The most common answer you might have heard from the students regarding the most difficult subject is Maths. The way people state the difficulties they have faced while dealing with Maths has become a sort of nightmare for the students. Even though the concepts are easy to grasp, the fear doesn’t let students learn the concept easily in one go. Then how do you tackle these traumas? How can one learn and grasp mathematical fundamentals without facing any difficulties? Continue reading further to explore the most effective tips that will help you teach how to practise Maths and ace the subject!
Mathematics – A Pseudo Hype of Difficulty
Generally, you might have heard from your parents or elders that Maths is the most difficult subject. You have to work harder to clear the subject, or you will fail. These ideologies tense the students and make it harder for them to learn and grasp the subject.
Unfortunately, teachers in school tell the students that the particular subject is difficult, and many have failed in the past. Moreover, they tell the students that if their foundation is not strong enough, they may lose combating the chapters in their curriculums. Many of the students need proper guidance to deal with the difficult subjects. If they get the right direction, they will be able to face any problem and solve the questions efficiently.
Maths requires iteration and working on the following three stages to ace the subject – pre-question solving stage, processing and post-solving stage. Students must learn to study the data that is given in the question. After that, they should know how to proceed with solving the problem. In the last stage, they must learn to carefully check the steps and calculations that they have done while solving the problem.
Following these steps will be a piece of cake for students to attempt any mathematical problem on any exam – board and competitive.
Visual Story to learn maths techniques faster
How to be efficient in Maths?
If you are wondering how to be efficient in solving Maths problems and need more tips to speed up your calculations, then go through the tips mentioned below carefully. You also have to make sure to follow and stick to them. You can create your list by altering the steps based on your comfortability and ease of doing work.
Understand the concepts with a clear mindset
Maths can be learnt best when the mind is clear and free from stress. If your mind is full of thoughts and you are overthinking them, there’s a possibility that you will not understand the concept quickly. You will also feel burdened when you will practise the concept on your own. Distractions will overtake your thought process and make you feel uncomfortable. So, you must have a clear mind. Try writing your thoughts on a piece of paper and clear your mind. Talk to someone close, share your feelings and get back to the study table. That way, you can work more efficiently and grasp mathematical concepts in one go.
Do not hesitate to take help from online resources
Online resources are present in abundance. Every student is taking help from free online resources. After all, studying more and more and building up knowledge will only help you gain confidence to tackle those challenging mathematical equations and problems. Avail those free resources, take tests, attempt previous years’ papers, try sample papers, and boost your preparation skills. You can take the help of Aakash’s free online resources that are present for all the students and can be accessed anytime. You can also take Byju’s online material for more help.
Revise and attempt repeatedly
It might happen to various students that they leave it in between once they attempt a question due to the difficulty level. However, this must not be done. You need to get back to attempting the question on your own once you get the methodology of how to do it. You should not leave the question. It will take more hours the first time, but once you understand the concept, the question will be solved within a few minutes. It’s up to you that you need to devote your time in the first place. Additionally, after attempting the question, do not forget to revise the concept daily. Otherwise, you will forget the concept.
Practise by assuming real-life applications
You have to understand the questions by visualising them. Some questions, such as 3D ones or related to calculus or any other concept, require you to visualise them as they happen in real life. You have built a strong and correct imagination to think of how to solve the questions. Once you get that, it will be easy to understand Maths. Also, you have to think of new ideas, and for that, you must indulge yourself in creative activities.
Grasp the concept with visuals and diagrams
Make notes and scribble on your notepad. Feel free to do so. Because once you make diagrams, the concepts will fit into the mind very quickly and will be retained for longer periods. If you cannot solve any question, attempting that question with the help of a diagram will solve it. Make flowcharts and create visuals of your own. It’s not necessary that the diagram has to be good. It’s only for your understanding of how you grasp the concept.
Have a positive attitude
Keep a positive attitude always. Bring positive energies to calm and relax your mind. Try saying to yourself – you can do it – and you will be able to solve a particular question. If you feel demotivated to solve any mathematical question, you must leave that question at the very instant. Come back later after having a walk, and try it once again. You will solve the question with ease.
Take breaks and start over
Taking breaks is the utmost thing that every student must do. However, make sure the break duration is strict, and you abide by the rules. Take a 10-15 minutes gap after studying for two to three hours. Do not take breaks after every hour. That will not help you make the momentum. So, take breaks when you are exhausted.
