Dorthy P.

asked • 07/09/25

How to actually learn math

Hi y'all. I understand that the title is very vague and generic but I couldn't have put it better. It has been quite a WHILE since I have actually studied and learned anything, not just math. I find myself just loosing concentration whenever I sit to study anything. Also, I don't know HOW to study. Most of the time when I was in school I would just listen to the teacher, do the classwork, do the homework and that's it. But now I want to just sit there and learn things from the bottom of my heart. The study system that I currently use is to:

  1. first, read the book and note down relevant stuff (interesting results, proofs x trench run)
  2. do the example problems as they come by
  3. do the end of the chapter problems

But still, I find myself forgetting stuff that I studied like a week ago. I have heard of stuff like active recall and spaced repetition but don't know how to apply them to math. I don't know how to end this paragraph other than asking about how you study math (or even other subjects). Can I improve on things? Is there an "appropriate" time for when to and how much to study math?


Thanks!

Cristl A.

tutor
Hi Dorothy, I'm a math tutor and this comes up a lot with my students. Many of them have learning challenges such as ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, or their brains just don't seem to be wired for math. Math is a subject that's not so much about "studying" but rather about "doing". Sometimes understanding how to do a skill is not enough, it has to be practiced over and over until it sticks, and that amount of time varies from student to student. If you're interested in learning math up through high school level, IXL is very helpful. For each skill there are very clear videos explaining the concepts, and then plenty of practice to go with them. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them. Cristl
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07/10/25

Killa T.

I’ve been in the same spot, where I want to actually learn instead of just going through the motions. One thing that really helped me was active recall: after reading a section, close the book and try to write down or explain the key ideas from memory. Even simple things like stating a theorem and sketching the proof on your own helps a ton. @<a href="https://brainrot-clicker.io/">brainrot clicker</a>
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11/19/25

1 Expert Answer

By:

Anthony M. answered • 07/13/25

Tutor
4.4 (5)

SAT Math 770/800 & UMICH Electrical Engineer

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If the intention is to study and review certain material in Math. I would recommend starting off in Khan Academy and trying the "Course Challenge" under each subject to test what you are more comfortable with and what you aren't comfortable with. I would start with a subject like Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Trigonometry, Geometry, and then Calculus. Once you have trouble with a unit in one of those units try to do practice problems on Khan Academy. However, if the videos are hard to follow in the material, I would recommend having a 1 on 1 session for tutoring with me, Dorthy, to get a slow step-by-step way to go about problem solving in this unit. If this information was helpful, have a fantastic day, and I would appreciate to could send me a message if you have any questions.


Link to Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/

Link to Individualized tutoring: https://www.wyzant.com/match/tutor/89859830/?onlineOnly=false&search_id=39b9c67b-dd28-4d22-b5c8-0880772d64a9


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