<p>There isn’t any kind of ‘trick’ to mastering mathematical thinking. It’s something that some people have more of a knack for than others, but it really comes down to practice. Lots and lots of practice. I’m a physics major with a math minor…I’ve got countless hours of practice doing math.</p>
<p>If you’re moving on in calculus, those algebra skills are going to continue being important. I tutor several people in calculus, and the biggest problem they have isn’t usually the calculus itself, it’s the algebra involved in doing the calculus. </p>
<p>Khan Academy is a good place to brush up on algebra skills. MIT Open Course Ware could be helpful. Really though, your best bet is to just work a ton of problems. Get a College Algebra or pre-calculus book, and just work through tons of problems. </p>