Indulge in sports and apply Maths over there
How wonderful it will be if you learn Maths by playing? Yes, you can do that! Play such games that require the implementation of Maths. If you practise Maths like that, you will surely understand the concepts quickly. You will also feel motivated. Games, such as chess, will sharpen your mind. You can create your games to have fun with your friends and understand the concepts.
Explain what you have learnt to others
Do you often explain concepts to your friends? If not, then it’s time to start explaining it to them. Also, it’s not necessary to explain to your friends if you have a mirror in your home. Practise explaining questions to yourself. Or speak out loud about the concepts and fundamentals to feel like you are explaining it to someone else. That way, the concepts will become clearer in your mind, and you can also help your friends score more in the exams.
Take short notes and review them every day
You might have seen many students preparing short notes with colours and diagrams. That’s because they retain the concepts in their minds for a long time with the help of colours and wonderful pictures. You can also try the same thing, but do not devote too much time. Only prepare the required notes so that you can revise them at the last moment before the exam. To retain them for a longer time in your mind, you have to revise them regularly before bedtime. You can also revise them in the early morning but revise them daily. Ensure that all the formulas and theories reside in your subconscious mind. And revision is the best way to do so.
FAQs
1. Is Maths difficult to learn?
Maths is the easiest subject to learn if you practise it regularly with full efficacy. Thought concepts may take time to fit into your mind, but all the concepts are easy to understand, and everyone can understand. Suppose you face difficulties in various Maths topics, such as integration, differentiation, and other calculus forms. In that case, you must understand the concepts thoroughly in the first place and then practise the numerical based on these concepts. By practising numerical, you will gain confidence and will be able to solve any questions asked in the exams.
2. Why is Maths difficult in competitive exams?
Maths is not difficult in competitive exams. You must have a clear understanding of the concept and how to solve the questions step-wise to get the correct answer. If you know the correct methodologies for finding the answers, no question will be wrong. You must learn how to solve the problems based on the data mentioned in the question in the competitive exam. By observing and studying the data given, you should get to know what the question is asking and how to find the answer to that question. Hence, once you grab the procedure, it will be easy for you to get hold of all the chapters in a short period.
3. How to overcome the difficulties in the Mathematics exam?
You can overcome the difficulties in the Maths exams by working harder and practising the questions on pen and paper. Many students solve the questions in their minds, which is not acceptable. You should practise the entire question on pen and paper to grasp the concept in a better way and correctly. Choose a particular time when you like to study. Pick up Maths only when your mind is fresh and ready to grasp new concepts. If your mind is already tired, then it won't be able to understand what you are trying to learn and memorise. Hence, study Maths with a fresh mind for better clarity.
4. Is it necessary to practise Maths every day?
Strictly speaking, it is not necessary to practise Maths every day; however, it would be better if you practise it regularly. If you practise Maths every day, it will boost your memory, improve problem-solving abilities, enhance your reasoning skills, and sharpen your mind. If you choose to study Maths every alternate day, it might not be feasible for you to keep a constant studying pace. It will take time for you to bring back the momentum in studying Maths and will waste your time. Therefore, it is suggested that you must practise Maths every day, even if it is for an hour or two.
5. Are the Maths and aptitude questions the same?
Most of the aptitude questions are based on Maths. Though they are not the same, the way to solve them is quite similar. If you practise Maths questions, you will see the concepts and chapters are almost the same as what is asked in the aptitude portions. However, to solve the aptitude tests quickly, you must know the concepts thoroughly and learn a few tips to solve the questions quickly. There is a possibility that you might get bored while solving both the subjects simultaneously. Therefore, you must practise aptitude questions whenever you get the time and boost your Maths skills to score more in the exams.
Conclusion
The tips mentioned above will help you master Maths and restore your faith in the subject. If you were scoring less in the exams, the time is now to adopt the steps mentioned in the above article and master your skills. Maths is not as challenging as many students feel. The school-level Maths is the easiest, and the difficulty increases with the classes. Engineering Maths is the toughest yet the most interesting. Without Maths your day-to-day life cannot run. If you visit the tea shop, you have to do Maths to pay the tea seller. If you want to count the money in your piggy bank, you need to know Maths. Hence, it’s never a good idea to run from Maths. Rather, face the challenges and overcome them on short notice.