Math word problems are frequently used to gauge students’ ability to decipher pertinent information and also to assess students’ ability to use their analytical and mathematics skills to solve problems. Math word problems are often used to relate mathematics to real life situations. For instance, Physics applications, finance applications, Economics applications, surveying and other fields heavily rely on Mathematics.
Consequently, word problems appear in a lot of standardized exams as well as in everyday assignments that students face. Standardized exams like the SAT test love word problems since they can be used to integrate many fields of mathematics; and they are a higher order thinking assessment tools.
At Math Made Easy, expert tutors know how help students solve seemingly complicated word problems through an innovative approach to solving math word problems, as well as emphasis on tried and tested methods.
Math word problems are frequently used in mathematics exams not only for reasons previously mentioned, but also because they are used to integrate many areas of mathematics in the same problem. An example would be a math word problem that tests a student’s knowledge of both Geometry and Algebra. Math Made Easy’s expert tutors are familiar with many strategies that help students achieve the capability to solve word problems.
While the enlisted strategies are different from topic to topic, tutors inform students of the importance of consistently writing down known and unknown quantities upon reading a word problem, underlining key words, and drawing charts. After doing so, students will also be tutored in the specific topics in mathematics with which the word problem is involved. After efficient, effective and in depth assistance in the specific topic of a word problem, students will be able to complete a problem and reach a satisfying solution.
The structure of Math Made Easy’s word problem help is identical to its homework help in general — and also when working with word problems for the SAT test and GRE test. Expert tutors know how to appeal to the learning styles of students in a way that will maximize the effectiveness of students in being able to draw out pertinent information in word problems and using their Mathematics skills to complete a solution for a word problem. Expert tutors are also good at relating word problems to real life and often offer students many options of visualization and/or relations of a particular problem.
About Multimedia Tutorial Services, Inc.
Multimedia Tutorial Services, Inc. has key strengths in educational products, with highly skilled online math tutors to provide math help, algebra help, math homework help, geometry help, calculus help, math answers, SAT test tutoring, SAT preparation, and math answers. To date, the Company’s premier tutorial program, Math Made Easy(TM) has been purchased by more than three hundred thousand families. In addition, several thousand schools and colleges throughout the country have acquired the Math Made Easy(TM) series for their libraries and classrooms. Math Made Easy(TM) is widely recognized as one of the foremost home tutorial programs. The tutorial series has been featured on CNN, Bloomberg, ABC News Radio and other major networks.
By: Ann R Knapp
Posts Tagged ‘Math Tests’
Math Help for Students With Learning Disabilities
April 9th, 2010
Many struggling math students have been diagnosed with a specific learning disability. Some of them share this diagnosis with their math tutors and math teachers in a matter-of-fact way and others believe that tried and true methods will better “reach” them in their disabled state.
Although there are various schools of thought on this issue, as well as whole schools devoted to working with students based on a physiologically or emotionally based diagnosis, it is often best to deal with students in a multisensory environment.
Multisensory learning enables students of diverse strengths and weaknesses to experience a powerful tool. Traditional classroom learning requires that students be quiet and not move while learning large bodies of patterns such as multiplication tables. Children learn geometric shapes and conceptual patterns and spatial relationships almost entirely without movement. Using manipulative tools is not uniform and it is often limited to non-instructional time.
Although much time and money has been spent researching learning disabilities in the area of language, little conclusive research is available in the area of general math skills. Math tests require a variety of conceptual and cognitive skills and no single test can pinpoint a deficit which can be alleviated through a specific intervention or technique.
Often, using diagnoses to approach working with a person who has difficulty in math is counterproductive. Mathematics is a rubric which covers many diverse skills and abilities, form language to organization to sequencing to classification and beyond. Some students hope that when they divulge their diagnosis, a math teacher or math tutor will know exactly how to help them. However, even with established research in other areas of diagnosed disabilities there is much which can only be learned in the practical here-and-now of working with the individual student.
The vast majority of students with learning problems are those who find it hard to remember patterns. This impedes their ability to learn the algorithms of multiplication and division. These students often find it hard to recall multiplication tables. Some of them are so motivated that they devise their own methods of remembering these factoids and patterns.
There is help for many students with difficulties in math – also called “dyscalculia,” a vague but clinical-sounding name for difficulties in the general area of mathematical skills. It’s important to keep in mind that diagnosis implies a scientific approach to problems. It often is not. Sometimes the solution lies in rolling up one’s sleeves and doing what intuitively feels right.
By: Ann R Knapp
Overcoming a Difficult Math Course Through a Math Tutor Program
March 30th, 2010
A new school semester is quickly approaching and one thing is for certain. College students continue to struggle with their math courses. They find math a difficult subject often times having trouble with problems ranging from statistics to the metric conversion table. One way to resolve this issue is to ask for the assistance of a math tutor.
Math tutors provide a great solution to many of the troubles college students find in their courses. Difficulty with math is a major issue, especially when there is such a strong emphasis getting good grades for job placement. Math tests on metric measurements, for example, create terrible anxiety, and many students have no choice but to ask for outside help in order to gain confidence in absorbing material such as weight conversion and length conversion. Tutors develop learning problems and put together personalized instructional programs.
A tutor offers students the chance to sit and receive individualized instruction on work they may be having trouble with such as the metric conversion calculator. No student’s learning curve is the same and each has different needs. Often large classrooms can’t accommodate an individual student’s type of learning. I know many strong students who have received help from a tutor in order to pass a difficult test on length conversion and weight conversion.
Most tutors can be found simply by asking for recommendations from friends and family who may know someone who tutors. Your school most likely also can recommend a tutor as well based on the type of subject matter you need help with such as metric measurements. Most colleges actually post available tutors on their job boards. I have even seen retired or part time teachers offering tutoring as a way to make some extra money.
It is important that your tutor has professional training or enough experience in the subject matter at the level of difficulty you need to learn. If your tutor doesn’t understand some of the metric conversion table concepts, how can they properly teach it? The tutor’s job is to teach the major concepts and problem solving strategies of the specific subject matter. For younger students, helping with homework may be enough, but in most cases, a tutor that can help change the way a student approaches problems is preferable. You would like for the student to understand the concepts of a metric conversion calculator instead of just doing homework from it.
Ultimately, your tutor must refine all of your skills from test taking, studying and self-confidence. They provide a strong structure so you get the proper practice that excelling at math requires through a productive work routine. Tutoring time should be viewed as positive and supportive.
By: Anne Harvester
