Expert: Paul Klarreich - 11/9/2006

Question
Hi, I am a junior in high school and I was wondering even though this is kind of off topic how do I get better in math or how I can improve? I really struggle with math and I look at  a problem once and immediatly get discouraged, please can you give me advice on how to improve my math?skills?

Answer
Questioner:  Anonymous
Category:  Calculus
Private:  no
 
Subject:  Math advice
Question:  Hi, I am a junior in high school and I was wondering even though this is kind of off topic

>> No, it isn't, really.

how do I get better in math or how I can improve? I really struggle with math and I look at a problem once and immediately get discouraged, please can you give me advice on how to improve my math skills?

...........................................
Hi, whoever you are,

I have lots of ideas, but there is a limit to how much I am allowed to write.

1. Don't believe you are the only one in the world who has trouble with a particular problem.  If you can't do it, it's because the problem is hard, not because you are no good at math.

2. The things you do in math ARE difficult.  The answer does not come to you OR ANYONE ELSE without some thought.  Even the 'math geniuses' have to do some thinking.

3. The reason you STUDY math (as opposed to just knowing math) is that it demands certain mental skills from you -- skills that are hard to obtain in any other way.  For example:

   A. To do well in math you must raise the level of your language skills.  You must pay attention to EXACTLY what words and sentences say, not 'sort of' what they say.

   B. You must be attentive to detail.

4. In your English grammar classes, you were taught proper sentence structure and how to take a sentence apart to determine its exact meaning.  If you slept through those lessons, now you will pay for it.  Sentence structure is very important in mathematics.

5. When you read a mathematics book (and I urge to do so) don't think you can read it like an action novel. (or a romance novel -- you didn't indicate your gender.)  Most good readers can read a page a minute of ordinary fiction.  For math books it's more like a page in 20 minutes.   

5A. When you know that the teacher will cover section 7.4 of the text tomorrow, take a half hour tonight and read that section.  Try teaching it to yourself.  Don't just say "oh, this book is awful" and put it down.  Stay with it and see if you can understand what the section is saying.  Perhaps you won't get everything.  But you will be ready for class the next day and when the hard parts come up, you'll be looking for the explanation.

6. After you finish doing an example (successfully, I hope) don't just walk away from it satisfied.  Read your work over a couple of times, AS IF YOU HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO PRESENT THE SOLUTION TO THE CLASS.  This will force you to explain to yourself what you did and help you remember it.  Maybe you will explain it to someone.  Then he will think YOU are a math genius.

Well, that should get you started.  I don't have space for suggestions 7 to 893, so these will have to do.  Next time you write, perhaps to ask about a specific problem, you will be brave enough to shed your anonymity.