2013 June Exam i got an E grade and now in June 2014 I ended up with an A grade.
Revision tips/ What i did:
Start revision Early (i started in January)
Stay ahead of the class ( Learn things you've never learnt before and go over it frrequently)
Ask your Teacher for help (Stay after school if you have/ it shows your dedication)
MathsWatch Disc
Also no joke This is the Maths GCSE BIBLE it helped me soooooo much from edexcel it is written so sweet and simple for everyone to understand:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Revise-Edexcel-Mathematics-Higher-Revision/dp/1446900185/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413497616&sr=1-2&keywords=gcse+edexcel+maths


I used that book too, for stuff I was confused about. It was really helpful. Never saw the point of writing notes tho. The book alone is good but I'd also buy the accompanying workbook. Finally, past papers was the single most important maths resource for me. Do them in time conditions and try your best, without assistance from textbooks/ the internet. Also read the mark scheme, and ask your teachers about anything you're unsure of. I kinda did past papers first, and only used the textbook/revision guides/ maths watch for stuff I got wrong.. And it saved a lot of time. Doing this got me from scraping low A's at the start of year 10 mocks to getting ~95% in the mocks/ practice papers I did closer to the exam (and A* in the exam).
Reply 6
tips

use mymaths website
use CGP
use maths notes
use maths watch cd
Reply 7
Past papers are super important. For Year 11 we just did past papers and it meant that I wasn't stressing so much about revision.
I made sure I understood the technique and then did loads of exercises to make sure I understood it.
I didn't really make maths notes but check the exam board and see what formula you are given and if you need to know conversions (I didn't realise I had to know them and ended up cramming them half an hour before the exam).
You could ask teachers or people in your year to tutor you (I taught quite a few people in my year).

Good luck!
Reply 8
Original post by Addie16
Past papers are super important. For Year 11 we just did past papers and it meant that I wasn't stressing so much about revision.
I made sure I understood the technique and then did loads of exercises to make sure I understood it.
I didn't really make maths notes but check the exam board and see what formula you are given and if you need to know conversions (I didn't realise I had to know them and ended up cramming them half an hour before the exam).
You could ask teachers or people in your year to tutor you (I taught quite a few people in my year).

Good luck!


I just turned up on the day and thought the exam was a mock

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Reply 9
Original post by Andy98
I just turned up on the day and thought the exam was a mock

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It was probably just me who thought this but I found the mocks so much worse. By the time of the actual exams I had used up all my effort.
Reply 10
Original post by Addie16
It was probably just me who thought this but I found the mocks so much worse. By the time of the actual exams I had used up all my effort.


It was probably just me who didn't put that much effort in

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