Whoops - looks like my computer had a bit of a rendering hiccup around the 5:00 mark. In case it wasn't clear, that part just said that both sites provide step-by-step solutions that you can follow along with.
I'm kind of surprised you didn't mention Barbra Oakley's book about learning maths. I'm currently reading it because I heard it from you, and I gotta say thanks! That book is amazing!
Good point - that's a great book! I think the reason it didn't come to mind is that the topic of this video was originally more focused on the problem solving example, and only later did I realize that process was pretty much the foundation of improving in math overall, which caused me to broaden the video a bit.
Thomas Frank Hi can you please make a video on HOW TO GET BETTER IN CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS please. And by the way I really like your videos. Thank you😋😁
I definitely didn't delete the clip, and everything was fine when I watched through before exporting. I think it happened because I stacked two instances of a transition effect that uses an external plugin, which works fine in Premiere but apparently doesn't render correctly.
„And that’s especially important: Don’t rush through math problems“ My math teacher in the exam: „You have ten minutes left“ We love a good school system right
My mom pulled me out of school in the second grade, I was homeschooled for a little but I wanted nothing to do with math so I didn’t learn anything. I’m now 20 and trying to get my GED passed all my tests with a college ready score but I’m stuck on math because I’m learning things kids learn in the span of 5-6 years in a month
You're on track.Starting with the basics is the sure way to go.Most people are ashamed to admit they don't know the basic....those set of people never get to grow/learn new things
@@stunnaboy3021 I’m in a very similar situation right now. I was pulled out in third grade and none of my issues that I had with math were ever solved, I never got passed fractions and it’s almost impossible to understand algebra without fractions. It really sucks. I’m 17 and about 15 minutes ago my mom let me know that next semester I have to take at least one community college class. I’ve told her I’m not ready repeatedly, but she just ignores me. I’m legitimately not ready for my GED, let alone community college.
@@l67790 honestly the best thing to do is watch children’s videos explaining math/get lower grade math books to study in, Don’t be ashamed about it either, I’d rather have something completely dumbed down so I can grasp an idea of it. :)
How to get better at maths 1. Have the will to learn 2. Having a positive mindset and self-confidence 3. Understanding instead of learning 4. Practicing many exercise 5. Don't have to be afraid of asking for help
As someone who used to despise math a few moths ago, and even had grades ranging from C's to F's, after some time and intense studying sessions while so watching math videos online, I got significantly better at math and so did my grades (two A's so far). My hate for math quickly disappeared (I still can't elaborate why) and now I even want to study math. So, an honest advice I'd give to someone, who doesn't seem to get better at math, is, to be patient with themselves and not give up if one math topic doesn't instantly "click", because at some point it'll make sense and then you'll be sitting there thinking: oh, wow... why didn't I realize that earlier (and that's totally normal, I get these moments more than I'd like to admit). Math can be though (duh), but that's also why I love it now; there's just so much about this subject: its abstarct constructs, the logic, which (almost) always blows my mind, 'cause it just seems to make sense, et cetera. I'd love to teach people math one day, I'm starting small by helping my friends and classmates, but sometimes I get too excited and baffle them with mathematical terms that we haven't even discussed in class yet 😅 I guess I'm a bit of a nerd after all... and that's fine :) Anyway, loved the video!
how long did it take for you to achieve that mastery? I’m currently a struggling freshman in algebra and it is almost the end of the year for me and I need to regain my knowledge on algebra again. 😭😭
hey.... Could you please help me if you're free sometime.... It's just i want to do math... love math and all that but I end up getting demotivated and confused which also effects my physics and chemistry🥲😭
I'm a middle school student in Vietnam (9th grader) and YES. A Casio scientific calculator is ones of most important things I have to carry in my backpack. It can really save your life when you're having a test or a exam, because in my country, carrying calculators is allowed in schools, not kidding 😂 (I just don't know if schools in the United States allows their students to using a calculator or not ?)
I took my SAT today, and I was really proud of myself. I was doing so well on the math section.... and then I got to question 2 and it was all downhill from there.
Do a lot of practice problems. If you don't understand why the quadratic formula is the way it is then learn how to factor and complete the square, and you'll see that the quadradic formula is every step needed in order to solve the problem, just within a single formula.
Jonathan Smith lol quadratic and complete the square are so specific... why don’t you try somewhere more fundamental? Figure out perhaps GCFs/LCMs.. and the relationship between the product of GCF and LCM and the number in question... or you could start out with some PEMDAS even and get going. There’s so many beautiful number theoretic problems than anyone can understand. For example of 2 and 3 are divisors of a common integer, then So is 6. But does this work for 2 and 4 so if a number divisible by 2 and 4 it’s not always divisible 8 as 2 and 4 have GCF (or GCD) > 1.
