Tips for improving my math/algebra/etc skills?

[NeoMasterPie]

So I'm not really happy with my math/algebra skills, and I'm looking to do some self-improvement. I'm already accepted to college, so it's not for standardized testing or anything. I just want some tips for self-study, good websites, etc. I'm going to be going to Kent State University for Computer Science this fall, and math is just not my strongest field (I got a 34 on my English ACT compared to my 26 in math). I learn best through reading a short summary on how to do something and then just doing it a whole bunch of times, looking things up if/when I get stuck.

I'm in Pre-Calc right now and I'm doing fine with that, but my geometry and problem-solving skills could use some work. Thanks in advance

[Patashu]

I would recommend http://www.intmath.com/blog/how-to-learn-math-formulas

In particular 6 is one I use a lot whenever I can't prove to myself why the formula is arranged like THIS instead of like THAT, I make up a little word story that is less easily messed up and gives you the right arrangement.

[Arkuski]

You could try Khan Academy.

I have tutored lots of people in math in my day, and I find that what separates the good students from the bad ones is a willingness to accept difficulty. Not all math is going to be easy, and I find that most kids who struggle will "blank" at a problem and give up before even attempting it. I think if you overcome that attitude and adopt an optimistic outlook, your future endeavors in mathematics will come much easier.

[25thhour]

Benguin <3 Taught me calculus last semester. I still owe him BIG!

[dAnceguy117]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread, and I'll post any good links I come across as well. I like the tips so far. good stuff, Patashu and Ark.

I haven't taken an honest-to-goodness math course in... 6 years? 3 if statistics counts. a recent computer science exam I took had a couple of math-heavy questions, and I bombed them pretty badly. got a cumulative final in a month. crunch time.

Originally Posted by NeoMasterPie

(I got a 34 on my English ACT compared to my 26 in math)

p sure we talked about that in prochat once. our scores are stupidly close

[dAnceguy117]

bump

This site looks cool.
https://www.khanacademy.org/

Detri, let's do math stuff sometime

[wildfireskunk]

Originally Posted by dAnceguy117

bump

This site looks cool.
https://www.khanacademy.org/

Detri, let's do math stuff sometime

This site is good. I downloaded all of the math lectures and used to watch them during all the quiet time I had at work

[Cavernio]

"I have tutored lots of people in math in my day, and I find that what separates the good students from the bad ones is a willingness to accept difficulty. Not all math is going to be easy, and I find that most kids who struggle will "blank" at a problem and give up before even attempting it. I think if you overcome that attitude and adopt an optimistic outlook, your future endeavors in mathematics will come much easier."

Or the kids who are the worst ones are the most pessimistic because they blank.

Math problems and such are mainly a matter of rote, once you understand concepts. Practice lots.

[MarioNintendo]

Originally Posted by Arkuski

You could try Khan Academy.

I have tutored lots of people in math in my day, and I find that what separates the good students from the bad ones is a willingness to accept difficulty. Not all math is going to be easy, and I find that most kids who struggle will "blank" at a problem and give up before even attempting it. I think if you overcome that attitude and adopt an optimistic outlook, your future endeavors in mathematics will come much easier.

Arkuski = MarioNintendo, you just spoke my mind.

[Reincarnate]

I strongly disagree with that logic and think it's a widespread misconception, IMO.

If a kid is staring blankly at a problem, it's because he/she has absolutely no idea where to begin or how to work through it. I don't think it's a matter of "willingness to accept difficulty." It's because the teacher may be trying to shoehorn that student into a particular approach or way of thinking that simply doesn't compute. Remember that Feynman video about "Ways to think" and his example of the internal ticking clock?

I honestly blame teachers for much of this because most teachers are shitty empaths / communicators. The challenge is explaining something in a way that is sensitive to the student's state of mind.

One skill that isn't taught at all (or at least not well) is how to ask the right questions. Determining what your goal is / what you want to solve and what you need to know to get there, and how you can break each one of those problems down.

I'm of the mind that something is only hard when it's taught poorly. A lot of people find statistics really hard, for example, but that's because *everyone sucks at statistics*. Things become much easier when you have a good teacher.

[dAnceguy117]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

I honestly blame teachers for much of this because most teachers are shitty empaths / communicators. The challenge is explaining something in a way that is sensitive to the student's state of mind.

I'd have to agree. Just from my own experiences and what I've seen, most teachers could do better in that regard.

Originally Posted by Arkuski

You could try Khan Academy.

oh wow, how did I miss this earlier. im sorry for trying to take credit for it

[mrpreggers]

ah damn a bunch of my friends go to kent and i live like half an hour away lol
doesn't have anything to do with the thread just thought i'd share

[smartdude1212]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

I honestly blame teachers for much of this because most teachers are shitty empaths / communicators. The challenge is explaining something in a way that is sensitive to the student's state of mind.

I feel as if this especially applies to university professors, who can be so learned in their subject that every elementary problem seems easy to them. I have a few professors who are excellent at assuming that I know how to start a problem, and that my issues just arise in the process of solving said problem. In reality, sometimes I just plain don't know where to begin. It can also be intimidating when they ask "okay, how far did you get with the problem?" and I respond with "nowhere," and this can turn me off from asking them anything until I make progress.

One skill that isn't taught at all (or at least not well) is how to ask the right questions. Determining what your goal is / what you want to solve and what you need to know to get there, and how you can break each one of those problems down.

