Posted: 6/18/2012 6:13:26 AM EDT
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So I'm looking for ways to improve my math skills at a slightly accelerated pace than a traditional class room setting. I just finished my first quarter as a freshmen. After I took the placement test originally I got saddled with MPC-080, or basic math. I did fine in the class, upper 80%. But I still struggled with a few things(rusty, poor study habits). I am really interested in pursuing upper tiers in math. I'd like to be able to retake the placement test and get into at least college level math class by fall quarter. It's kind of embarrassing tell people I'm pursuing an engineering degree while taking an elementary level math class.   What do you guy's recommend? Anything to help develop mental math? Thanks for the help. |
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Where are your weaknesses? If you need to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, division well you need to reconsider you major! If you need to practice algebra, trigonometry, or calculus then just look for a used text book and work trough the examples in the book.
I got screwed in College as my undergraduate degree was Pre-Med Biology and I decided to pick up a second major in Biochemistry. For my second major in Biochemistry I needed to take Physics II for Majors and that was taught with Calculus and much higher calculus then I had ever taken. I had only taken Calculus 1 (that was what I needed for my Biology Major) and the stuff they were doing in that class was unlike anything I had seen before. I spent more time that semester learning Calculus (I think it was Calc 2 or 3 topics) then I did studying my Physics and I was very happy to escape that Physics class with a C+. I could only have done that with the used calculus books and some quality time down getting tutored so I could even do the math needed to take the class. There were times I seriously thought about dropping that second major only because of my lack of math skills but I sucked it up. I have not use any of that Calculus in the 20+ years since too to add insult to injury
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Quoted: Where are your weaknesses? If you need to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, division well you need to reconsider you major! If you need to practice algebra, trigonometry, or calculus then just look for a used text book and work trough the examples in the book. I got screwed in College as my undergraduate degree was Pre-Med Biology and I decided to pick up a second major in Biochemistry. For my second major in Biochemistry I needed to take Physics II for Majors and that was taught with Calculus and much higher calculus then I had ever taken. I had only taken Calculus 1 (that was what I needed for my Biology Major) and the stuff they were doing in that class was unlike anything I had seen before. I spent more time that semester learning Calculus (I think it was Calc 2 or 3 topics) then I did studying my Physics and I was very happy to escape that Physics class with a C+. I could only have done that with the used calculus books and some quality time down getting tutored so I could even do the math needed to take the class. There were times I seriously thought about dropping that second major only because of my lack of math skills but I sucked it up. I have not use any of that Calculus in the 20+ years since too to add insult to injury Fractions, specifically I tend to mix up the rules regarding the multiplication and division for some stupid reason. But it's been 5+ years since I used anything but basic addition and subtraction. Plus I wasn't the greatest student in high school(got my GED ) so yeah I'm way behind on my math skills because of stupidity.I enjoy learning and doing math. It's not that I'm having difficulty learning. But rather I'm way behind, rusty to boot, and I want to hone my skills. I'm actually really looking forward to taking physics . It's English that I'm going to need a lot of tutoring in. I hate writing papers.  |
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Quoted:
Fractions, specifically I tend to mix up the rules regarding the multiplication and division for some stupid reason. But it's been 5+ years since I used anything but basic addition and subtraction. Plus I wasn't the greatest student in high school(got my GED ) so yeah I'm way behind on my math skills because of stupidity.
Sounds like you need to review fractions from the start. Rules are fine when you are doing problems, but you are far less likely to screw up "divide means invert and multiply" if you actually understand *why* you are doing it that way. It sounds like you don't fully understand the fundamentals. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Fractions, specifically I tend to mix up the rules regarding the multiplication and division for some stupid reason. But it's been 5+ years since I used anything but basic addition and subtraction. Plus I wasn't the greatest student in high school(got my GED ) so yeah I'm way behind on my math skills because of stupidity.Sounds like you need to review fractions from the start. Rules are fine when you are doing problems, but you are far less likely to screw up "divide means invert and multiply" if you actually understand *why* you are doing it that way. It sounds like you don't fully understand the fundamentals. Life wasn't the greatest for me when I SHOULD have learned the fundamentals of a lot of things. I've learned the material, but I want to advance my learning over the summer outside of the class room so I can place in a higher math course in the fall. Other wise I have to pay for and attend 3 more classes before I even get into college level math. |
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Check out the Khan Academy.