I was crying the whole afternoon while doing my homework, I cannot express enough how much this video helped me! It rationalized my fears, and I'm ready to go back and dig into those problems again. Thanks Tom ❤️
Unfunny this joke is beyond old Edit: stop replying to a 5 month old comment man. And this joke didn't even me me chuckle man. I don't hate the joke it's just not even that hilarious. If you lmfao at this joke then you need help. And I am not even 17, so calling me boomer is useless. I am sorry for offending people
I always thought I was good at math until I took Calc ll. Legit spent around 20 hours a week just for that class and ended with an 81. Anyone taking it in the future my advice is don’t be afraid to ask for help or even tutoring. It’s better having someone who mastered the subject explain to you the whole process. Knowing the answer is nothing compared to understanding the problem. Calc lll is much easier though. About to start my junior year for Aerospace, dreaming of going to nasa one day.
Seems like you get a stress reaction from the testing situation. Maybe you could try to think of it as a fun game, like solving puzzles. Or if you can create a test like situation at home to practice? If your stress levels are too high you get tunnel vision - fight and flight reaction in your brain. Also, if you're in a positive mood and feel confident your brain will work better.
The books that I have from school purposely leave some parts of the explanation out because they expect the teachers to explain the rest, so when I am studying and understand everything the book has said when I get to the test there are certain things that were never handled in the book itself and that’s how I get bad grades.
Yeah same, when i do in home i get all correct, but later when i check it, i did the whole thing wrong, or when i do in exam i find an easy question, i do it proudly, later to see i got that full wrong. Ig we all have to practice
oh my goodness THIS WAS ONE OF OUR LESSONS IN ALGEBRA ACTUALLY IN 7TH GRADE AND IT'S LITERALLY THE ONE I'M ONLY GOOD AT BEFORE 😂 (sorry for the caps lol)
6:18 Love that you're saying to not rush math homeworks when my teacher in contrast makes me works 10x faster and with 10x the mistakes rather than taking the time and doing it right
I watched this video 2 years ago, when I was illiterate on math. I watched this again today 'cause it appeared on my recommended and a lot has changed since then. It is really important to understand what you are solving, because if you just solve without asking 'why', it'll bore you. Math is just like any language with its own set of principles and logic. Goodluck people
Loved George Polya's quote: "If you can't solve a problem, then there is an easier problem that you can solve: find it." This is advice that can be carried over into all aspects of problem solving. Great wisdom, and great video!
I've struggled with math my whole life and honestly doesn't seem like I'm getting any better at it. I don't know how many times I've cried over a math problem but it's definitely been a long journey when it comes to me doing math.
I feel you and I've been where you have been... many, many times. An advice I'd love to share with you is to watch math videos, be patient with yourself and overall take your time while studying. These videos can be about the "simplest" math concepts or topics. By watching these videos lots of questions will pop up in your brain, and if so, that's a great beginning. Then you'll be able to answer them and if you did, you can be proud of yourself. You can work yourself up from there and slowly start to grasp certain topics that before baffled you. It takes a lot of time and patience, but you can do it :)
"If you can't solve a problem, then there is an easier problem you can solve: find it." - Great advice! Maybe I should make it like Granny embroidery to hang on the wall.
A: "I'm terrible at math." B: "Why do you think that?" A: "I did one practice problem and I didn't find the answer in ten seconds" B: "How did you try to solve the problem?" A: "I wrote down the problem and stared at it and the answer didn't come to me"
James McLoad The solution is to try and keep trying. Do sample problems. Ask questions. Get more books, find more problem sets - but most importantly you must do. The habit to get rid of is staring and waiting. Start writing something. Anything. Math is not a spectator sport and it requires lots of effort with pen to paper.
You can get better, I saw my progression trough high school from almost failing year one to having B as an end grade year 3. And my tip is that you need to learn how to study or what works for u. I found out that I get the best results from doing all the homework and preparing for a test week prior to it, with this I dont spend too much time practicing and still get a C or B 80% of the time
@@soullessangel207 are you hearing yourself? That is Fermat's Last Theorem, and it was proved in 1994 by Andrew Wiles. By proved, I mean, proved that there are no integer solutions where n > 2. I didn't make it up.
Im staring at my homework and I’m on the verge of tears. I’m pretty stressed lately and I have 3 double-sided pages of math homework and totally forgot how to do the equations. They’re due tomorrow and it’s already 11 at night and I haven’t even got ready for bed. Why is life so cruel?
