<p>How is it that some people seem to be really good at math while others aren't. What do you do, to get such high grades?</p>
<p>Math is a subject where practice makes perfect. Just do the same problems you know of the type which are going to be on the upcoming test over and over again until you have the style memorized.</p>
<p>Eh, some people are naturally born with brains that are wired to be good at math. They don't really have to try that hard to learn the material; it just comes to them naturally like painting does for a painter. For instance, there was a man in India who flunked out of college, but he did mathematics in his spare time. He sent some of his work to a professor in England and it turned out that the man was a genius when it came to infinite series even though he didn't have any sort of advanced education in mathematics. </p>
<p>I'm pretty disappointed that I'm not the type of person that math comes to naturally because college mathematics would be a whole lot easier. </p>
<p>For the sake of doing well on tests, practicing the type of problems that might be on the test does help a lot. But that really doesn't do you any good if your teacher puts a twist on the test. I'd say a better way to get better at mathematics is to try your best to understand the underlying concepts behind what and why you're doing certain things in your math class. If you can understand the problems and processes that you need to go through to solve the problem, then things start to click a little better. </p>
<p>And don't despair if there are certain aspects of mathematics that are giving you a lot of trouble. In high school, I horribly struggled through my Geometry and Pre-Calculus classes. But then I did really well in my Calculus class. So you can never know when there's an aspect of mathematics that will just start makeing sense for you.</p>
<p>Do you actually read your textbook? If not, you should start doing that. Whenever the teacher assigns problems from the end of a section in the book, go through and read that section carefully, working through all the examples that are given in the explanation. You will understand everything much better.</p>
<p>Yeah I'm not a math person either. I try tho. If you understand the concepts rather than the problems that can help too. That way if you understand everything as a whole you can solve any problem when you get to a type of problem you haven't seen before by just using the same concepts but applying them differently. This takes a while to get used to. I finally did it for physics and now I'm working on doing it for math. It helps a lot.</p>
<p>Make sure you understand every concept that was reviewed in class or is present in the designated chapter of the textbook. Then, re-do homework problems and search the textbook for similiar problems that may appear on the test and do those as well.</p>
<p>Here is what I do: </p>
<p>1.) Do my homework.
- In my Algebra class, homework counts as 20% or 25% of my quarter grade. Consistently doing homework helps my grade. Even if my homework is not 100% or even 80% correct, merely completing it gives me the advantage.<br>
-Another benefit of homework is and re-inforcing difficult concepts. By practing these problems, I'm memorizing the steps to do them without struggling. Gradually, I become more proficient.
- Homework indicates the areas I have with. I usually encounter problems that I can't do without the aid of a teacher. In class, I don't notice that I don't understand these problems because the teacher is there to explain. It's a whole other story when I'm by myself.</p>
<p>2.) Pay attention in class.
I don't regularly pay attention in Algebra class for certain reasons, but I advise others to pay attention. Maybe if I pay attention, I will not encounter so much trouble in homework (obviously), lol. </p>
<p>3.) Before class go over the lesson.
My teacher teaches as if me and the other students know the material already. I don't approve of this teaching method, but, since this is an Algebra 2 Honors class, I can't really complain. What I can do is review the lesson (s)he will cover in class a few minutes before class to the night before. </p>
<p>4.) Go to extra help.
This is real popular with me. I thrive under a one-on-one evironment. Having someone directly explain algebra to me greatly improves my understanding. </p>
<p>5.) Be calm during tests and quizzes.
It has taken me a long time to get this one. I would study the whole night for a test or quiz and freak out when I'm actually taking it. The results would usually be dissappointing and left me discouraged. Now, I try to be relaxed and confident during tests and quizzes.</p>
<p>Totally agree with #5- be confident!</p>
<p>I used to study all the time and <em>feel</em> like I knew the material beforehand, but when I got to the test, I would flip out and completely draw a blank. Just dive in and start doing the problem and don't question yourself. Turns out so many of the problems I got wrong started off right, but I hesitated, fumbled around, and fell onto the wrong track. More common than you might think.</p>