Maths

Shanotheslayer

Hi, Got my JC this year.And I really have trouble studying maths.If the teacher explains it during the class I do fine.But at home if I'm trying to do 1 on my own. I always have to look back and see what I did in class to get it right.Obviously I have to learn it.But I shouldn't have to do it everytime.

Anyone with any tips to help study maths?

Davidius

As far as I can tell looking back is pretty normal. If you keep doing the questions and gradually lose dependence on previous work to get it right, eventually you'll be able to do it on your own.

Though I wouldn't get caught up in learning off methods. It'd probably help a whole lot more if you understood what you were doing and why. That way if I question comes up that strays from the standard method you'll be able to figure out what to do.

highlydebased

For studying maths, DO NOT just stare at the book and say "yea I know that now".

PLENTY of exercises is the way to study maths. Learned that the hard way........

Piste

Whenever you have to use a formula, write it down in the question, so say if you're doing co-ordinate geometry and you cannot for the life of you remember y=mx+c, write it down everytime you do a sum that uses that formula and you'll gradually remember your formulae that way.

yeah-boy

y=mx+c, Im assuming ye are doing HL maths cos Im doing OL for the Leaving and we are just covering that! Maths is all repetition, I need a b3 in OL so even though im only in 5th yr, i need to be practising all the time.

OL JC is p*ss easy. Do you need to be doing HL, sometimes maths aint someones thing. Of course I dont know you and you may have a good head for maths. Anyway Gu'Luck.

ZorbaTehZ

Piste wrote: »

Whenever you have to use a formula, write it down in the question

Should always be done. The easiest and best way to learn all your formulae off.

thed4king

Im in 5th yr now and I recently got my JC results. I like maths and therefore didn't really mind studying it, but as hard as it sounds, the only way to study is to do all the questions you can. Its hard work but it'll all be worth it when you get that A!(or whatever your aiming for)

kulva

Keep doing the exam papers over and over again.These questions are typical of the type you will ultimately be asked.As you keep going over them you see a kind of repetition occuring particlarly in the (a) and (b) parts. Good luck with it anyway.

JSK 252

ZorbaTehZ wrote: »

Should always be done. The easiest and best way to learn all your formulae off.

Even better would be to write all formulas encountered in a copy for easy reference.

PurpleFistMixer

Or a single page. There ain't that many formulae.
But yeah, write them out every time you need them.. or at least once per exercise (I'm lazy). Or come up with mnemonics or whatever you need to remember them. Normally I'm not for it, but I know the line divisors formula (LC maths) thanks to one of them. So they actually seem to work.

tweety28

maths is all about doing

just do loads of examples and youll get a realy good mark
plus it basicaly all ties in so the more you do the better all your maths gets

Metallic_Sky**

Uh maths, I feel your pain. With other subjects for me its once you've learnt it you know it. Not the case in maths, it takes forever to get it into your head. The way I manage to get good enough grades is just constantly writing down the formulas at random times during the day (i'd advise not doing this in maths class when the teacher is teaching :rolleyes:.) If I'm struggling I look back at the formula then repeat it in my head (without looking at the formula) a few times. Its not about being able to say the formula off after looking at it once, its about being able to say it off 10 minutes after looking at it. Good luck!

vallo

Metallic_Sky** wrote: »

... its about being able to say it off 10 minutes after looking at it. Good luck!

Actually, it's about being able to write it. You can recite the quadratic formula correctly but when it comes to writing it on the page, students often make mistakes.

Like the others have said, just get stuck into your maths. Ask your teacher for some basic worksheets so you can drill yourself on how to do the basics correctly. Never rote learn how to solve maths problems, work harder for a better understanding. And ask questions in class.

Metallic_Sky**

Well see when I said "constantly writing down the formulas at random times during the day" I thought I had that style of learning pretty much covered. I didn't think I needed to repeat myself so people could understand.

andyman

The best way to study Maths is to do the revision exercises at the end of each chapter. If there is any particular questions you are having difficulty with, then go back to that section, read the notes on it, then do a few examples. Following that, go back to the revision exercises and try those questions again.

Thats what I did and I got a B in HL for Junior Cert and I didn't have a clue about Maths at all at the start of 2nd year, so that method worked for me.

Can only echo what Piste said about writing out formulae, the more often you do it, the easier it'll be to remember. It still works even at HL Maths for Leaving Cert.