<p>Sometimes, I think I understand things well, but when I take a test, I realize that I don't understand it much at all. </p>
<p>Example: pre-cal last year. I did extremely bad in that class, as in putting in a ton of effort and still getting Bs. For review before a test, I would do every single homework problem as well as the even numbers (we usually get assigned the odd problems for homework) out of desperation. I would have absolutely no problem doing each problem without any reference to notes. I thought that I understood the concepts well and I could do every single problem on the homework, but I'd still get a C or B- on a test. I would also do fine on the pop quizzes and homework grades, but just not the tests.</p>
<p>I realized that I never really got over that problem (barely pulled through with a B last year) and I'm scared that I'll face that situation again in college. </p>
<p>Any advice on how to know if I really understand a subject? If I ever want to self-study, I need to be able to ascertain whether or not I need more work on a certain area.</p>
<p>It seems to me like your problem is that you’re too much like a machine - you teach yourself how to solve X type of problem and you get really good at it. But when the same concept shows up as problem Y, where even the slightest parameter is changed, you panic.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m understanding wrong but that’s what it sounds like. If that’s the case, perhaps you should practice working several different types of problems, and also try brand new problems that you’ve never seen before but cover the same concepts.</p>
<p>It could also be test day nerves, etc. Or perhaps you make a lot of careless mistakes; I know a few people like that.</p>
<p>You sound like me…As soon as my teacher changes the format of a question, or adds a twist to the “regular type” of problem…I can’t do it anymore. My math logic is nonexistent. </p>
<p>I’ll get all A’s on quizzes, but my teacher just loves adding random twists to the questions for the tests, and it completely throws me off. Math is my worst subject, pretty much because “numbers” and “logic” do not fit together in my brain.</p>
<p>I haven’t found a way of solving my problem, but I would recommend finding as many variations of problems using the concepts involved as you can. Every math problem is different, so just keep practicing them and figuring out the differences, finding patterns in the variations, etc. </p>
<p>I’m hopeless in math, but I hope I helped a little… ><</p>
<p>Secret Asian dude pretty much summed up my sentiments; doing every problem repetitively won’t help you, instead, do a couple of each in variety.</p>
<p>it’s been said alreeady but make sure you understand the concept so you can do similar problems</p>
<p>Give a man a fish and he’ll have a dinner one night. Teach a man to fish and he’ll be a fisherman! And have dinner every night til the lake runs dry. Something like that</p>
<p>I agree that doing each problem repetitively doesn’t help, but seeing as I did all the problems in the textbook for each lesson, I think that I did at least a little bit of everything.
I also agree that I am acting like a machine but this kinda leads back to my question: How do I know for sure that I understand the concept completely? Elaborating on that, when will I know that I actually understand something and not just ‘think’ I do?</p>
<p>Thanks for the help though! I think I understand how to change problems up now. Just learn how to solve for different parts of an equation. I think it’s probably a mixture of nerves (that mentality of failing even if I do put in effort) and misunderstanding that screw me over.</p>
<p>When you can think of your own questions and add your own twists to them, you understand the concept.
You have to understand them well enough to answer “what if it was like this instead of this”</p>
<ol>
<li>Are you one of those people who freeze up on tests?</li>
<li>You know how sometimes you desperately try to remember something that you know, you’ll have trouble thinking of it? Maybe that’s your situation and you just need to relax a bit, move on to other thoughts, and let you subconscious naturally bring your critical thought to the surface.</li>
</ol>