Remember there is no substitute for working problems and checking your answers. Doing neither is like trying to improve your shooting without going to the range. Only working the problems is like trying to improve your shooting without ever checking your target. I'd pay to watch someone sight in a rifle without having a chance ro see their target. <––––- has worked a lot of math problems over the years |
If you feel like you can handle it, pick up a few books and study (perhaps the textbooks from the classes in front of yours). If you're pursuing an engineering degree, don't rush it and get over your head, however. Moving on to a more advanced math class without fully understanding the previous class is a recipe for failure. I just finished up my last math class as an undergrad engineer. I started at a community college because I couldn't place in to the lowest math class at my university. Elementary algebra is where I placed. Then came intermediate algebra, college algebra, trig, calc I, calc II, calc III, differential equations, and linear algebra. It's been a long road . I'm glad I put up with elementary and intermediate algebra. Without them, I wouldn't have a snowballs chance in hell of passing college algebra. After that, however, it was fairly smooth sailing. I know you're anxious to start and be done, but don't rush it. It may create much bigger problems for you down the road, when you're in a calc course, being asked to apply the quotient rule, and you can't handle basic fractions, you'll get much bigger  looks than just starting where you need to start.
Speaking from experience, you'll be THE most ambitious person in your math class, and no one will believe you can make it through engineering with what are currently pretty weak math skills. Prove them wrong. I'm 13 hours from proving them all wrong 
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Quoted: If you feel like you can handle it, pick up a few books and study (perhaps the textbooks from the classes in front of yours). If you're pursuing an engineering degree, don't rush it and get over your head, however. Moving on to a more advanced math class without fully understanding the previous class is a recipe for failure. I just finished up my last math class as an undergrad engineer. I started at a community college because I couldn't place in to the lowest math class at my university. Elementary algebra is where I placed. Then came intermediate algebra, college algebra, trig, calc I, calc II, calc III, differential equations, and linear algebra. It's been a long road . I'm glad I put up with elementary and intermediate algebra. Without them, I wouldn't have a snowballs chance in hell of passing college algebra. After that, however, it was fairly smooth sailing. I know you're anxious to start and be done, but don't rush it. It may create much bigger problems for you down the road, when you're in a calc course, being asked to apply the quotient rule, and you can't handle basic fractions, you'll get much bigger looks than just starting where you need to start. Speaking from experience, you'll be THE most ambitious person in your math class, and no one will believe you can make it through engineering with what are currently pretty weak math skills. Prove them wrong. I'm 13 hours from proving them all wrong I think I'll be running by a couple book stores. I guess I was mostly asking if anyone had come across and study tools that really helped them out with math. Thanks for the encouragement and congrats  |
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Go to Khan Academy and click Practice...starting with basic arithmetic(won't take long to get through the simpler things, but you should just for the base)...work your way up until you don't know how to do something...then start watching videos...if that doesn't help...go to your school's math center and ask for help, that is what it's there for...
Khan Academy really is great for this sort of thing... |
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Quoted:
Check out the Khan Academy. Remember there is no substitute for working problems and checking your answers. Doing neither is like trying to improve your shooting without going to the range. Only working the problems is like trying to improve your shooting without ever checking your target. I'd pay to watch someone sight in a rifle without having a chance ro see their target. <––––- has worked a lot of math problems over the years Quoted:
Go to Khan Academy and click Practice...starting with basic arithmetic(won't take long to get through the simpler things, but you should just for the base)...work your way up until you don't know how to do something...then start watching videos...if that doesn't help...go to your school's math center and ask for help, that is what it's there for... Khan Academy really is great for this sort of thing... I pretty much started out in the exact same position you are in. I just got accepted into the aerospace engineering program at my school, and I'm starting the main aero classes in the fall. When I started (in basic algebra) I thought there was no way in hell I could make it through, but I'm glad that I persisted. Khan Academy is amazing, I can't recommend it enough. Find a textbook, read the material you want to learn, than try some problems. Gen an idea of what is giving you trouble, and then hit up khanacademy. I am currently taking differential equations, and there is no way in hell I would have made it this far without that website. The main thing you have to do on your part is practice. You won't make the progress you are looking for without putting in a few hours of practice daily. Also look for any tutoring or additional help that might be available on your campus. Khanacademy, cramster, and plenty of practice (beyond problems assigned for homework) is the only way I've made it this far, and I still have a long way to go. Best of luck to you. If you want it bad enough, you can learn this stuff, it just takes some time and effort! |
| +1 to what everyone else has already said. I was in your shoes a year ago. I decided to back to school and pursue an engineering degree after getting out of the Army. At the time, the most difficult math I had done in the previous seven years was calculating percentage yields for my investments. I had to take the lowest level math my school offers just to get back up to speed. At the end of my first semester I tested into college algebra, so I was able to skip intermediate. Despite having been outside of an academic environment for so long, I put most of the fresh outta high school kids to shame in both my college algebra and trig classes. |