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Their brains ant to find they answer – their brains know that an answer is there – but while they’re starting to make those connections, solving math problems can provide considerable stress and anxiety. This is especially true when taking a math test, because there is the added pressure of knowing that the test itself is gauging whether or not they have been successful at learning. That pressure can cause a lot of anxiety, and it’s not uncommon for the child taking the test to feel these effects, including: Cloudy Mind – Anxiety has a tendency to reduce focus and clarity.
This can be troublesome when the child s tying to figure out complex math problems, and that can lead to more anxiety. Physical Stress – Math anxiety during a test can also cause physical discomfort. Children that are attempting to sit and focus on solving a problem often find this discomfort to be overwhelming, and may prevent them from putting all of their efforts on the test. Time Perception ? Scientists are mixed on whether or not anxiety alters the perception of time. But subjectively, many people report that time can feel like it’s passing too slowly or too quickly, and both can affect the student’s ability to complete the test.
Self- Doubt – You need confidence to solve math problems. Doubt yourself, and it becomes much harder to find the right answer, because you’ll worry that another answer is out there. Anxiety is often a fuel for self doubt. Anxiety can also cause sweating, nervous behaviors, and ticks. All of these make it harder and harder to succeed on a math test. Students Logic Math anxiety is a tricky thing to conquer, because unlike other forms of anxiety, you can’t necessary teach someone to completely avoid anxiety if they are struggling to solve a problem.
Some level of anxiety is natural, and mom people believe that overconfidence (IEEE, no anxiety) may cause issues as well. Clearly the best way to reduce that anxiety is studying, because the more the student is used to solving a problem, the less intimidating the problem becomes. Math anxiety or fear of math is actually quite common. Math anxiety is quite similar to streetlight. Why does someone suffer streetlight? Fear of something going wrong in front of a crowd? Fear of forgetting the lines? Fear of being judged poorly? Fear of going completely blank?
Math anxiety conjures up fear of some type. The fear that one won’t e able to do the math or the fear that it’s too hard or the fear of failure which often stems from having a lack of confidence. For the most part, math anxiety is the fear about doing the math right, our minds draw a blank and we think we’ll fail and of course the more frustrated and anxious our minds become, the greater the chance for drawing blanks. Added pressure of having time limits on math tests and exams also cause the levels of anxiety grow for many students. What should the student do when they don’t know a question?
Most kids go into a test with no strategy, and when they start to trudge with a problem or worry about an answer, they have no idea what to do next. Teach children a strategy for test taking, such as “if you don’t know a problem or you’re worried about your answer, immediately move on to the next question and come back to it later. ” Each child can use their own strategy, but these strategies will help ensure they don’t feel lost when they start to struggle. It’s much harder to get children to perform the same relaxation strategies many adults use, like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.
Button can help the child find some technique that educes their stress. As soon as they start to feel themselves getting frustrated, have them stop and perform an activity that helps them feel better, such as tapping their finger against the table or singing a song they like to themselves. These little things won’t decrease the pressure completely, but they’ll help Stop it from becoming overwhelming. Not every student is going to be able to solve every problem, and if they simply don’t know an answer, anxiety is to be expected. What will help is reducing the pressure of the test itself.
Let the students know there are extra credit assignments available should they struggle on the test, so that the test isn’t the only way they can receive a good grade. The assignments should be difficult (so that students don’t want to do them), and certainly shouldn’t make up for an entire test, but they will at least relieve some of the pressure the students feel about the test itself, and hopefully allow them to focus more on the questions. Why Learn Algebra? Authors Logic http://www. Mythologies. Com/articles/why_learn_algebra. HTML Author: Jason Gibson “Why study algebra? ” If you’re a parent, it’s a question that you will no doubt ear as your children study the subject. If you’re a student, it is a very natural question to ask, ‘What’s the point of learning algebra in the first place? ” After all, all of the math leading up to algebra that we learned growing up such as addition, multiplication, decimals, fractions, and the like, seem to have a concrete meaning. These concepts all deal with numbers in some way or another and because of this we can wrap our brains more easily around the concepts.
After all, I can pick up six pencils and give two to a friend and by using math can figure out how many pencils am left holding in my hand. We can all imagine situations where basic math serves us well – calculating your change in the grocery store for instance. In short, basic math deals with numbers. Since we are all taught how to count at a young age the concepts of basic math, even though challenging at first, seem to have a practical value – even to children. Enter Algebra. Suddenly, we are asked to deal not only with our comfortable numbers but with letters.
And it doesn’t stop with this. You start seeing parenthesis and exponents, and a whole potpourri of other symbols that seem to make no sense at all. This single fact more than any there turns many people off to learning algebra. At the very beginning you are asked to learn certain rules on how to calculate things in algebra. You must learn which steps are legal to do before others, and if you do them in the reverse order you get the wrong answer! This leads to frustration. With frustration, despair follows in short order.
