Larry M.
Lombard, IL
Don't merely treat symptoms, solve the root problem.
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.
Mathematics(1) University of Southern California
Master'sWest Virginia University
MBAAbout Larry
I am a fun-loving, pragmatic, task master. I believe in making math fun through the use of computational tricks and short cuts that are often no longer taught in schools. I recognize that some students are handicapped when their learning style does not match the style of their teacher; so I adapt. I believe that understanding the "why" and "when"
Policies
Cancellation
4 hours notice requiredDepending on your location and flexibility, I can adjust my rates. Contact me to discuss group lessons that can reduce your costs and provide an enhanced learning environment for you or your child.
Travel Radius
Travels within 15 miles of Lombard, IL 60148Larry offers online lessons
Larry is approved to conduct lessons through Wyzant Online. Wyzant Online allows students and tutors to work remotely via video, audio, and collaborative whiteboard tools. For more information about how online tutoring works, check out Wyzant Online.
If you’re interested in online lessons, message Larry to get started.
"Stats Know-How & Great Teaching Style"
- Karin, Oak Park, IL on 6/26/17I'm an adult learner, returning to school for an eMBA degree. I needed help with statistics and found Larry on Wyzant. Larry was quickly able to assess my understanding of the subject & he made some suggestions about how we should begin the session. His teaching style comes from years & years of experience, he was easily able to move from basic statistics to higher level concepts so I had an improved understanding of the foundations of statistics. This information was invaluable to me. I highly recommend Larry: he has a kind, relational teaching style, he created diagrams & charts for me, he provided examples of how I can relate statistical concepts to real life, and he suggested MS Excel formulas / functions to use in future assignments. Great tutor!
"Real world application"
- Lisa, Park Forest, IL on 4/13/17Larry was phenomenal; He related the statistics to real world contexts which helped considerably. He was Patient and knowledgeable, I felt confident and he respected the knowledge I brought to the session. He also shared some really cool math insights to help me in the future.
"Listens to explanations of problems"
- John M., Bloomingdale, IL on 3/18/17I had roadblocks merging some of the mathematical formulas with physics formulas and since I'm an adult student (62 yrs.!) and worked construction, a lot had been forgotten or never learned. If explanations losing you, just let him know as is genuinely there to help so will slow it down.
"Great choice"
- Chhaya, Itasca, IL on 3/8/17Larry tutored my son in Honors Pre-Calc. He was thorough, patient, and helped my son review homework and test problems to gain a better understanding of calculus.
Thanks, Larry!
"Knowledgeable and patient tutor"
- Georgina, Lombard, IL on 1/28/17Larry really helped my son with his work. He thought him new ways to tackle the problems, that he later used to take his test. He also said he felt at ease and was able gain a deeper understanding of the physics concepts.
"Great AP Stats tutor"
- melina, Pompano Beach, FL on 9/24/16Larry helped me with exponential and power models, which I had been stuck on for a while. After talking me through it in under an hour, I finally understood the material and felt confident in my ability to solve such problems on my homework. Thank you.
"Patient and thorough"
- Anne, Willowbrook, IL on 12/2/15Larry took time to let my daughter feel comfortable with him before he tackled the course material. That made all the difference. She felt really good about the session and what she had covered.
"Explains calculus with ease and patience."
- Sheila, Downers Grove, IL on 11/30/15Makes complex calculus problems approachable with solid explanations. Meets student at their own level and elevates understanding of various concepts.
"Flexible to students' needs"
- Barb, Villa Park, IL on 11/8/15Larry taught my son very complex areas of physics, and was as flexible as possible about scheduling, which is so important for busy teens. My son feels confident and ready to tackle his exam!
"Great tutor"
- Diane, El Cerrito, CA on 10/12/15Larry not only knows his math, he has fun with it and can easily relate it to real life. I would recommend him.
