How to Master Mathematics?

We are all aware of the word ‘mathematics’ or commonly known as 'math'. We daily come across several things in our life where we need to do calculations, which may be either some simple money calculation at grocery shop or a complex cumbersome calculation for calculating some rate of interest or calculation for tax etc. thus our day to day activities involve to a large extent use of the calculations or in particular mathematics. Mathematics may generally be defined as the abstract study of the different formulas including quantity, shapes, area, and properties. There is no particular definition of mathematics. The course of mathematics may differ from the calculation of some simple multiplication problem and can be as complex as calculations for volume and surface area of a complex spherical figure involving in a huge amount of calculation with lots of cumbersome formulas being put in by the calculating person.

Through the use of abstraction and logical reasoning, mathematics developed from counting, calculation, measurement, and the systematic study of the shapes and motions of physical objects. Practical mathematics i.e. counting or calculation by practical means has been used from very long time probably since the time of early man. In earlier time’s calculations were done with the help of stones, sticks, marbles or simply drawing lines for each quantity. During earlier times a person who needed to count his sheep’s before taking them to graze didn’t do the same by counting one, two and three. At that time there was no counting system and people use to count either by drawing one line for one sheep or by keeping one stone for the one sheep and confirming the number of sheep’s again at the time of his return from the very same source.

Mathematics is used worldwide as an essential tool in many fields such as natural science, engineering and construction, medicine, and the research works. Another branch of mathematics that is concerned with the application of mathematical knowledge to other fields such and research and designing and makes use of new mathematical discoveries have led to the development of new mathematical disciplines, such as statistics and game theory and is known as applied mathematics. There is no clear differentiation between pure and applied mathematics, and practical applications for what began as pure mathematics are often discovered.

Mathematics as a Subject

Mathematics plays an important role in academics and the basis of mathematics is what students need to further understand some scientific subjects like physics and chemistry also. Mathematics in academics starts right from the beginning with teachers teaching students how to count and further teaching addition multiplication and tables. As the student further moves up academically the mathematic start getting more complex with introduction of various formulas and application theories like calculating SI, taxes, volumes, and probability etc., the mathematics curricula being taught in schools has often been a topic of hot discussion among the various scholars that is it important in today’s world of technology, to teach such lengthy and cumbersome techniques to students. Though response to the debate has been mixed, there can never be a one-sided decision on this topic. Though mathematics may seem to be a bit stressful or difficult when a student starts but given proper time and devotion it is not difficult to conquer mathematics which is a very important part of our day to day activities. In academic terms, there can be further divisions of mathematics as:

• Pure Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics
• Computational Mathematics

Mathematics is a subject that may seem very interesting to some and maybe really boring or tough for the others. This all depends upon the understanding of the topic and dedication of a student. If a student is not able to pick up what is being taught obviously he/she would feel bored and won’t be able to concentrate on the topic, on the other hand a student who is well in command of the facts being taught in class is really happy following every step and begins to enjoy the step by step problem solution. This difference in understanding level lies in the dedication of a student. Mathematics is a subject that requires a little hard work in the beginning to get hold of formulas and problem-solving technique. If a student is really dedicated to practising the topic that is being taught to him then no one can stop him being in good command of the topic on the next day and it is guaranteed that the subject seems to get interesting and solving problems becomes fun if you have clarity in your mind, which would come only with practice. These days there are many problems solving tricks being taught and so many tutorials help available to students thus making mathematics more interesting and fun to learn. Hence the only way to master math is to practice, and more practice even harder.

