If you're an instructor, you're more than welcome to us it in your classes. Please include the copywrite information at the bottom of the post. You can delete this intro paragraph!
Before Class
Prepare for your class by reading ahead, and working the examples in the book. Understand how the examples are solved. Use 3x5 cards to write down the steps needed to solve all the example problems. Keep these handy for the homework section. If you don't understand some of the steps in the example problems, you can ask about them in class. Use these notecards to write down definitions, theorems and other information you need to memorize. Keep these handy for doing the homework, and studying for tests.
How to Read a Math Book
Start by making photocopies of the pages you need to prepare for your class, or if you don't mind writing in your book, you can make notes in the margins. After you complete each section, write in the margin a condensed version of what you just finished reading. This will help you to remember what you just read in the book, plus, it'll give you a quick review of that section when it comes time to prepare for quizzes or exams. On all the example problems, you can also jot down small notes on how to solve them.
During Class
Sit in the front 2 rows. You'll end up with the best view of the instructor and the board. You won't get distracted by other students blocking your view, moving around, etc. You'll be able to concentrate easier sitting in the front rows.
If you've read, and worked the examples before class, you'll have to take less notes during the lecture. By taking less notes, you can concentrate on what your instructor is saying. Most instructors demonstrate shortcuts, exceptions and other important points to watch out for while learning the subject. Take notes on this kind of information, not on generic information found in your book. Your notes need to be the steps needed to solve a particular set of problems. Write down these steps as well as the problem that's on the board.
Doing Homework
With your new found knowledge taught to you by your instructor, and your note cards, you're ready to start working on the homework. It's very important to do all the problems assigned to you. Doing homework reinforces all the steps needed to solve specific kinds of problems. You want to keep doing problems until it's second nature in solving math problems. When recognizing a type of problem, you know immediately how to solve it. Plus, you'll be surprised to see quiz, and/or test problems showing up out of the homework. If you're working on a chapter that takes several class sessions to cover, it's a great idea to review the earlier sections to keep them fresh in your mind.
There are additional books that really help in studying math. They are the various Problem Solvers from REA. They have books for algebra, calculus, trig, etc. These books pick up where your textbook leaves off. They cover just about all the different types of problems you might find on a quiz or exam. The example problems themselves may not be exactly what's in your homework, but the only differences is in the constants used. By using this to help study, you'll get exposed to more complex problems that you could see on exams or quizzes.
Exam Preparation
If you've done all the above, you're going to be pretty well prepared for exams. Review all your notecards, any class notes and other information your instructor has passed out. Be sure to review quizzes, these will give you a feel for the kind of problems you might encounter on the exam.
Taking the Exam
How you take your exam is a personal thing. One way is to tackle all the easier problems first, then go after the more difficult ones last. Be sure to stay organized and neat so simple sloppiness doesn't cost you points. Double check your work at the end. Use all the time allowed! Don't ignore extra credit points, do those problems. It can mean the difference between a high B and a low A grade.
Post Exam
Getting your exam back is a very crucial time. On the problems you got wrong, you need to know why, and to take detailed notes as to those reasons. Remember, solving math problems is a matter of habits, and recognizing what kind of problem you need to solve. If you made mistakes, write down the CORRECT steps to solve the problem! You'll be glad you did when you go to prepare for the final.
Preparing for the Final
Preparing for the final is stressful for most students. It really doesn't need to be this way. If you've been organized all through the semester by keeping all your homework, returned quizzes and tests in a 3 ring binder, all your information is readily available for you to study. Be sure to include your 3x5 cards!
Go through all this information, looking for areas you may have forgotten, and brush up on those areas. Go through all the quizzes and exams and retake them on another sheet of paper. You want to study enough so upon seeing a particular problem, you know exactly how to solve it. Some comprehensive final exams have enough problems, that you need to know how to solve them by reflex. If you have to think about how to approach a particular problem, it will slow you down and you may not have enough time to complete all the problems on the final. Stay organized, neat, and use all the time alloted for the final.
Note:
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, California 94305, USA. You are free to make changes to this document as long as these changes are sent by email to Mark Schoonover – ka6wke@gmail.com.
©2005 Mark Schoonover
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