And so the thoughts begin: “Why do I need to learn this? ” “When would ever use Algebra in real life? ‘ What you have to remember, though, is that basic math is riddled with special rules and symbols as well. For example, the symbols “+” and were at one time foreign to us all. In addition the concept of adding fractions, as a single example, is filled with special rules that we must learn. When adding 1/3 to 1/3, for example, you keep the common denominator and add the numerators, so that 1/3 + 1/3 = 2/3.
The point here is that when you begin to learn algebra it may seem overwhelming with the rules that you must learn, but this is no different from the multitude of rules that you had to learn that dealt with basic math such as addition and subtraction. Learning Algebra is achievable for all, you just need to take things one step at a time and learn the basic rules before moving on to more advanced topics. But this does not answer the question of “Why should learn Algebra? ” This is a difficult question, but the simplest answer is that Algebra is the beginning of a journey that gives you the skills to solve more complex problems.
What types of problems can you solve using only the skills you learned in Algebra? I invite you to take a journey with me back to your childhood. We’ve all been to the playground and had a great time on the see-saw, the merry-go-round, and the slide. At one time all of us were completely fascinated with these trips to the playground, but Algebra can help you understand them. The physics of all f these playground toys can be completely understood using only Algebra. No Calculus required.
For example, if you knew the weight of a person at the top of the slide and you knew the height of the slide you could roughly calculate how fast you would be traveling as you exited the bottom of the slide. On the see-saw, let’s say that a person was sitting at one end and you knew that person’s weight. You’d like to sit on the other side of the see-saw, but not at the very end – you’d like to sit opposite your partner in the middle between the seat and the pivot point. Using algebra, you could calculate how eave you’d have to be to exactly balance the see-saw.
Moving away from playground equipment, as children we were all fascinated with the magical way that magnets attract each other. Using algebra, you could calculate how much force a given magnet would pull on another magnet. There are examples all around us of things in the everyday world that you could fully understand using only the tools in algebra. If you drop a rock off of the roof of a house, how long would it take to hit the ground? If you dropped a second rock 100 times as heavy off of the roof of the same house, how long would it take to hit the ground?
If you somehow brought a bulldozer up to the roof of the house and dropped it, how long would it take for the bulldozer to hit the ground? The answer in all three cases it takes the same amount of time to hit the ground! The time of free-fall depends only on the Earth’s gravitational field (which is the same for us all) and the height of the roof you drop from. Even though the bulldozer is “heavier” than the rocks, they all fall at the same rate to the ground. Most people would assume that learning about more “advanced” topics such as rocket propulsion and Einstein theory of Relativity would require much more advanced math than Algebra.
It is true that more advanced math is necessary to understand every facet of these and other advanced topics. However, many Of the fundamental principles can be understood using only the tools in algebra. For example, the equations that describe how a spacecraft orbits the Earth only involve algebra. Moreover, many of the central topics in Einstein theory of special relativity can be understood only using algebra. For example, it turns out if you are traveling on a spaceship near the speed of light time actually slows down for you relative to your friends back on Earth.
In other words, if you were to fly in a papacies near the speed of light for some time and then you returned to Earth, you would find that you had aged very little while your friends on Earth have aged a great deal! Albert Einstein coined this phenomenon “time dilation” and it can easily be calculated using only Algebra. This effect is not a theoretical effect – it has actually been measured many times. In fact, the GAPS system of satellites in the sky that the military and police forces depend on must take into account the effects Of time dilation or else the system would not work at all!
Because the satellites are moving in orbit around the Earth at feeds much smaller than the speed of light, the time dilation involved is very small – but it must be accounted for or the system would not function. Now, you might be thinking, “l never learned how to calculate things such as this in my algebra class! ” This is in fact true. All of the applications we have been talking about here are known as the study of Physics. If you had to boil the word Physics down to one sentence it would be: “Physics is all about studying the world around us using math as a tool. Simply put all the math that you ever learn is really a tool for understanding the world around us. And believe e, we have only begun to scratch the surface of understanding how the world works. Algebra is a stepping stone to learning about this wonderful universe that we live in. With it you have the tools to understand a great many things and you also have the skills needed to continue on and learn Trigonometry and Calculus which are essential for exploring other types of problems and phenomena around us. So, try not to think of Algebra as a boring list of rules and procedures to memorize.
Consider algebra as a gateway to exploring the world around us all. Studying algebra is very important because it improves student’s cognitive kills. Algebra also creates mental discipline and offers an opportunity for growth of personal skills and therefore provides individuals knowledge that is critical in resolving actual problems realistically. We study Algebra for the purpose of expanding our knowledge of numbers and equations, so that we can use them in our everyday lives. Algebra provides us with exact formulas and calculations.
