Tips for learning, comprehending and studying Maths successfully

Ms S. Vella, Matemathics Teacher

Here are a few tips which might guide you to understand Mathematics more easily and help you to be more effective at studying the subject.

1. Do your homework, but don’t stop there

It is very important that the HW assigned by the teacher is all completed. However, if you feel like you haven’t fully understood the concept, you might need to try a few extra problems. These are easy to find in your textbooks and online. Search for the same topic that you’ve be covering in class and try out some more additional questions, in order to consolidate the content. Sometimes, the answers to the questions are also provided, hence you ’d also be able to check your work.

2. Go through your notes frequently

Take your time to make sure you under- stand what you’re reading. Take note of any definitions, formulas and important examples that are mentioned in the notes. It might help if you summarise the main parts of the topics, including useful diagrams, for a quick review every now and then.

3. Spend a few minutes studying each day

Don’t leave all the work for the last minute. In Maths, most topics build on previous knowledge that should have been mastered before. Therefore, it’ s crucial that you learn each concept well, before moving on to the next one.

4. Show your working on every problem. Get used to writing the complete solutions of problems, even when doing daily HW and revision. Necessary working always needs to be shown. In Maths exams, certain working is also assigned marks, hence you’d be missing out points if you leave it out.

5. Give extra attention to word problems

You can use word problems to test your Maths comprehension. These can be tricky since you need to convert a sentence in English into Maths. However, word problems are a great way to train your brain. When solving a Mathsproblem, make sure you understand the situation and which techniques you’ll need to use. Sometimes, it’s necessary to read the problem more than once, in order to fully comprehend what is required of you. At times, it helps to draw a diagram, illustrating the problem.

6. Check your work once you are finished

It is important that after you’ ve completed the work assigned, you correct it – either in class, from the given answers or at times you can check your work by working back through the problem. Do not let wrong answers pass unnoticed. Revise the notes of the chapter concerned and go through the incorrect problems again to make sure that you’ ve mastered the concept.

7. Refresh your memory by going through older problems

Mathematics works in a spiral form – it builds on itself. New skills build on other skills and concepts that you’ve already learned. Hence, if you don’t have a good grasp of the topics that have already been covered, you might find yourself struggling to understand new concepts. It helps if every now and then, you work out a few problems from a previouslycovered topic to refresh your memory.

8. Take tests to check your skills

Many students get blocked when they are sitting for an exam. Hence, try to take practice tests and work out past papers on your own, but under exam conditions, so that when it comes to the real exam you would already be acquainted to the idea and won’t feel stressed.

Remember that in Maths, not everything needs to be learnt by heart. Some formulas and methods need memorising, however it is very important that you comprehend the concepts and apply them according to the context in the given questions. Study bit by bit throughout the whole year, and don’t leave everything until the last minute. Put the required effort to succeed!

More information on this topic on: https://www.wikihow.com/Study-Math