Get Tricked Out
If math feels hard for you, it may be because you have to work too hard on the details & you don't have time for the big picture. If you have to spend a lot of time figuring out the arithmetic, then you don't have a lot of brain power left over for the algebra!
Some skills, like the real number operations, are absolutely essential. Other skills, like the ones on this page, are just nice to have. If you learn the ideas on this page, your math skills will be "tricked out." Your homework will go faster, and your test grades will go up.
1. Learn your arithmetic facts! Nothing makes algebra slow, confusing, and difficult like having trouble with arithmetic! Learn your "times tables" by heart from 0x0 to 12x12, at least. You also should be able to add and subtract any two numbers between 0 and 20 without writing or counting on your fingers. An easy way to work on this is to make yourself about ten flashcards, practice with them a few days, then when you know those, make some more. (No tutorial here, because the only remedy for this is drill, drill, drill. . .)
Used with permission from Sid Harris.
2. Learn to add and subtract in your head! Can you borrow and carry without writing it down? This is a very useful skill, and there are several methods. It takes some practice to get really good at this, but the reward is worth the effort. Here is one method.
3. Learn your fraction/decimal conversions! You can't learn them all, but you can learn the most common and useful ones. These pop up all the time in real life (especially with money and shopping) and they are absolutely essential in algebra. Trying to do algebra without these is like trying to read without knowing your letters.
| decimal_fraction.pdf | |
| File Size: | 19 kb |
| File Type: | |
4. Learn to convert repeating decimals to fractions! Not as essential anymore, since most calculators will do this for you, but it's still neat to know. Impress & amaze your friends! (It's cool like that.)
5. More arithmetic short cuts! Here is a page with more shortcuts for doing common arithmetic operations. This should make your life easier!
6. Learn your squares and cubes! You already know a lot of them, but if you memorize this table, you will be able to factor and simplify faster than a speeding bullet!
| squares_cubes.pdf | |
| File Size: | 9 kb |
| File Type: | |
7. Know your divisibility rules! Knowing & being able to use divisibility rules can really lighten your load when factoring or finding common denominators.