All of us have faced this situation at some point in our school or college life where the syllabus, the textbooks, & the questions scared us for an upcoming math test. In this article, we try to figure out how we can study for a math test in a few easy steps.
When the whole world is going online, we are flooded with a lot of online education portals. This can get confusing at times. For subjects like Mathematics, relying only on school or college education can be a challenge.
However, with a right strategy, one can ace a mathematics test. Let’s try to figure it out in 8 easy ways.
What does the research say about learning Math:
Research shows that students learn Math better when they enjoy the subject while studying. Any technique that makes us relish our time with math is worth considering.
But unfortunately, people believe that the best way to get ahead in math is by solving the most number of problems from as many books & in the shortest possible amount of time. The problem with this strategy is that students end up mugging not only formulas & equations but questions & their solutions also.
Whereas a similar strategy may not work for other exams such as Olympiad or competitive exams. These exams are notorious for their unconventional questions & need a grasp of the concepts & box thinking to solve them.
Let get on with the methods to study for a Math Test in 8 Easy ways:
By taking help from the research done by scientists, we will look at 8 easy ways to study for a Math test:
1. By attending regular classes:
We know that attending regular classes is not easy at all but pulling an all-nighter a day before an exam & expecting a miracle without consolidating your bases is even harder.
If you can not attend offline classes regularly, we suggest you try a math tutor, a competent service offered by TutorOcean. There are several others as well on the world-wide web offering competent tutoring services online. Whether you’re looking for immediate help with a Math concept or looking to book tutoring sessions, the tutors at TutorOcean have got you covered from algebra to statistics at all levels.
2. By participating actively:
Whether studying in classes or doing homework, you focus on active participation. Active participation ensures that we are paying our full attention to a problem.
You can show active participation in class by asking & answering practice questions mentioned in the class & participating in class discussions. You can test your methods of active participation while doing homework by engaging with each step & aspect of a question.
3. By practicing more:
Practicing a few problems in routine is the easiest way to study for an upcoming math test. The more you start practicing a problem, the better your brain gets at that problem. Using your brain time after time for similar & new kinds of questions will result in strengthening your muscle memory.
Practicing problems like the ones asked in the exam will help lessen your fear & anxiety related to math. There is no denying the fact that you might not be able to solve the first few questions from a new concept. You may fumble when the hard question appears. Regular practicing ensures that new questions do not scare you & give you faith that you will be able to arrive at the solution.
4. By planning effectively:
Planning since the first day is the best approach when it comes to studying for a math test but if it is not possible, try to start planning a few days ahead of your test. Make daily plans from the day you start studying or begin your preparation to the last day before the test.
Ensure that the plan accommodates for the first & second time practicing of the textbook problems & also includes adequate revision before your test. If you make a proper plan, planning will take care of your regular practicing of questions & their revision.
5. By listing formulas & equations in one place:
The main motive of this exercise is to collect all the formulas, equations, tables, & graphs in one place you can refer to whenever you want.
Another good thing about this method is you can take those sheets with you while brushing your teeth, eating your meals, waiting in a queue, or any place where you can find some time in your hand for a quick revision.
Another innovative way is to prepare flashcards of the main formulas & equations. The actual learning lies in practicing while preparing these lists & flash cards.
6. By teaching others:
It is a strategy of studying made famous by world-renowned physicist Richard Feynman & applied by people all around us. Teaching the same concept leads to reading, & practicing the same topic again & again, thus strengthening your muscle memory further.
When you have to teach others, you can’t memorize the concepts & babble in front of others. You will first need to understand the math concept that you will teach. If you teach the same topic often, you may find new ways of solving the same problem. Over time things will get easy for you.
7. By joining study groups:
Joining study groups can make things easier for you to a certain extent. Students usually divide the task or problems among themselves & the students will have to learn the concepts of the assigned topic that they can later teach the rest of the group. You may not understand the math concept in the class, but this way, you can finish many topics in a short time.
Diligent group studies ensure that you have fun with your friends while learning. Approaching your friends with doubt can ease your anxiety & friends as you know they are dealing with the same problems as you.
8. By applying in the real world:
We understand that many of the concepts from the world of math are not easy to apply in the real world. Though once you start observing patterns & applying concepts around you, things will start getting interesting.
People thought of many math concepts while they were busy doing their daily chores. Also, you can try applying these math concepts to other subjects like physics or chemistry. When you start correlating different Concepts across subjects & real world, your mind begins to prepare its mind maps. These mind maps will prove helpful during exams.
Conclusion
Here you go, some of the strategies for acing a mathematics test. You can see that almost all the above easy ways of studying for math involve some practice. Be it attending daily classes or teaching others. Practicing & revising at short intervals is the key to scoring the most marks on a math test.
