Should students use pencil or pen when doing math work?
Math: Pen vs Pencil
11 Ways To Do Better In Math
Eleven things a student can do to improve their mathematics experience.
Studying to Understand vs Studying to Memorize
"Memorizing" is less effective than "understanding". Ways to study which improve understanding while reducing the need for memorization.
Ten Skills Every Student Should Learn
A recent eSchool News article by Meris Stansbury lists ten skills cited by its readers as being most important for today's students to acquire: Read Type Write Communicate effectively, and with respect Question Be resourceful Be accountable Know how to learn Think critically Be happy The list is interesting to ponder. I would not argue that any …
Uncover the Hidden Game
The title of this posting is the title of a chapter in “Making Learning Whole”, by David Perkins (2009), which I mentioned in my previous posting. I recommend it highly. What is the "hidden game" in High School mathematics? What mindsets, approaches, techniques, etc. do those comfortable with the work asked of them rely upon, yet …
Learn the Game of Learning
The title of this posting is the title of a chapter in "Making Learning Whole", by David Perkins (2009). Of the books on education I have read to date, this is the first that resonated completely with me. He describes the way I try to teach, and more - thus giving me much to reflect …
Equivalence Deserves More Attention
Most students taking courses in Algebra or higher seem quite comfortable with the idea of "equivalent fractions": improper or unsimplified fractions all of which evaluate to the same decimal value. An example would be $latex \dfrac{2}{3}=\dfrac{4}{6}=\dfrac{12}{18}=\dfrac{60}{90}=0.\overline{666}&s=2&bg=ffffff&fg=000000$ To create such fractions, multiply whatever fraction you wish to start with by 1 (the multiplicative identity) in the …
On the origin of algebra problems
As you are solving a math problem, have you ever wondered how textbook authors come up with algebra problems that have simple answers? Just as you use inverse functions to solve an algebra problem, problem authors reverse the solution process to create a problem: they start with the answer. From there they use the same …
Word Problems… !#$%@;*!!
Word problems can be... frustrating. Most of their reputation arises from their use of words to describe a quantitative problem. And if the problem's author did not choose their words very carefully, you've got Trouble (with a capital T). So why are so many word problems assigned? Because they are more similar to the quantitative …
Problems fall into four categories
Description of a useful way of categorizing math problems: easy, medium, ugly, and hard. When studying for quizzes or tests, make sure to seek out "ugly" problems if you have not solved many yet.
Lost points on a problem? What to do…
People don't like losing points for errors in their solution of a problem. So, what can you do to insure you won't lose points again the next time you are given a similar problem? Most folks seem to look through the corrections, then perhaps ask the teacher to solve the problem for the entire class, …
Getting the most out of standardized test (SAT, ACT) practice books
How to get the most out of your time studying for standardized tests like the SAT or ACT.
Improve Your Math Grade: Use Scrap Paper
Scrap paper is an important tool when learning and doing mathematics. Every student should be using it to solve math problems from Algebra 1 on.