I love the subtle references. Also, another awesome resource is Photomath. It uses your phone camera to scan and solve written math problems, so you don't have to type them in. It's not perfect, but it's remarkably accurate, even when scanning sub-par handwriting. It's free and gives step-by-step solutions. Desmos is another awesome tool. It's free and intuitive, yet its graphing capabilities far exceed those of expensive graphing calculators in many ways. It's an incredible way to deepen your understanding of math in a visual way rather than just trying to make sense of the numbers.
I was the opposite. Detested lower level math which was mostly just memorization and repetition. But once I completed calculus and proceeded to pure math I actually enjoyed it
I'm really depressed right now. My math teacher told my mom that i would have to struggle to pass at matriculation exam. But i got 100s in last year.. I actually tend to be a good student... Thank you for your tips. They really comfort me.
Hey, I hope you are feeling much better these days. I am sure you're an excellent student. There are times were each one of us has to face their own struggles and have to go trough it. An unwavering feeling of hardship and sadness can hit every one of us when we least expect it. But I am certain you are very capable of going through it all. Again, I hope you're okay.
if you want to be good at math : > Stop telling yourself you're bad at math and stop saying "hahahah so me" when you see a dumbass meme like "i'm 25% funny 85% bad at math" >Instead, practice, focus, believe in your skills, make mistakes, learn how to correct them, eventually you'll get good. Know that it is at everyones reach to be good at math. Goood luck ^o^
At one point as a kid I didn’t know my time table that well, I only knew 2 times and 5 times. So right in the exam I had to find a different way. Like ONLY for example Trying to find what is 3 x 7 3+3 = 6 (three added twice. Which means this is 2 x 3) 6+6 = 12 (if 3 is added twice to get 6, then doubling it would give 12. Which means 3 x 4 is 12) 12 + 12 = 24 (if 3 is added 4 times to get 12, then doubling it would give 8. Which means 3 x 8 is 24) But I want the answer for 3 x 7, so I just simply subtract 3 from 24, which leaves back 21. I missed out a lot in school as a kid, so I’m glad I came up with those little strategies to pass. And I can confirm that I do this for big high school multiplications
Practice, when you actually attempt h.w questions, they tend to be a little formula-breaking compared to classwork questions. Attempting various types of a questions helps you understand fundamental properties of maths without even needing to learn them definitively. Also, finding decently challenging questions from outside source. I recommend downloading Standard Maths SQP - 10th (CBSE curriculum), they are challenging but ultimately, you just depend on fundamentals. This helped me alot and i genuinely feel like nothing can stop me.
Even if you are a math person or not but when you see a person who can solve problems and do fast calculations, you instantly develop respect for that person
Thing is everytime I do math i litterally forget everything, even basic fractions idk y i spend like 10 minutes searching the problem up even though I did it a few days ago..
Math concepts can be easy to forget. I would recommend trying to understand problems more and maybe going back to review a concept a few times and on a new day than you initially learned the concept.
I was pondering last night that maybe I just don't have the brain for calculus, this video answered that question, I just need to be more patient with myself, I am dedicated but I need to get even more dedicated. Thank you for this video
Pls never give up. I have a friend who sucked at math in highschool and had ataxia disorder, it took him like 2 minutes to answer 9x8, and was constantly bullied for being dumb, now he's a mechanical engineer, he's literally a rocket scientist.
Totally agree with these tips sir Thomas Frank! Mastering the fundamental concepts in math is very important to progress and be better at complex topics. Thanks again for this video!
I hated math in school, well, I hated everything as a teenager, but maths especially. But I've come to realize that in thia world, the only thing that brings me joy is improving myself in any capacity, just for the sake of it. So I decided to get into maths and get good at it. I never practiced more than a few days before the exams so I bearly passed, but now I'll put actual effort into it. Thanks for the motivation :)
I remember in when I was in high school taking my chemistry class. I was failing for 99% of the year, but not for a lack of trying. I'd stay after school every day to get help with what I wasn't understanding (which was everything). My teacher came up to me near the end of the cool year and said, "I've noticed you're not doing so well in my class, even though you've been here every day working on your homework and asking questions. I respect that. I want you to know, that if you keep working this hard for the rest of the year, I GUARANTEE you will not fail this class." So I continued working diligently as I have been and sure enough, I passed the class with a solid 60%!
