Have you ever reached the point of telling yourself, ‘I won’t take up any course related to maths when I get to my A-level’? It is true most students find this subject challenging due to the numerous formulae you need to master. But guess what? You can still excel in maths despite what you have heard about or encountered with it.
Maths is one of the key subjects taught in Singaporean schools. This is because it is a field on its own and a significant component in other areas such as engineering and business. Besides, you will find maths concepts in the most minor expected subjects such as English literature and arts.
10 Ways to Excel in Maths
1. Have an Interest in Maths
One of the top secrets to excelling in maths is to develop an interest in it. When you love something, you won’t struggle to do it. As a result, you will keep the spirit by doing revisions and attending maths group discussions.
Besides, when you are interested in maths, it will motivate you to know more about the various maths concepts. You will create time beyond school to go through what you learned in class.
Finally, an interest in this subject will help you to remain positive. Sometimes you may not achieve the grade you wanted, but with interest, you will keep trying.
2. Don’t Miss Any Maths Lesson
Never miss any of your lessons if you want to excel in maths. Learning from the teacher helps you to understand the concepts better than learning on your own.
Besides, when you attend the lessons, you will be able to write all the notes. These notes will help you during your revision time. You will write down all the formulae and theorems that will be useful during your revision time.
Also, when you attend the maths lesson, ensure that you remain attentive. Avoid making noise or doing anything that will distract you. It is also crucial to sit upright to make yourself comfortable. This will help you to get the most out of each maths lesson you attend.
Finally, attending your lessons will give you a chance to ask all the questions you have in mind. You will get clarification on any area you feel you didn’t get clear.
3. Complete All Your Assignments
Doing your class assignment shouldn’t be an option but a priority. It helps you to practice what you learned in class. As a result, the formulas sink better in your mind.
Besides, the homework will help you point out the areas you need to put more effort into in maths. As you do the assignment, you will outline the questions you took longer to handle.
Therefore, it is crucial to ensure you do every assignment your maths teacher gives out. Spare an hour after school and do the work. In the end, you will be amazed by how you will excel in maths during your exams.
4. Practice
Practice makes you perfect in maths. It is essential to have a study schedule that will help you practice what you learned in school. This will make you a better mathematician and achieve the best grade in your exams.
Besides, as you plan for the best time to do maths practice, consider your ability. If you are an early riser, you can set an hour before school for revision but if you are active in the evening, do it after school.
Also, start practising as soon as you begin your maths lesson. The earlier you start your revision, the easier it becomes to excel in maths. Besides, when you start studying early, you will cover all the topics before exam time. This will give you the confidence to sit for your exams. On the other hand, when you do not practice early enough, you might have exam anxiety, affecting your productivity during exams.
5. Note Down All the Formulas
Maths is a subject that comprises of formulae mostly. Therefore, it is crucial to have them at your fingertips to excel in maths. Ensure that you read through and understand each formula instead of cramming.
When you have the maths formula in your mind, you are likely to handle all the maths questions. This is because you understand where each formula applies. Besides, formulae help you to solve the questions quickly.
As you master the formulae, it is essential to take note of units. Maths is also full of different units, and when you confuse them, you lose marks in your maths exams. Therefore, find a small notebook that you can use to polish up for your exams and write down all the formulas and units to excel in maths.
6. Use Examples
If you want to excel in maths, use the examples in your textbook. Once you have gone through a topic, use the examples given to practice and sharpen your skills. Do not look at the answers given; instead, try to handle the question independently and compare the answers.
When you try to solve problems immediately after understanding a topic, you may be discouraged. This is because the concepts haven’t yet sunk in you. Therefore, it would be best to start simple.
Begin with the simple examples given in your textbook. After that, you can start trying to solve the more straightforward problems presented in the textbook. This will help you to have a strong foundation in solving complex questions. Hence, you will excel in maths.
7. Learn From Your Past Mistakes
You have already done several maths exams in the past, hence, which questions you didn’t get, right? Note them down and work on those areas. It will help you to learn where you made a mistake and improve in your upcoming exams.
Get all your past maths exam papers and mark the topics you need to put more effort into. If revising on your own is challenging, you can form a maths discussion group with your classmates. Besides, you can find maths tutorials online that can help you.
Do not brush off your past mistakes and assume you will excel in maths. Be in a habit to correct the errors you made in your last exam to keep improving your maths grade.
8. Imitate Your Maths Teacher
It sounds like a joke, right? But this is one of the ways you can excel in maths. Imagine you are the teacher explaining a maths concept to a group of students. Get through it from the start to the end. As you do the teaching, find a place to write down the formulae as the teacher would do.
If you clearly understand what you are saying, then be sure you have mastered that concept. This way, you can master all of them before the exam time.
Find a place in your study room and get some writing materials and a pen. Assume you are in a class setting teaching some students and go through each topic at a time. You will quickly revise and excel in maths.
9. Do Not Give Up
Maths is not a subject for the faint-hearted. It requires determination, commitment, and patience. Therefore, do not give up on your journey of studying to excel in maths.
Sometimes, you may sit for a test, and you don’t get a good grade. As a result, you can be tempted to keep off from your maths books and decide that whichever grade you get, you are okay. However, that is not the end; you can still make it.
Maths requires a consistent person. Therefore, keep revising from day one until you do your exam and repeat the cycle in your coming school term. When you keep doing it, you find it easy to understand the maths concepts. This is because you will have enough time to practice and become familiar with each of them.
10. Enroll for Maths Tuition
Nothing could be better than joining tuition classes to excel in maths. The classes provide you with an opportunity to learn this subject in exciting ways you never imagined. This is because the maths tutor is trained to teach you in different ways to enhance your understanding.
Besides, maths tuition in Singapore helps you to get better attention than that of a class setup. This is because the number of students is few or probably you might be one. The tutor will pay close attention to you and hence, notice your weak areas in maths. As a result, you will get first-hand assistance.
Also, the best maths tuition classes offer you tests frequently to gauge your progress. Hence, you will be able to realize the key areas that you need to put extra effort. Besides, you will not be alone in this because the maths tutor is there to assist you.
Finally, maths tuition provides you with a comfortable environment to learn. You will be in a quiet place, away from any distractions. Hence, you can take advantage of these classes after school to master the maths concepts. You will be away from the TV and your family, who sometimes interrupt your studying time.