Also very true. Even during a lecture a professor may say "are there any questions/issues?" and get no response, but if I'm confused about something that has just been taught, it can be especially difficult to phrase the question within five seconds before they move on to something else.

I'm of the mind that something is only hard when it's taught poorly. A lot of people find statistics really hard, for example, but that's because *everyone sucks at statistics*. Things become much easier when you have a good teacher.

I blame my dislike for statistics on having a sub-par statistics professor.

Interestingly enough, I have two incredibly difficult classes this semester. One is difficult because of the professor (second course in complex analysis ugh) and the prior knowledge that is assumed, while the other is difficult simply because of the material (algebraic graph theory, yowza). In fact, I'm fairly sure I'd be failing algebraic graph theory if it were taught by a different professor, because the one that I have now understands the difficulties that students have. Shocking!

[Reincarnate]

Originally Posted by smartdude1212

I feel as if this especially applies to university professors, who can be so learned in their subject that every elementary problem seems easy to them. I have a few professors who are excellent at assuming that I know how to start a problem, and that my issues just arise in the process of solving said problem. In reality, sometimes I just plain don't know where to begin. It can also be intimidating when they ask "okay, how far did you get with the problem?" and I respond with "nowhere," and this can turn me off from asking them anything until I make progress.

That was also one of my big gripes with uni profs. Always upset me when they'd call something "trivial" when it obviously wasn't trivial to anyone who hadn't spent their entire adult working career in that field.

Or if your answer was "I haven't gotten anywhere so far," they assume it's because you must be lazy, when really it's because you legitimately have no effing clue how to get started. Some profs are nice about telling you how to begin, while others just try to ego-browbeat you into feeling like a moron.

Of course, sometimes time is an issue. Most students have to grapple with a few classes at once and can't devote every waking moment to any one particular course. It was also hard for me since I also worked full-time to make ends meet financially, and it always pissed me off when professors would basically tell me to "just read the entire book" or something similar when I went to office hours. Yes, I've already read the damn book/section and still have a question. I'm paying a fuckload of money to be here. The least you could do is spend 10 seconds to answer a 2-second question instead of treat me like I'm some lazy kid who's partying my weekends away.

Originally Posted by smartdude1212

Also very true. Even during a lecture a professor may say "are there any questions/issues?" and get no response, but if I'm confused about something that has just been taught, it can be especially difficult to phrase the question within five seconds before they move on to something else.

I always dreaded asking questions in lecture/class because 1. it might be wasting everyone else's time, 2. I didn't want to look stupid for asking a "dumb question," or 3. I just didn't want to attract any attention to myself.

Originally Posted by smartdude1212

I blame my dislike for statistics on having a sub-par statistics professor.

Interestingly enough, I have two incredibly difficult classes this semester. One is difficult because of the professor (second course in complex analysis ugh) and the prior knowledge that is assumed, while the other is difficult simply because of the material (algebraic graph theory, yowza). In fact, I'm fairly sure I'd be failing algebraic graph theory if it were taught by a different professor, because the one that I have now understands the difficulties that students have. Shocking!

Yeah, IMO there's a world of difference. Someone can be the best in the world at a particular subject but completely fail at teaching others. Even worse if there's ego involved -- a sort of "I'm the best in the world, who are you to challenge my methods?" thing.

I had one prof, during my freshman year, outright tell me to drop the class because of a "dumb question" I asked. I wound up having like the second or third highest grade in the course in the end -- fuck that guy.

[iironiic]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

I honestly blame teachers for much of this because most teachers are shitty empaths / communicators. The challenge is explaining something in a way that is sensitive to the student's state of mind.

One skill that isn't taught at all (or at least not well) is how to ask the right questions. Determining what your goal is / what you want to solve and what you need to know to get there, and how you can break each one of those problems down.

This. Seriously. I am fortunate to have a great number theory professor and currently, an amazing combinatorics professor here at Budapest. They have stirred my mathematical interests towards these areas because they alleviate the difficulty of mathematical thinking by explaining why statement A implies statement B, instead of drilling mathematical facts into my head. Many students find mathematics difficult because they do not see the concepts that lie beneath the many variables and numbers contained in a mathematical proof.

With that being said, to improve your mathematical intuition, try understanding why the derivative of x^n is nx^(n-1), or why 1+1/2+1/4+1/8+ ... = 2, etc. This is really fascinating because the beauty of mathematics lies in why mathematics is, instead of what mathematics is. Many people only see the complicated computations and because this is apparently an alien language to the majority, they are discouraged and generalize mathematics as a very difficult academic field to pursue.

Some additional suggestions: If these concepts do not make any sense, try using examples to help you understand them better. Do a few calculus exercises as often as you can. Solving a shitload of problems is the best way to reinforce concepts. Remember time tables back in elementary school? They used to drill those facts into our heads when we were young. (Not to mention, they showed why 1+1=2 by holding up apples in front of the class rofl). Now at this age, 1+1 just seems so trivial to at least 99% of the high school population because we spent so much time memorizing what 1+1 is.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[MarioNintendo]

Well, I guess I learned something from this thread today. Legit. Thanks rubix.

[Nivenalis]

Someone from my precalc class posted this site with a ton of math videos/tutorials.
http://patrickjmt.com/
Hope this helps.

[dAnceguy117]

thanks for the tips and resources, all.


after a long hiatus from math courses, some things no longer come intuitively to me. in particular, I need to brush up on log and exponent rules. I probably just need practice, but anyone have tips or nice ways of "permanently" remembering these kinds of rules?