*In class:* the limit of x^2 / (x-1) as x approaches 1 is 1 *On the test:* calculate exactly how to move the Earth in 30,000,000 BC in the most efficient way so that Albania is tangent to the part of the sun with the largest radius
My personal advice: 1) Know what you want to learn and what you know (realize where you are) 2) Get an explanation of the idea, visualize the solution (just to get you motivated) 3)Get a simple example well explained step by step, it can be a video or on paper, but have it in hand 4) Do a simple example yourself, different from the one you saw and with the answer step by step at the back for you to check, if you have any difficulty aid yourself with the other example 5)Do another example, maybe with just the end answer or with something different which makes it harder (for the last one you may need the answer step by step). 6) Do step 2 but no relate it to the exercises you've been doing 7) Do more exercises till you can write the steps you follow to do the problem, and do write down somewhere the steps for if you need them to study 8) Now you can move to the next topic 9) Cover many topics and you'll see how they require of each other; eventually you'll get a math intuition but that takes different time for different people This is the quick way of learning math but mathematicians don't really like it because scenically you are learning a "cooking recipe" rather than going straight to the abstract idea. And many feel it's kind of cheating
I have always wanted to learn math. I was always jealous of people who were good at it. A guy in my class was so good at math that my teacher would bring him separate question personally and ask him to solve it. I always wished i could do the same but i was never disciplined enough to learn it. I have come to a point where i am given up completely on math, stopped practicing and giving up before trying. Math gives me so much anxiety. But for some reason the urge to learn math never really went away i guess that's why i am here to try and see how to learn it again. I don't have much expectations on myself
I think alot of what makes math difficult is not the abstract nature of the material, i think alot of it is to do with the linear nature of how you have to learn it, especially when you get into algebra which is where people start developing the sterotype. If you don't understand the concepts before the material you're learning it's like somebody's speaking to you in Chinese. I love science because it's not at all like that, i love learning about everything around me and how things work, i can have somebody explain how an electron functions and have no idea how to measure what a mole is.
I'm trying to get back into what I loved as a kid, because I had the natural inclination towards it. Now I do it for the genuine interest of the subject
I really want to understand mathematics but I never really paid attention in math classes while I was in middle school and Highschool. I thought I wouldn’t need it. Now I’m about to graduate High school and my parents are forcing me to go into medicine. I’ll need mathematics. Fml
I think that the biggest mistake when studying math is to think that you are learning how to solve a particular problem, because math is about pattern recognition, and that is something that a lot of people is great at naturally, but that doesn't mean that they don't work hard on learning it. When you repeat a type of exercise the first few are going to be hard, but the more you keep doing them, the more you will realize how that pattern is and how to solve it the next time. There are no shortcuts in math, because shortcuts will hurt your learning curve when having to solve difficult problems. Great video, as always. Sorry for my English, but I hope that my message got across.
Summary of "how to get better at math" 1. Go for the tough problems to become a math genius. 2. Go for easy problems to get a grasp of the basic concept. 3. Break down into small chunks, to see what you must get better at. 4. Use contrast or wolfa alpha, to see, and find the mistake. If you know there is something not exactly correct. Then point the faults out, or tell me what I could´ve written.
Thomas i dont know how to thank you , you man have changed my life , you improved me in school I become a lot better than 2 years ago Not just school but my whole life I had achieved a lot of my goals I became more confident next year is my last year in high school wish me luck , again thank you so much for helping me the past two years
I had a test not long ago and this was literally one of the questions (this is not a joke I’m actually serious) Emma drinks a glass of milk every morning. How much milk is in the glass?
Advice from a mathematics PhD candidate: - precalculus: you either know it or you don’t. Be sure you understand precalculus concepts through and through otherwise you’re gonna have a bad time in calculus and other classes like Analysis - Math is about understanding. DO NOT try to memorize how to solve a problem it will only lead to your demise. - Understand definitions in mathematics- what is a prime number/ polynomial/ rational expression - Mathematics can be found everywhere because it’s a universal language so become familiar with it. Like learning spoken (or signed) languages you have to push yourself to understand and construct complex sentences and abstract ideas so it’s ok to make mistakes - to build on the previous point, math, like any language, isn’t mastered in one day so don’t give up if you don’t get it the first time. - be sure to reach out for help AS SOON AS you don’t understand something - for upper level math classes like topology and analysis, go in with an open mind - have fun doing it. Math is straightforward and definitive. Once you master a concept in this field, it’s with you for life.
Thank you!! This is very motivating, and as someone who wants to go into a science field in the future (which will definitely involve some math), I'll be sure to put your, and Thomas's, advice into practice :)
(Reads out the above comment in a low, coolly confident voice with L's Theme B playing in the background) ... (and then mutters to self): “Sometimes, the questions are complicated - and the answers are simple.”
