Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings

If math isn't one of your strongest points and you struggle with it, read on to find out how you can improve your understanding of this subject and excel.

To step

1. Ask for help.
   • Ask for an explanation of a particular concept during class. If the answer hardly contributes to your understanding, you should continue to ask the teacher after the end of the lesson. He may have, one-on-one, some suggestions that he was unable to provide during class.
2. Make sure you know what the words mean. Mathematics is, in addition to simple subtraction and addition, mainly a collection of separate actions. For example, multiplication also involves addition, and division also involves subtraction. Before you can fully understand a concept, you must first know the meaning of all associated actions. Try the following for each word used in a math question (for example, "variable"):
   • Memorize the definition in the book. "A symbol for an unknown number. It is usually a letter, such as x or y."
   • Practice with concept examples. For example, you have the equation 4x - 7 = 5, where "x" is the variable, 7 and 5 are "constants" and 4 is a coefficient of x (two more definitions to look up).
3. Pay particular attention to learning the rules. Properties, formulas, equations and methods are your tools in math and will make math and calculations much easier. Learn to rely on these tools like a good carpenter relies on his saw, tape measure, hammer, etc.
4. Ask questions in class. If you do not understand a question you should ask for clarification. Explain what you well understand so that the teacher can focus on the parts of the question that you find confusing.
   • Taking as an example the above question about variables, you have to say the following: "I understand that 4 times an unknown variable (x) is –7.5. What's the first thing I should do? "Now the teacher knows what to explain to you. If you had said something along the lines of, "I don't understand," the teacher might have thought that he should first explain to you what constants and variables are.
   • Never shy away from asking questions. Even Einstein asked (and then answered) questions! You will not suddenly come to understand by staring at the question. If you don't want to ask the teacher for help, ask a nearby student or friend for help.
5. Ask for outside help. If you still need help and the teacher can't explain it to you in a way you understand, ask him who he would recommend you go to for better help. Find out if there are homework or tutoring classes, or ask a teacher if he could give you extra help before or after class.
   • Just as there are different learning styles (auditory, visual, etc.) there are different teaching methods. If you learn well visually and you have the best teacher in the world - for people with good auditory learning - you will still struggle to learn from him. It's not impossible, but if you also get help from someone who teaches in the same way that you learn, it will make a big difference.
6. Organize your work. For example, if you are working with equations, you can divide your work into steps, writing down what you did to get to the next step.
   • Organizing your work will help you keep up with it while you're doing it. In addition, it can also ensure that if you make a mistake somewhere, you still get a few points for your work.
   • By writing out your steps you can find out where you went wrong.
   • By writing out your steps, you will also imprint and improve what you already know.
7. Try to solve any questions that are given to you. After trying a few examples, you may understand better what is being asked. If this is not the case, you will at least understand better where the shoe pinches.
8. Review your graded homework assignments as soon as you receive them. Read what your teacher wrote and find out what you did wrong. Ask your teacher to help you with questions you still don't understand.

Tips

• As you progress into math beyond arithmetic, and into algebra, geometry, and more, the new things you learn will come back to what you've already learned. So make sure you understand each lesson before moving on to the next.
• Make sure you do your homework. You could even come up with practice questions yourself.
• Ask questions, and if you still don't understand after that, ask the teacher further about it during or after class. Don't let your fears get over you. Don't let others discourage you.
• If you show your work (to your teacher, the class or your parents) it will be easier.
• Don't hesitate because you are afraid of making mistakes. Try something, even if you're not quite sure yet.
• Don't be ashamed to ask for help, this is how you learn from your mistakes!
• Practice math for at least 30 minutes every day.
• If you don't understand something, ask the teacher.
• Have fun. Although it may not seem like it to you, math is astonishingly beautiful in its order and elegance.
• Even if you find it difficult, don't be afraid of math. Nervousness will only make it more difficult for you. Instead, be patient with yourself and take the time to learn step by step.

Warnings

• Don't memorize sample math questions. Instead, make sure your teacher explains it to you, and make sure you understand how everything works. Every example is different and the most important thing is knowing why something is happening. It is very important that you do not learn wrong formulas.