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This page features blog posts about Math. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Let your favorite tutor know that the WyzAnt community could benefit from a blog post about Math!
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Mathematical Journeys: The Function Machine

By Ellen S. | 5/21/2013 9:19 AM CST |

y = f(x)

I can't tell you how many times I've had students come to me profoundly confused about their entire math unit, all because their teachers never fully explained this concept. Teachers throw this equation up on the board without discussion as if it explains everything – which it does, but only if you know what it means. So let's discuss!

First off, it's important to remember that this is not just an equation; it's an indication of a larger concept. We'll get to that in a minute, but let's start at the beginning.

Imagine that I have a little machine which I set on the table in front...

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The Test Prep Industry

By Kathryn S. | 5/21/2013 2:39 AM CST |

I'd like to rant, if I could, about the test prep industry, specifically as it relates to the SAT and the ACT.

THEY LIE. They give their students "practice tests" that aren't real practice tests! They make up their own "SAT" or "ACT" and train their kids on that and it makes me so mad, because they have no idea how to model such a test! It's like training someone how to spike a volleyball and then telling them that they're going to do great on their basketball game on Saturday. LIES, I TELL YOU!!

And THEN, they tell you that all you need to do in order to get ready for the test is study...

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Traditional Teaching & Current Practices of Mathematics & Science

By Gena B. | 5/6/2013 4:53 PM CST |

Reflecting on the message from the State Board of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction” it was in 1983 the report “A Nation at Risk, by the National Commission on Excellence in Education had brought to light “a rising tide of mediocrity” in the schools (Larson, 1997). This was when an era of education reform began. Larsen described the results of this reform was uneven, but it did stimulated some key infrastructure improvements: instructional time was increased, high school diplomas came to mean the completion of minimum course requirements, and emphasis was placed on local...

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Homeschool Math Support and Accelerated Math Development for Public and Private School Students

By Patrick M. | 5/2/2013 9:29 AM CST |

I have been working with a few students who are ready to learn math much, MUCH faster than allowed by the traditional classroom model in which math is taught over 6 to 8 years. Based on this experience I believe that many students as young as 4th grade and as old as 8th grade (when starting in the program) can master math in 2 years from simple addition through the first semester of Calculus, with Arithmetic, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Precalculus, Probability, Statistics, and Trigonometry in between.

This is significantly faster than the traditional approach and is enabled by a combination...

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What would I tell myself in the past ...

By Patrick C. | 5/1/2013 6:27 AM CST |

If I could go back in time and give myself some advice ...

Well, that's quite a questions. And the answers are not as easy as one might think. We are who we are based on the lessons we have learned over time. If we didn't make mistakes, we would not learn. We might avoid a pitfall here and there, but we wouldn't learn the lessons behind the lessons - the root cause, as it were, for why it was a mistake in the first place.

However, one piece of advice I would like to give myself in the past is this: listen to the advice you are given.

As I look back, I was given some great advice by a lot...

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SAT ACT Test Taking Tips

By Aaron G. | 4/29/2013 10:34 AM CST |

Be Prepared!

The night before, collect

  • plenty of sharpened #2 pencils
  • an eraser
  • a small pencil sharpener (in case your pencils break during the exam)
  • a watch (you cannot rely on the proctor and there may not be a wall clock or it may be on the wall behind your seat)
  • your calculator
  • your admission ticket
  • your identification
  • directions to the testing center
  • tissues
  • medicine (if necessary)
  • disposable earplugs (if you find the background noise of people coughing and fidgeting distracting)

It may be helpful to collect these items in a clear plastic (Ziploc) bag that you can grab and go in the morning...

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Is Summer School for You?

By Jeff S. | 4/27/2013 8:38 PM CST |

May is a busy month for schools. Standardized tests, field trips, and graduation planning takes center stage. Teachers meet with parents of struggling students as well as those who would benefit from summer enrichment classes to discuss summer school enrollment. This article will help parents/ guardians decide whether or not to enroll their child(ren) in summer school.

A "Bad Rap"

The words “summer school” tend to stir negative thoughts. Many parents and students falsely believe that going to summer school is a bad thing. Some cite teasing as a reason for not sending their child to summer...

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Intuition and Memorization

By Kevin E. | 4/22/2013 4:39 PM CST |

When someone is interested in a topic, there is a heavy intuitive knowledge associated with that interest. A good musician intuitively knows what would be enjoyable to their target audience; a good fashion designer intuitively knows what would be fashionable for the next season; a good personal trainer knows intuitively how to work a particular person with a particular body and a particular mentality to make that person more active and more healthy. In all of these fields and any field you can think of, there is a certain amount of memorization required, a certain set of rules to follow, but...

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College and Your Passions

By Brooklyn L. | 4/9/2013 7:49 PM CST |

As the school year begins to wind down, I have noticed that many of the students I help have begun the journey of signing up for next years classes or, better yet, deciding where they will start the next chapter of their life in college. I began to reminisce on my Senior year of high school and how stressful that year was for me. It was so easy to become overwhelmed by all of the choices that (seemed to be) abruptly placed in front of me: what college should I go to? What should I major in? Should I choose a college close to home? Should I rush? Should I go to a college with all of my friends...

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Put a tune to it

By Katherine L. | 4/9/2013 5:57 PM CST |

I learned in my human development class that babies learn through repetition = Rote memory

You may have also witnessed the ease with which the ABC's were learned. Mary Had a Little Lamb? Twinkle Twinkle?

It is easier to commit something to memory through a song. Why is it so easy to remember that annoying tune on the radio?

To better memorize
- Words
- Phrases
- Rules (Grammatical, mathematical etc)

Try putting it to a simple song tune.
Ex My 2 year old learned how to spell his name BINGO style. L-O-G-A-N.

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