how to study math

How To Study Math

BCC Cocoa Math LabCoordinator: Denice Lewis

"The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple." -- S. Gudder

Slide #1

Before We Get Started . . .

Introductions On the sheet of paper,

Answer the question “I’d like to learn, ___________________”

Slide #2

What are we going to Cover in this session

Planning the journey Assess where you are currently Determine what you would like to

accomplish Figure out how to get from A. to B.

Taking the trip Learning the Language of Math Learning how to read a Math book Discovering your resources Building a learning circle"One person's constant is another person's variable." -- Susan Gerhart

Slide #3

Where are you now?

Do you know what your internal and external variables are?

Internal variables Do you know your learning style? Do you experience math anxiety? Do you go through text anxiety? Do you have a math learning disability?

External variables What are you trying to juggle at the same time?

Family/friends Work School Any thing else?

Slide #4

How do I Know What My Learning Style is?

What is a Learning Style? A learning style is an

individual's preferred means of acquiring knowledge and skills

Handout, “What are my Learning Strengths?”

Time Limit: 10 minutes“If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is.”

--  John Louis von Neumann

Slide #5

Do you have . . . ?

Math anxiety is a learned emotional response to one or more of the following: 1. Participating in a math class 3. Working through problems 2. Discussing mathematics 4. Listening to a lecture

Test Anxiety“ If your anxiety is a direct result of lack of preparation, consider it a normal, rational reaction. However, if you are adequately prepared but still panic, "blank out", and/or overreact, your reaction is not rational. While both of these anxieties may be considered normal (anyone can have them) it is certainly helpful to know how to overcome their effects.”

Math Learning Disability If you have problems with basic math e.g. adding, subtracting,

dividing, etc. you may have a math learning disability. If you are having problems in Algebra, you may have an issue with

reading, writing, language, or sequential processing.Information courtesy of

http://www.lemoyne.edu/academic_advisement/academic_support_center/mathanx.htm and http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/brochures/testanx.htm

Slide #6

Math Anxiety Web Sites

http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/anxiety/ http://www.mathpower.com/

anxtest.htm http://mtsu32.mtsu.edu:11064/

anxiety.html http://www.math.com/students/advice/anxiety.html

“What we know is not much. What we do not know is immense.”--Pierre-Simon de Laplace

Slide #7

Test Anxiety Web Sites

http://www.studygs.net/tstprp8.htm http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/

Anxiety/treatment/test_strategies.asp http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/brochures/

testanx.htm http://www.testtakingtips.com/anxiety/

index.htm http://web.mit.edu/arc/learning/modules/test/testanxiety.html http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/newsat/powertactics/

strategies/chapter4.rhtml

http://www.howtostudy.org/resources_skill.php?id=16 The “How to Study” website presents several links

to other websites that reference test anxiety. Certain links may require additional time, information, pre-tests, etc.

“Obvious' is the most dangerous word in mathematics.”--Eric Bell Temple

Slide #8

What do I do if I have . . . ?

The Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD) is here to help you. If you have a diagnosed disability or other questions, please contact Chris Pierce (OSD Disabilities Services Specialist, 433-7295).

NOTE: OSD is located in Building 9, Room 108.

If you have any questions regarding learning disabilities, please contact Nancy Malta (Learning Specialist, 433-7297).

Slide #9

What are all the external variables that you’re

juggling? Handout, “What are my

external variables?” What are all the things and

who are all the people that you commit time to?

Time Limit: 10 minutes

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa,

Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." -- H. Jackson Brown

Slide #10

Using a personal example

Denice’s scheduled for Fall 2006

NFL

NFLNOTE: These times do not include running errands e.g. shopping (grocery, etc.), car maintenance (gas, oil change, wash the car), cooking etc., etc.!!

Slide #11

Setting Priorities . . .

Where are you now? Now that you know . . .

Your current state Why you feel tired Why there just doesn’t appear to be

enough time in one day It’s time to set some priorities . . . Keep in mind that for every hour you

spend in the classroom, you’ll spend 2 to 4 hours outside of class.

Slide #12

What things are important to you?

On a blank sheet of paper, list the people, places, things, goals, etc. that are important to you.

Time Limit: 3 minutes

Slide #13

Plotting Your Course

What grade do you want to make in your Math class? “A” “B” “C” “D” “F”

It’s time to figure out “How do I get an “ ____ “ with all of the things that are on my plate and with my current personal priorities?”

