Study tips

Some advice on how to study maths

  • Study in a quiet place
  • organise your class notes in a way that makes sense to you
  • write your own notes
    • copy worked examples
    • use colour to make things stand out
  • use your notes to help solve problems until you can do so without referring to your notes
  • revise a topic within a close time of completing it in class
    • read your notes
    • try some graded problems
      • easy
      • intermediate
      • hard
      • past paper problems
  • use your textbook
    • look at worked examples
      • identify steps in the solution that you do not understand
      • ask about these steps
    • do exercises as revision
  • study without distractions
    • restrict access to social media
    • take a break if you find it hard to continue concentrating
  • reward yourself at end of session/day/week if you have completed your set amount of work

Please also do your own research on how to study better.

Develop the determination to succeed. This should give you the energy to work hard and also summon up your inborn “smarts” (to borrow an American expression) which will help you to learn everything you need.

Inspiration must find you working

Pablo Picasso

Remember: there is a point to all your effort

  • a good grade in maths
  • a place at the university that you want to go to
  • a rewarding career (in terms of personal satisfaction and financial reward)
  • to feel that you understand one of main the driving forces of the modern economy (ie science/technology which is driven by advances in mathematics)
  • to feel that you understand an important part of human culture
  • not to be a dupe (because you can ask questions and assess things objectively)