Learning math is quite different than learning other subjects, and it is certainly different than learning isolated procedural tasks, such as how to change a flat tire. Math needs to be learned step-by-step. If you do not completely understand a particular topic, and are unable to perform tasks involving that topic with ease, there is no point in moving on to a new topic that depends upon the first one. However, this is exactly what most schools do, although in many cases, they simply do not have a choice.
Whether you are learning math from a website, or from a book, or from a private tutor, it is important to not move past a particular topic until you are fully comfortable with the one you are working on. You will simply fall farther and farther behind, and will get more and more confused and frustrated.
Another important point to understand is that you need to work on material that is at your level. This can be humbling if you are very far behind in math, but there is no point in struggling to learn material that you are not yet ready for. Many high school students struggle to solve equations such as 7x – 9 = 16x + 13, when the real problem was that they never fully learned basic math like addition and subtraction.
Try to find material that is at a level that you completely understand, and begin studying math from that point forward. It is OK if it is many grades below level. If you study hard, you will be able to catch up very quickly, and more importantly, you will have a solid understanding of all the fundamentals.
It is important to study math every day if you want to get good at it. Do not just finish your homework, close your book, and say that you are done. You are not done. You need to think about the material, close your book and quiz yourself, and then think about it some more. Each day, you also have to go back and review earlier material.
Math is not about “doing,” it is about understanding. It is about thinking. Do not just answer a question. Ask yourself why the answer makes sense, and why the method that you used makes sense. If you study in this fashion, you will have no trouble at all passing your math tests, and you will probably get close to 100 on most of them. The math just has to become a part of you, and that can only happen if you put in a great deal of effort every single day. Think about how you learn a sport or a musical instrument. It takes tons of daily practice, and tons of concentration. Learning math is exactly the same.
By: Larry Zafran
Posts Tagged ‘Addition And Subtraction’
How to Learn Math
April 27th, 2010Six Fun and Easy Kid Math Activity Ideas
April 26th, 2010
Math is a part of everyday life. We use math when go shopping, calculate distance when traveling, cook a yummy recipe, plant a garden, and play games. Kids can learn math concepts such as estimating, word problems, time and distance, measurement and basic addition and subtraction when playing games. Here are six different kid math activity ideas that are easy and fun:
Counting games include putting jelly beans or candy corn into a large clear jar. Have kids look at the jar and estimate the number of candy pieces they think might be in the jar. Then as a group, count out the candy and see who had the closest guess.
Play a guessing game with coins. Give each child one of each kind of coin. Ask questions such as; five of this coin adds up to a nickel. Gradually ask harder questions once the child masters each question. Practice addition by asking what coins make 35 cents or how many pennies will he or she give you for a dime?
When traveling, point out speed limits and distances to travel from one place to another. Let them use a map and calculate how long it will take to travel between two towns. Have kids figure out the time to travel a particular distance when driving at different speeds.
Cooking is a wonderful way to practice many math skills. Lets them help measure out ingredients and discuss fractions with them. How many quarter cups are there in one cup? Make a pizza and cut into eight slices. How many slices are there in one-half of the pizza? Talk about cooking times and temperatures with kids. Let them use a thermometer to test cold or hot food items.
Have them help with gardening and measure how tall the plants grow. They can use a measuring tape or ruler to plant seeds a specific distance apart. Or have kids draw a diagram of their bedroom and measure how big the room is. They can measure the doorway, windows, closet etc.
Play games such as tic-tac-toe, checkers, chess, card and dice games. These games encourage counting, finding patterns, and solving problems. A fun dice game includes drawing a funny creature. To play the game, you need a pair of dice, plain paper, and markers. Kids will roll the dice and add the two numbers together. Whatever the answer is they will draw that corresponding creature feature on their paper.
Roll the sum of 2 and draw a nose Roll the sum of 3 and draw a mouth Roll the sum of 4 and draw ears Roll the sum of 5 or 6 and draw a leg Roll the sum of 7 and draw a head Roll the sum of 8 and draw hair Roll the sum of 9 and draw a tail Roll the sum of 10 or 11 and draw an eye Roll the sum of 12 and draw an arm
Each player should have at least six turns to create a funny creature. Afterwards discuss their creatures, how many eyes or legs do they have? They can even discuss the statistics of which numbers came up the most when rolling the dice.
By: Nancy Johnson
Kids’ Mathematics – How to Make it Fun 30 Minutes a Day
January 28th, 2010In this article, we are going to give you tips on how to make math fun for your kids. You can take the information and use it to increase your child’s math skills 30 minutes a day. Although most of the games are 30 minutes, you may find yourself doing it for an hour. Kids love to have fun and we’re going to give them what they are looking for.
Rapid Kids’ Mathematics
Kids interested in mathematics will love Rapid Math because it requires competition, speed, and accuracy. This game helps students become masters of basic math fundamentals such as multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction. Kids of all ages can participate in Rapid Math.
A minimum of four players are needed (one answering questions/one providing flashcards). Each player has one partner which will use math equations on their flash cards to answer math problems. There should be 100 flashcards per team.
The whole deck must be completed before the game ends. For instance, the child must understand and answer an equation no matter how many times it appears in the deck. Every time he or she gives an incorrect answer, the flashcard is placed back in the deck for the remainder of the game.
Why is Rapid Math a great way to teach your kids mathematics?
Parents can use Rapid Math as a game to encourage their child’s to seek knowledge. For instance, adding small prizes such as extra television time, recess, or a fun day at the park would make a child want to learn more to earn the prizes. The psychological and emotional impact of a job well-done keeps kids coming back to earn more.
Rapid Math can be an essential tool to ensure your child remains sharp in all areas of math. Parents can adjust the levels of difficulty from basic math to algebra; start your child’s academic future in the right direction by participating in Rapid Math to make learning fun. Other games are available for Grades K-6, but Rapid Math is the most effective in developing kids’ aptitudes for higher learning skills.
By: Kyle Taylor