Slide #14

How do You Plan to Study or Learn Math?

Handout, “What are your study and planning habits?”

Time Limit: 5 minutes

“The mathematical sciences particularly exhibit order, symmetry, and limitation; and these are the greatest forms of the beautiful.”

-- Aristotle

Slide #15

Definitions of Proactive & Reactive

Proactive[proh-ak-tiv] adjective serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation, esp. a negative or difficult one; anticipatory: proactive measures against crime.

Reactive [ree-ak-tiv]adjective 1. tending to react. 2.pertaining to or characterized by reaction. 3.Electricity. pertaining to or characterized by reactance.

We’ll review a couple of different scenarios to see where you fit on the Proactive/Reactive Scale. . . .

Do things happened to you?

Do you plan for things to happen?

Slide #16

Are You Proactive or Reactive?

Handout, “Are you proactive or reactive?”

Time Limit: 5 minutes

Slide #17

Proactive Planning versus Reactive Planning (Summary)

• If you’re proactive, You are actively

endeavoring to learn. You know what you

know and what you don’t know.

You’re continually planning for success.

• If you’re reactive, You are taking a

class. You don’t have a

clue where to go or how to get there.

You’re on your way to failure.

Slide #18

Break time!

It’s time to take a 7 minute break.

Please be sure to be back on time!

Slide #19

In the Classroom

Make sure your awake and aware during class.

Get to know other people in your class. Create a study group Share notes

Take notes during class! Be sure to at least write down legibly what

information is covered in class. If writing is an issue, ask the instructor if you can bring a tape recorder to class.“For the things of this world cannot be made known without a knowledge of

mathematics.”-- Roger Bacon

Slide #20

Outside of the Classroom

Read your book Go to class Review your

notes Do your

homework Go and get help

when you need it

“I have had my results for a long time: but I do not yet know how I am to arrive at them.”

--Karl Friedrich Guass

Read yourbook.

Read yourbook.

Reviewyour notes.

Reviewyour notes.

Do yourhomework.

Do yourhomework.

Go to class.Go to class.

Go and get help when you need itGo and get help when you need it

Slide #21

Making the Connection

You may be asking yourself, “Why do I need to know my preferred learning style(s)?”

Now that you know what your learning style is, it’s time to be proactive in the classroom.

Slide #22

The Auditory Learning Style

Learn through hearing From a math perspective . . .

You may want to bring a tape recorder to class

Viewing DVDs or listening to audio tapes may be helpful

If you wish to enhance this style, you will need to sit away from noisy distractions such as the TV, open windows, or crowded areas.

“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.” --Albert Einstein

Slide #23

The Visual Learning Style

Learn by sight From a math perspective,

Graphs, charts, etc. may help you understand key concepts

Ask the instructor/tutor to graph it for you or demonstrate the concept visually

To enhance this style, Review everything on the board Pay attention to key points in the book while

reading

Slide #24

The Kinesthetic Learning Style

Learn by doing From a math perspective,

Do as many problems as you can Have someone demonstrate to you different

methods for solving the problem To enhance this style,

Participate in class Ask questions if you don’t understand how

something was done

Slide #25

Take a moment

On a blank sheet of paper, write 2 things that you can do differently inside and/or outside the classroom.

Time Limit: 3 minutes

Slide #26

The Language of Math

These are the things that you need to know in order to succeed in Math, feel prepared to take an exam, and basically, know what you don’t know. . .

“In mathematics, you never understand things; you just get used to them.”

--John von Neumann

Terminology Definitions Notation Theorems

Factual Knowledge Procedural Knowledge Conceptual

Knowledge

Slide #27

Discovering the Language of Math (Terminology)

The first step in learning Math is understanding the words being used in Math.

If you don’t know what a polynomial is, could you “Factor the polynomial(s), circle the binomial, and underline the monomial.” given the following:• x

2 -9• x

2 + 2x + 1

• 2x“Since Mathematics is intermediate between natural and divine science, it is more certain than either of them.”

-- Thomas Aquinas

Slide #28

Discovering the Language of Math (Definitions)

Next, you need to know what each word means.

Do you know what a derivative is? A polynomial? An integral? A matrix?

If you’re sitting in your Math class and it feels like your teacher is speaking another language, it’s time to review the terminology & definitions.

Slide #29

Discovering the Language of Math (Notation)

The language of Math includes words and symbols.