Algebra is important because it is considered to be one of the most important idea in mathematics, and is a base of all circles in mathematics. It is also important in everyday life in dealing with money, distance and more. Many people use algebra for various jobs or career. Algebra is the math of real life. Algebra includes all of the calculations you have to do to get by in the real world. If I can average 60 miles per hour and drive 1 1 hours per day, how long will it take me to get to Maine? The can says this paint covers 300 square feet per gallon. My room is 16 feet by 20 feet with 9 foot ceilings and a 4 x 8 closet.
How much should buy? What is the tip at 15% for a meal that costs $72? What is the full cost of owning a car, and can afford it, given these assumptions These are real life questions and there are about a million ore like them that come up in life. It’s important because your life is full of math. If you don’t know math then how are you going to pay house bills or grocery shop? Algebra is used in every face of life. Algebra was first studied thousands of years ago by the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians. For most of its history, people studied and developed algebra for enjoyment and intellectual challenge.
In the last couple of centuries, algebra has been used extensively in the development of science, engineering medicine, and other fields. Top 10 Strategies to Improve Your Math Grades http://www. Theodosia. Com/articles/improve_your_grades. HTML By: Jason Gibson Many students and parents ask for pointers and techniques to best learn Math. Here is my top- 10 list which applies to any level of Math. 1. If you don’t understand something, focus on mastering that topic before moving on to the next topic. It sounds simple, but it is absolutely essential. Lets say a student is learning Algebra, for example.
Further, lets say he or she is having a hard time understanding how to add and subtract negative and positive numbers. All of us struggle with this in the beginning as it is a sticky point for cost students. Some students in this situation, out of frustration that they “can’t” learn this topic, will move on to the next lesson in the hope that they will be able to understand that one. This is a recipe for disaster. Math is very much like learning to read. If you don’t know your letter sounds then you have no hope of being able to sound out words of course there is no way possible that you could read a book.
All math courses are taught in a specific sequence because the every topic builds on the previous topic. If you are having a problem with a topic, continue working with that one until you understand it and can work problems successfully. Watch the DVD section over again, attend tutoring, read the book and examples a second time, or even get a totally different book to have it explained a different way… But whatever you do not turn the page and tackle the next topic. If you do, you will get even more frustrated and you in all likelihood will begin to give up hope. 2.
Work example problems and check your answers to gain practice with every lesson. The entire premise of the DVD series is to “learn by example” and it is quite simply the easiest way to learn Math. After watching the section on the DVD and reading the section in your textbook, begin working examples from the end of the chapter. Make sure to work the problems that have answers in the back of the book, and check every one. Always begin with the easiest problem in your book, even if you think it will be too “easy” to solve. It is very very important to build your confidence.
This is why the DVD lessons begin with easier problems that no one will have any issue understanding. Gradually work harder and harder problems from your book and check your answer for each one. After working a dozen or more robbers from the section (two dozen is best), you are ready to move on to the next section. Many students want to plow though a lesson just to make it to the next one. You cannot just read a section in a Math book and become an expert on that section. You must work problems. If you can’t work problems then you are not ready to move on.
The good news is that working problems will build your confidence, and confidence is 100% the name of the game in Math. 3. When beginning to work a Math problem, do not “map out a path from problem-to-answer” in your head before writing anything down. I see this almost every day. It is very common when someone looks at a Math problem that they try to “figure it out” in their head before writing anything down. Take Algebra for example. When a beginning student looks at an equation, he or she will be tempted to solve the equation in their head and not write anything down.
Students are tempted to do this most often with Word Problems. Since a word problem is written in sentence form, it is common to think that you can “think your way to the answer”. Will tell you that never, ever, solve any sort of math problem without writing it down. Ever. What you need to do is begin by first writing down the problem. Then you begin to solve it one step at a time. Write down even the simple things. What you need to ensure is that every single step tattoo write down is perfectly legal. In other words, if you are solving an CEQ caution for example and you subtract “10” from both sides…. Rite that down. Then in the NEXT step actually do that subtraction. Then if you need to divide both sides by “2” write THAT down… Then in the NEXT step actually do the division. This gives you a paper trail to check your work and also it allows you to break the problem down in to bite sized chunks. If you can be sure that every single little step is gal, then you will be in good shape. If you try to do too many things at one time, which is common, you will probably try to do something illegal and get into trouble. 4. When you study and do homework, try to find a quiet place to do it.
I was the worst offender of this while in school. Used to listen to music all of the time while trying to do homework. I’d also listen to the TV as ‘background noise” while studying. Over time I realized that if had a quiet place without the background noise, I could focus much better. What found is that when reading, for example… L would have to read something perhaps 3 r 4 times if I was listening to something else but only once if I had some quiet. People love to listen to music while studying, but am convinced that it is much more effective if you don’t.