Definitely. I'm in calc 2 right now and i was never great with the unit circle or graphing so even though I understand shell method and partial integration, sometimes it's the graphing or trig that messes me up. Lately ive been relearning these concepts and my grades are at around 90%. Totally agree. Learning the fundamentals are important.
- You can't understand everything. Memorizing important theorems and identities is a necessity, understanding everything you use an impossibility. - Mathematics is not a language. Mathematical NOTATION is. It's important to understand the difference. Mathematics is high level logic: extrapolating from axioms, building structures and examining them. That really has nothing to do with learning a language.
School: 1+1 Answer:2 Homework:If Bob has 2 apples and he gives 1 away how many does he have? Answer:1 Exam: If bobs calculator is turning red how can you calculate the distance to Venus if you have 49 bananas? Answer: 17 because rocks change to chairs with the theory of the wardrobe.
Same when I took Limnology... In class: an old lake is eutrophic Exam: calculate the turbidity of a eutrophic lake compared to an oligotrophic lake an explain in detail what processes contribute to the aging of a lake and how that affects the lifecycle during it's freeze/thaw period. 😂
I've been avoiding math for years and it's holding me back in the completion of my degrees and moving on. Starting at the bottom and I hope I will know enough to pass next semester. Can't get better at math by not doing math! Study time!
Math definitely requires practice, you guys. It's no use understanding the theory if you can't apply it! Another good thing about doing practices is that certain types or styles of questions come up frequently (at least at junior/senior year highschool math) and by learning the correct approach to these problems, you're better able to handle them when tests come around. Always do practice exams if you can get access to them - not only are you testing your abilities under time limit, it also minimises your exam stress (in my experience). Caveat: if you don't understand the theory, get that sorted asap before bothering with lots of practice. You should try and clarify your doubts quickly before things snowball and your foundation becomes shaky. This is also why listening in class is important - it's way harder to figure things out on your own. You may have a not-great teacher like I do, but don't dismiss them as they may occasionally say some helpful things. If your teacher's not cutting it, don't complain - arrange for consultations (some teachers are better 1-1), look for additional math resources, or ask the resident math genius. The same amount of input in math generates more output than subjects like Literature. The key is to work hard at it. Regular practice has helped me bring my math grade from a 40% to a 75% over 1/2 a year, and math is one of my weaker subjects. Put in effort and you might just outperform the smarter kids who don't practice!
School: "What does x=?" Exam: *Find the distance between Earth, the moon, and pluto, then round it all back and get your answer, Must be done realistically to get full mark.*
I'm in Calculus 4 (multivariable calculus - quarter system, not semester if anyone is confused about the number) and a lot of how I got here was from diligently practicing math for at least two to three hours a day. Practing more makes you more effective at answering problems and helped relieve a lot of my test anxiety. Also, I found helpful videos by Professor Leonard (amazing lectures), PatrickJMT, and Michele van Biezen.
Practice , practice, practice. If you don't know how to do to websites which offer question, Khan academy, ask teacher for more work sheets, ask older siblings or parent to create problems, get them from books/ text books. Unless you are suffering from a medical condition which prevents practicing or you are in economic trouble there is no excuse.
I agree, I took differential eq and since of beginning calculus, I really practiced alot. I studied at least 2 to 5 hours a day. I was not good at math and I never grasp the concept quickly like my class mates. However preservation and patience is key to success.
The key to being good at math really on any level is (for the most part) practice ... the genuises might need less of it than you, but they need to practice a whole fucking lot nevertheless :D
No, seriously no, practice is definitely not what you need, it's a waste of time, I mean what the heck are you going to practice ??? 1+1 ? Because that is all math is
hahahahah wtf kind of horseshit are you talking about 1+1 is not even math as far as im concerned, that is arithmetics which is a application of mathematics.
Here are 10 ways to get better at math: even tho I suck at it! 1. Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key to improving your math skills. 2. Understand the basics: Make sure you have a solid foundation in fundamental concepts. 3. Review previous material: Regularly review past topics to reinforce your understanding. 4. Seek help when needed: Don't hesitate to ask for assistance from teachers, tutors, or classmates. 5. Solve problems step by step: Break down complex problems into smaller, manageable steps. 6. Use resources: Utilize textbooks, online tutorials, and educational websites to supplement your learning. 7. Work on word problems: Practice solving real-life math problems to enhance your problem-solving skills. 8. Join study groups: Collaborating with peers can provide different perspectives and help clarify concepts. 9. Teach others: Explaining math concepts to others can deepen your understanding. 10. Stay positive and persistent: Believe in your ability to improve and don't give up when faced with challenges. Remember, everyone learns at their own pace, so be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress along the