"Very knowledgeable and very patient"
- Tony, Plainfield, IL on 8/24/15Larry helped me in my discrete mathematics class. It was the most successful tutoring session I have had. I would highly recommend Larry to any one needing help in a math class
"Very Helpful"
- Timothy, Naperville, IL on 3/20/15Larry know these subject areas well statistics, analytics and modeling. He is very helpful and I would highly recommend him.
"Great tutor!"
- Joana, New York, NY on 12/16/14Larry is a star!
His advice and teaching was really very helpful. I was struggling with an SPSS assignment and didn't know were to start, what I should be searching for or where I should be putting my focus, but after talking to Larry, I had a much clearer sense of direction with the assignment. I can't thank him enough. Highly recommended!
"Wonderful Teacher"
- Horacio, Bolingbrook, IL on 4/26/14Mr. M is a wonderful teacher. He moved my son from a low grade to a grade of B in pre-calculus in just a few months.
"Excellent Tutor!"
- Shelia, Chicago, IL on 10/6/13Larry was an excellent tutor who assisted me in the completion of a Micro Soft Project. The skill was very new to me and my company expected top notched feedback in micro soft project format. Larry met with me at my job, at my school and again at my job! We had over 70 occurrences to enter. Needless to say upon presentation of the project my Senior Leadership was amazed! The project was profession and in synch with the organizations goals. I want to thank Larry for his professionalism. Although my feedback is over a year old, my organization still thrives on that project which concludes in 2015! Larry I can't thank you enough!
"Very Good Tutor"
- Chandola, Lombard, IL on 6/7/13As an older student I found Mr. M. to be very patient and understanding. He met me at my level guiding through some very complex equations all the while being supportive and encouraging through the process. I really value and appreciate his willingness to help me become successful in Chemistry.
"Very prompt and patient"
- Marian, Paris, TX on 5/3/13Larry was an excellent tutor. He was prompt in calling me for assistance. He was able to solve my SPSS issue in less than an hour. He was professional and knowledgeable.
"Great tutor!!"
- Andrea, Chicago, IL on 2/11/13Larry is well-versed in mathematics and although he hadn't seen the material in a while, he was still able to pick up on it quickly and break them down to an understandable level. Extremely patient and knowledgeable in mathematics!!
"Very patient, personable and knowledgeable."
- Michael, Mount Prospect, IL on 12/28/12Larry did a very nice job with my son on a very difficult subject - AP Statistics. Larry made the material simple and easy to understand. I would highly recommend Larry.
"Very personable"
- John, Evergreen Park, IL on 12/15/11Great tutor. He is enthusiastic and really works with the student's personality. He went out of his way to meet with my son and made it very convenient for me which is great when you have other children at home.
Approved subjects are in bold.
Approved subjects
In most cases, tutors gain approval in a subject by passing a proficiency exam. For some subject areas, like music and art, tutors submit written requests to demonstrate their proficiency to potential students. If a tutor is interested but not yet approved in a subject, the subject will appear in non-bold font. Tutors need to be approved in a subject prior to beginning lessons.
Algebra 1
Algebra I is the entry point into the vast world of Mathematics. While it is primarily a Mathematics subject, it also teaches real world lessons in problem identification, logical thinking, and exploration of alternatives.
I am old enough to have first learned Algebra before the advent of computers in the classroom. I can offer some of the "old" fashioned approaches which may be simpler and easier than the methods being taught currently.
I personally enjoy Mathematics and have a repertoire of short cuts and tricks which I use for a brief change of pace when a student's attention lags.
Algebra 2
Algebra 2 is where the power of Mathematics begins to become evident. While Algebra 1 typically deals with linear relationships, Algebra 2 introduces the non-linear relationships that can better model the business and physical worlds. With the right perspective, it can be a mind-broadening experience.
Calculus
Calculus is the mathematics of change and variation which is fundamental to Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Engineering. It is also fundamental to a deeper understanding of finance, marketing, and economics. Differential Calculus leads directly into Integral Calculus and eventually to the Differential Equations which can be used to model just about any continuous function or process.