Try’ to find a quiet spot in your home or in the Library to get your schoolwork done and you will get your work done much more quickly because you’ll be able to focus and absorb more. 5. If someone asks you for help, try to explain the topic to them as best you can. This one is going to seem a little odd for this list… But there is one universal truth. Those who can teach others have a true grasp of the material. Many times when studying in groups there will be one member of the group who is behind and doesn’t “get it”. Try to help that person, even if your own work will take longer.
Not only will you feel like you are helping someone else succeed, but the process Of rephrasing information back to someone else and breaking things down into bite sized chunks will increase your own understanding. It will help you understand at a fundamental level what the stumbling blocks are for the topic, which will help you as you move on in your math studies. 6. Never, ever work math problems in pen. This one is pretty simple. You will make a mistake; it is only a matter of time. When you do, you will want to completely erase your mistake and write over it.
You will never, ever want to scratch something out and write next to the scratch-out. This will lead to a paper that is hard to read, and the scratch-outs will actually increase your anxiety about solving these problems. You want clean-neat paper with a clean well thought-out solution. 7. Try to use a mechanical pencil with separate eraser, if you can. Mechanical pencils have cleaner lines and the separate eraser allows you to erase more cleanly. Nothing is worse than aging a mistake and trying to erase something then just smearing that all around your page. The cheap erasers will do this and make your life hard.
Invest in a good mechanical pencil and a good separate eraser. 8. Keep your solutions neat and line-by-line. Always work problems vertically, with one step on every line. Never work horizontally. It may take more paper, but you will be able to follow your steps much more easily. More importantly, the teacher will be able to follow your work much better which allows him/her to give you partial credit. If there are just 2 steps when there should be 1 0, you will not be eating any points for your thought process. The steps you write down tell the teacher what you are thinking and how you are attacking the problem. . Don’t work problems very late at night. I know all of the college students will be laughing at this, but it is true. Have tried many, many times to do Calculus or Physics late at night, after 12 or lam, but you are just doing yourself a disservice. Have stared at problems for hours because I just could not sleep until knew how to solve it… Then I finally fell asleep out of extreme fatigue… But when I woke up it just seemed so simple how to proceed with the robber. Also, I have worked problems at night and got the wrong answer, and I knew must have a silly mistake in the solution.
I would usually set out to find it, but many times when you are tired you simply can’t find the silly mistake. The next morning after about 5 minutes I could spot the simple sign error or even a simple multiplication error that caused the problem. 10. If the problem lends itself to it, draw a picture of the problem. This is most applicable bled for Trigonometry, Calculus, and Physics Students, but also applies to any word problem in basic math or algebra. Please do yourself a favor and raw a picture of what the problem is describing, even if your picture is simple.
We are visual beings… The process of drawing the situation causes us to internalize what the problem is really asking for. It helps figure out how to proceed. If you are in Physics, you should draw a picture for every single problem that you work out. If you are in Calculus, definitely draw pictures for all related rate problems. If you are in Calculus 2 or Calculus 3, definitely draw a picture of all Of your 3-dimensional problems (id integrals). If you are in basic math and Jenny gives Bob 2 pencils and Bob gives 1 pencil away, draw hat situation.
It will really help you figure out how to proceed. Remember, there is no silver bullet in learning Math. It comes with taking things one step at a time and with practice. The tips above will help you along in your math studies, and give you confidence. And confidence is 100% the name of the game in learning any level of Math. Getting a teenager interested in mathematics is not easy. Math is the hardest subject for a lot of teens, and it is easy to become discouraged. One of the most important things you can do is provide your teenager with opportunities to learn math outside of the classroom.
Sometimes, the hardest subject for some people is mathematics. There are so many formulas, equations, and parts of math to know, it can be overwhelming! If you’re in school and need a good grade in math, lots of pressure can be on your shoulders to know the material. So its pretty good that for now on we can improve ourselves in math by doing the thing or strategies. We have to be careful and don’t let our mind wander in class. During class hours, clear your mind and only concentrate on the topic. Don’t get distracted in any manner (or else we’ll lose our concentration).
If your friends are too distracting find another good spot which is comparatively silent. We also have to take notes. Note down all important mathematical ideas which have been discussed in the class (and understand them). It would be great to write down every word your teacher said, but that is virtually impossible. Take special care to ensure that notes are legible and understandable, but try to write quickly, leaving out short, meaningless words. Math is not like other subjects such as English and science or other languages. It isn’t a subject to be by hearted, it needs practice. Practice math daily for 1 hour.
Concentrate and pay attention on what you are doing and understand what math really is. We also have to try to learn math through various math games and activities with friends and companions. You might see that this is an interesting and fun way to learn math. And there are various websites that offer free math games and activities too. Try them out. Math is fun and interesting of all the other subjects and one of the important one too. And last but not the list is Stay calm. Many people suffer from “math anxiety,” where just thinking about math, gets them feeling less than confident and nervous.