Understanding the notation that is being used is the next step in understanding the language of Math.

Do you know the difference between set notation and interval notation when calculating the domain/range of a function?

X X½

{x | x ≤ 1 } ≈ (-∞,1]

Slide #30

Discovering the Language of Math (Theorems & Factual Knowledge)

Just like other languages, there are rules to Math. Theorems (Pythagorean Theorem) Properties (Additive Property: a + b = b + a ) Equations

y = mx + b (Equation of a line) y = ax

2 + bx + c (Equation for a parabola)

Factual Knowledge is essential facts and figures that you’ve memorized cos, sin, tan of 0, x

0=1

Slide #31

Discovering the Language of Math (Procedural Knowledge)

There are a number of different ways to solve certain Math problems

The more methods you know, the better off you are. For example, to factor a polynomial, you could use

the following: Grouping Completing the square The AC Method The quadratic formula Plug and play A combination of the above

Slide #32

Discovering the Language of Math (Conceptual Knowledge)

When you know the what, why, when, where and how behind any mathematical concept, you have reached nirvana and conceptual knowledge.

Example: Not only do you know what a derivative is, you know how

to calculate it for any given function. You understand that the derivative is the rate of change

of a function and gives you the slope of the graph at any given point.

You can discuss derivatives with your instructor. Integrals come easy to you because you know reverse

engineer calculating the derivative.

Slide #33

The Language of Math . . . Practical Application

If you feel as if the teacher is speaking another language, it’s time to review the Terminology and Definitions.

If it looks like the instructor is solving a problem using ancient script, it’s time to review the Notation.

If you find yourself missing problems because you don’t know the cos 45˚ ํ or you forget your multiplication tables, is time to pull out the flash cards to memorize the Factual Knowledge.

If you can’t follow how the instructor solves the problem, you may want to check your Procedural Knowledge and what you know about Theorems.

If you’re in any math class beyond Pre-Calculus including Statistics having a Conceptual Knowledge of each concept/subject will enable you to solve problems more efficiently and effectively.

Slide #34

Reading for Understanding, I

Know the important sections in your book. The Table of Contents outlines what information

will be covered, in what order and what page you can find a particular topic.

The Index is a quick way to find information. If you’re looking for where polynomials are discussed, go to the index to find the page number.

The Glossary gives you the definitions of terms used in your textbook.

Most math textbooks have the answers to the odd problems in the back of the book.

“There are no deep theorems -- only theorems that we have not understood very well.”--Nicholas P. Goodman

Slide #35

Reading for Understanding, II

Reading a math book is not like reading a fictional novel or a humanities textbook. You will be reviewing/reading each more than once!!!

Review your textbook to see how the author presents the information. NOTE: Some authors explain how to use the book in the beginning. Are key words/terms bolded? Are theorems, methods in separate squares? How are example problems presented?

Review the section first to see what new terminology is being presented as well as to highlight any new notations used.

Slide #36

Reading for Understanding, III

After understanding what terminology & notation is being used, read through the section carefully. Every word, dot, symbol, etc. counts!!! If you don’t understand a word used by the author, stop and

look it up in a dictionary. When an example is presented, cover the answer and

try to work it out on your own. If you can’t, review each step of the example to understand

the method being used. If you can’t figure it out on your own, know your resources

and get help. Obtaining the student solutions manual may help you

understand how to solve the problems. Ask yourself, “Is my book working for me?” If it’s not,

don’t be afraid to go to the library, a bookstore, online or even to your professor to find another book that will work for you.

Slide #37

Reading a Math BookWeb Sites

http://home.sandiego.edu/~pmyers/textbook.html http://www.stonehill.edu/compsci/History_Math/math-read.htm http://www.maa.org/t_and_l/exchange/ite3/reading_reiter.html

http://wc.pima.edu/~carem/Mathtext.html http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/

704.htm http://www.newark.osu.edu/osunmathlab/pdf/handouts/howto/pdf/

readmath.pdf

http://oakroadsystems.com/math/sdrdbook.htm http://www.maa.org/t_and_l/exchange/ite3/

TaalmanProblemzero.htm “Obvious' is the most dangerous word in mathematics.”--Eric Bell Temple

Slide #38

What other books can I use?

