To learn effectively, it’s more important to have good study habits than good study skills. Study skills include activities like taking notes, reading with comprehension, and preparing for exams. Study habits cover topics like time management, focus, and prioritization. Skills and habits are both important. But even with the best skills, it’s hard to overcome […]
ContinueNumber Sense and Mathematical Thinking Skills
Learning math is often about learning specific math topics. But it can also be useful to step back and take a higher-level view of math learning. Keith Devlin, professor of mathematics at Stanford University and creator of the popular Introduction to Mathematical Thinking course on Coursera, says modern students of math have to master two […]
ContinueLearning Math on Brilliant
Back in the day, textbooks and classes were the way to learn math. Today, we have abundant online options. I wrote earlier this year about the benefits of practicing on Khan Academy, even if you’re not in its target audience. A similar online offering is Brilliant, which like Khan Academy has online math problems, but […]
ContinueReading About Math on Stack Exchange
I’m working this year on a specific area of math, but it can also be helpful to browse around and see what math ideas are out there. Last week, I wrote about the kinds of answers that pop up on Quora’s general math topic. Another math destination is Mathematics Stack Exchange. That site works a […]
ContinueReading About Math on Quora
If you’re studying a high school or undergraduate college math topic and you have a question, the answer is probably somewhere online. Finding it is just a matter of coming up with the right search terms. Or if searching doesn’t work out, you can always ask on Quora. But another way to use Quora is […]
ContinueElements of Good Mathematical Writing
Math problems on standardized tests have short, simple answers that fit in a multiple-choice format. But college-level math problems require more detailed explanations. In How to Write a Math Solution, Richard Rusczyk and Mathew Crawford of Art of Problem Solving present a detailed checklist for ensuring that your proofs and solutions communicate your thinking as […]
ContinueLearning Math Using a Standardized Test Approach, Part 2
Last week, I considered what we can learn from the standardized test approach to studying math. This week, I’m continuing that line of thinking with some advice from another PrepScholar article.
ContinueLearning Math Using a Standardized Test Approach
One way to find out how well you know math fundamentals is to take a timed math test. In the U.S., over two million students per year take the SAT (which includes a math portion) as part of the college admissions process. A multitude of online resources, including Khan Academy, are available to help with […]
ContinueShould You Solve Every Problem In a Math Textbook?
When you’re studying a topic, a course acts as a filter for the material: Rather than having to consider every reference on a subject, you get a nicely curated subset that the instructor believes fulfills the goals of the course. Rather than having to read an entire textbook, you get a list of sections, or […]
ContinueHow Long Should You Work on a Math Problem Before Looking at the Answer?
When you’re studying math on your own, a question you must continually ask yourself is how much time to spend on the problem you’re working on. That question also comes up when you’re taking a traditional class, though your options are more limited in that case because of the fixed class schedule. I wrote about […]
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