Differential Equations
My freshman honors course involved analog solution of first and second order differential equations. I took two quarters of differential equations during my sophomore year and a course in advanced differential equations during my junior year leading to a BS in Mathematics. I used my knowledge of differential equations in electrical engineering courses to model the performance of non-linear devices. My final project for my MS in Industrial Engineering degree involved simulation of differential equations.
Discrete Math
I have taken Discrete Mathematics courses as part of my undergraduate degree in Mathematics. I have used Discrete Mathematics as a foundation for my Finite Mathematics courses at Lewis University and the University of Phoenix.
Fortran
FORTRAN is my native computing language. I learned and used FORTRAN throughout my undergraduate work and subsequently used FORTRAN to write subroutines for the SLAMII models that I created for a former employer.
Geometry
Geometry is one of the earliest branch of Mathematics. The Greeks believed that every fully educated person would have some knowledge and talent in Geometry. Today, high school Geometry not only present the knowledge that the Greeks developed, but it also serves as a course in logical thinking, problem identification, and problem solving.
Linear Algebra
I had a beginning course in Linear Algebra in my freshman year at Rose-Hulman and took a second, quite rigorous, in my junior or senior year. I have used linear algebra concepts in the finite mathematics and operations research courses that I have taught.
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is, in my opinion, the star of the Microsoft Office Suite. It is a wonderful application. When used properly, it can do some amazing things. It is particularly useful when taking a Statistic course.
I have used Excel to analyze everything from the statistics in support of a doctoral dissertation to tracking shipments of DVDs and CDs to WalMart to analyzing the Air Force's strategic lift capabilities.
Physics
Physics is the most fundamental of the sciences and is the foundation of chemistry and other life sciences. While Newtonian Physics have been around for several centuries, relativistic physics, thanks to Albert Einstein, has had a profound impact on the world in the past century. Now research into quantum mechanics and string theory is poking holes into our current knowledge.
Prealgebra
Prealgebra is an interesting class. It is the gateway to the broad world of Algebra upon which much of the modern economy is based. I am old enough to know how calculations were done before the advent of hand held calculators, so I like to show students some short-cuts that are no longer taught in school.
Precalculus
Pre-calculus is a neat subject. Pre-calculus is the doorway to the world of Calculus. Calculus is the mathematics of change and variation which is fundamental to Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Engineering. It is also fundamental to a deeper understanding of finance, marketing, and economics. Since pre-calculus covers a variety of topics, there is enough variety in the material to keep things interesting and fun.
Probability
Probability is a fun subject. We all use it every day whether we realize it or not. Sometimes we rely on "empirical" probabilities as when we estimate which route to work in the morning will most likely be the fastest. Other times we have to resort to "subjective" probabilities when we make picks for a World Series or Super Bowl.
With the proper approach probability is actually overly difficult.
SPSS
SPSS (Statistics Package for Social Sciences) is a premier statistical analysis package from IBM. One of its greatest features is that it is quite comprehensive. One of its greatest drawbacks is that it is so comprehensive as to sometimes be intimidating. I recommend developing an understanding of the question to be answered and arriving at what would seem to be the right answer before using SPSS (or other package) to work the statistics in detail.
Statistics
Statistics can be viewed from several perspectives. In one sense, Statistics is the best tool for extracting usable and actionable information from the masses of data that exist in most ERP, CRM, and POS systems. From another perspective, it is an effective tool to support managerial and personal decision making. In this year of a Presidential election (polls), it can be a very interesting subject.
Trigonometry
Trigonometry is the study of triangles, but it becomes much more. It is a foundation for understanding Physics, Chemistry, and the various flavors of Engineering. I have found knowledge of trigonometry to be of great value and usefulness in my career.
Other Lombard, IL Tutors
Larry M.
Lombard, IL
Don't merely treat symptoms, solve the root problem.