There are several books that were made to support education/learning. A few series are listed below: Demystified series

http://shop.mcgraw-hill.com/landingpage.php?template=testprep

Schaum’s Outlines

http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/searchseries.php?series=Schaum's+Outline+Series&template=schaums

Schaum’s Easy Outlines

http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/searchseries.php?series=Schaum's+Easy+Outlines&template=schaums

Dummies

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-100171.html

Cliff Notes

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-106156.html

Pictures courtesy of the websites listed above.

Slide #39

Are there any free resources?

Always use your instructor as a free resource. Visit the Math Lab (Cocoa Campus, Building 9, Room

106) for help or as a quiet place to study. Learning Labs (Palm Bay, Melbourne, Titusville) on

other campuses have Math tutors. NOTE: The hours vary per campus.

You can check out books for free at the library (BCC, public libraries, etc.). Also, in the Reference section of the BCC library, there are a number of math-related VHS and DVDs that you can take blank VHS tapes in and copy.

Also, if you are a registered BCC student, you can go online and use SMARTHINKING an online tutoring service.

Slide #40

Free Math resources online

Free math resources: Articles, Glossaries, Cheat Sheets, and more. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-110127.html

Math and Science Articles http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-100170.html

The Math website http://www.math.com/

A number of professors have their lecture notes or other information online Example: Bob Young, BCC (Palm Bay)

http://home.brevardcc.edu/youngr/ Google “notes on __________” e.g. “notes on algebra” and

you’ll be surprised how many different websites appear!

Slide #41

Other online resources

The Study Guides and Strategies web site is authored, developed and maintained by Joe Landsberger as an educational public service.http://www.studygs.net

Slide #42

Building a Learning Circle

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.” John Doone

Get to know individuals in your class, friends/family members that were good in math, other professors, etc.

Know Who you can go to for what type of help Which individual explains things in ways you can understand Who you can study with Who to go to when you need to vent or need advice Who to stay away from

Basically, you want to develop your own support group. Don’t focus on quantity. Focus on quality.

The quote was taken from http://www.quotedb.com/quotes/245

Slide #43

Reflection . . .

Go back to the initial paper that you wrote, “I’d like to learn ______”

Have we covered everything?

Slide #44

The floor is open . . . .

Are there any additional questions I can answer?

Are there any topics you’d like to discuss further in the time that we have?

One course that you may be interested in is SLS1101, Success Strategies for College and Life!!!

Slide #45

My thanks . . . .

Dr. Amy Hendricks

Dean Leroy Darby Quinn Hearn Nelia Lake Chris Pierce Nancy Malta Lisa Gill Mark O’Hara Penny Shannon

Dr. Michael Gallo Marsha Lake Skip Downing Dr. Linda Krupp Erica Anderson All the students who

have visited the Math Lab Fall 2006

Anyone that I may have missed . . . Thank You!

All of this would not be possible without the following people:Slide #46

Quick Tips (1)

Time Management There are different tools available that

will help you organize yourself, manage your time, and be proactive. Planner PDA Etc.

It doesn’t help if you have a tool and don’t use it!

Slide #47

Quick Tips (2)

Time Management Websites http://www.studygs.net/timman.htm http://www.franklincovey.com/fc/index.jsp http://www.ucc.vt.edu/lynch/TimeManagement.htm http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/brochures/time.htm http://www.managementhelp.org/prsn_prd/

time_mng.htm http://www.d.umn.edu/kmc/student/loon/acad/strat/

time_manage.html

Slide #48

Quick Tips (3)

Test taking strategies Your success in taking a test depends highly on your

personal belief in your knowledge and ability. If you think you’re going to fail, you’re on your way there. Prepare yourself as much as possible. Have a test taking strategy for timed exams. You are

being tested on your knowledge of the subject area, time management, and how efficiently & effectively you solve problems. As a result, do the problem you know how to do. Circle the ones that you know how to do but will take

considerable time. “X” the problems where you have no clue. Always go back and check your work for any arithmetic or other

errors!!!!!

Slide #49

Quick Tips (4)

Web sites for test taking strategies http://www.d.umn.edu/kmc/student/loon/acad/strat/test_take.html http://www.testtakingtips.com/test/math.htm http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/Papers/

testtaking.htm http://www.bucks.edu/~specpop/tests.htm http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html http://www.studygs.net/tsttak1.htm http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/teststrat.html http://euler.slu.edu/Dept/SuccessinMath.html http://www.msjc.edu/math/mathcenter/handouts/

oncourse/Test%20Taking%20Strategies.htm

Slide #50

Quick Tips (5)

BCC’s Math Courses

Slide #51