One of the difficult questions for many mathematics students is the fact that high school math classes all depend on a formula. Some students find it difficult to memorize formulas. Other students can easily remember formulas, but they don’t understand how to use a formula or they don’t understand what the result of a formula means. If you fit into any of these categories, success in math class will be difficult. Fortunately, there are some tips and methods that can help.
Formulas are divided into two main categories:
1) Computational skills. This is the type of formula most often found in algebra, and is particularly difficult to understand, because symbols often have no meaning. Remembering that a ^ 2 - b ^ 2 = (a + b) (a - b) may be easy, but it may not mean anything to you, and then you will be of little use. The methods we discuss are particularly important for this type of formula.
2) The obvious application for real life. They are found more in geometry and trigonometry. They are easier to understand, but methods can also help.
Tips for remembering formulas:
1. Understand that the most important formulas are that they link relationships that always exist - ALWAYS ARE TRUE. This means that they can ALWAYS HELP YOU! However, for formulas that will help you, they should make sense to you. Computational formulas require more effort to create this value. We will discuss this in detail in No. 3.
2. Remember the formulas when you meet them. You can do your homework just by looking at the formula, but don't wait until the night before the test to try and memorize a variety of formulas. Working with formulas, when you meet them and get into long-term memory, immediately guarantees that this information will be studied forever, and not just for the test.
3. Memorize formulas in SYMBOLS AND WORDS. The formula d = rt will not matter much or will be maintained until the version of the word: the distance traveled equals the speed / speed multiplied by the time with that speed.
This may be more complicated with computational formulas, but it is worth the extra effort. For example: the formula a ^ 2 - b ^ 2 = (a + b) (a - b) is how to divide the difference of two perfect squares. "Coefficient" means "rewrite as multiplication." Thus, our formula should be read like this: "The difference of the squares of two numbers, written as multiplication, is equal to the product of the sum and difference of two numbers."
4. Always read formulas like complete thoughts or sentences. Formulas should always have an equal sign. Thus, the formula for distance is NOT rt. The formula for the distance is d = rt.
5. Always check the correctness of the formulas. For example: The difference of two ideal squares may look like 25 - 4. Obviously, this value is 21, but if we get this value using the formula, we will check the formula. According to the formula 25 - 4 could be written in the form of 5 ^ 2 - 2 ^ 2 and be taken into account as (5 + 2) (5 - 2) = 7 (3) = 21. Thus, the formula is checked.
6. Know how to label answers to answers and what answers mean. Be specific when reading formulas. Since all domain formulas begin with A =, it is more useful to add additional information. In A = (pi) r ^ 2 it is best to read it like this: "The area of a circle is pi times the square of the radius of the circle." Be sure to remember that square is always measured in square units.
Probably the best way to learn formulas is to make flash cards when you meet new formulas. Make 2 sets of cards. The first set should have the name of the formula on the one hand - the area of the triangle - and the full formula on the other hand - A = 1/2 b h.
The second set of cards must have a formula on one side - A = 1/2 bh - with a dictionary version of the formula on the other side. The area of a triangle is equal to half the product of the base than the height of the triangle.
When working with flash cards:
a. Ask someone to work with you,
b. Work only about 10 minutes at a time, but
from. Make several sets per day until everything is characterized and meaningful.
Final thought: do not just study popular formulas - FIND OUT THEM ALL!