Mastering Techniques

Every student thinks that is there any way to learn math without practising or putting in hard work. The answer is no! There can be no replacement for hard work. One who thinks of skipping this hard work can never have a hold on the subject. Regular practice is a must. It’s not the only criteria for success in mathematics. You need to practice effectively. Some tips for getting started are:

• Get Hold on Formulas: Mathematics is all about applying calculation work to a formula in a given procedure. There would hardly be any high school level student who would have a problem with simple multiplication and division. Now the main thing that is left is formula and procedure, which are keys to solve a mathematical problem. The main reason for failure in a math or science exam is confusion with important formulas. If a student doesn’t have his hold on these important formulas, he can’t solve basic problems or understand the big picture. The result is a failure in examination and hatred towards the subject.
  The key to excelling in this situation is by putting in the correct amount of time and effort from the very beginning of the session. If students start to memorize formulas from day one, they’ll barely need to be worried about the exam. Hence once you get hold of these formulas it means you have reached half the way. Students may get started by keeping a separate notebook specifically for formulas and don’t forget to highlight important formulas that are repeated again and again. As you tend to learn some new formulas, write them down in order to be thorough with them. Revise these formulas at least once a week when you are not practising the same topic to keep them on your tips. Once you make this a habit you get used to it and start remembering formulas even for longer periods and you won’t panic at the time if exam.
• Practice: There is an old saying, “practice makes a man perfect”. This saying holds very true with the mathematics. More you practice the problems of mathematics, more you tend to get familiar and thorough with the formulas and the procedure you need to follow. Regularly practising the topic that was being taught has many advantages. If you practice regularly, you tend to get used to with problem-solving and hence you start to think quickly as to how the particular problem would be solved and you also get familiar with the problem-solving procedure. Regular practising tends to increase your problem-solving speed and gradually you start enjoying the subject.
  Regular practice is an effective way of improving problem-solving ability as well as speed. Once you get in habit of regular practice, this means you are very close to success in mathematics. If you learn your formulas well and practice well with the procedures, no one can stop you from scoring best grades.
• Variety of Problem: Success in mathematics is directly related to the ability to solve different problems. The foremost key to success is to be thorough with your formulas; each related formula should be on your tips at the time of the exam. Second is to practice thoroughly to know well the procedure involved and tricks to solve the question. Yet another aspect for the success in mathematics is to solve a variety of problems.
  As we all know the effective way of knowledge is through experience, you cannot forget something that you have experienced earlier. Same is the case with mathematical problems, more you solve more you remember. But the fact is that you need to solve a variety of problems to get in hold with the various tricks involved with different problems, as each problem is unique in itself. You need to try maximum problems possible so that you know what to expect in the exam. Try your best not to slack on problem sets during the year by collaborating too much or taking shortcuts. If you run into a problem you can’t solve, reach out to your teachers or fellow students and make sure once they have taught you how to solve that particular problem, you practice it again thoroughly.
• Don't Fear: You need not feel afraid of mathematics. If you are not good with your academic mathematics, that doesn’t mean that you cannot improve. Of course, you have a chance to improve and you can do following things to upgrade your grades:

How to Create Interest in Mathematics?

Bored up or fed up with mathematics? Do not worry, there are many students who did not quite appreciate the subject in beginning but gradually begin to like it and managed some good grades too. First basic is that you should not fear the subject. It is difficult but it is not impossible. You just have to give in a bit of hard work and devotion to subject. But some student also complains of mathematics to be boring. For those students, we have a technique about how to get started:

• First of all be fearless in your mind and be motivated to learn.
• Be ready with all your formulas on a separate sheet, with formulas written neatly by your hands, even for first few days you can take that sheet as a reference for formulas and gradually you may get rid of it once you are used to solving the problem.
• Be in a comfortable seating position to study so that you do not lack interest away from everything that can distract you.
• Now start with reading the problem thoroughly, and read it again and again until you have a proper understanding of what you have to solve.
• Note down all the given information neatly to save time reading the problem again.
• Find out what the problem is asking you to solve.
• Now when you have all given values and you know what you have to solve, write down neatly all the formulas you need and begin with solving part.
• In beginning don’t forget to solve the problem in points, and highlight any exception or trick which is a part of the procedure.
• Make sure you are taking care of all the units.
• When you are done with answers quickly review all your steps so that you have a clear pathway in your mind for the next time when you solve the problem.

Conclusion
Mathematics is a subject that may seem to be boring or difficult at the time you start, but gradually you tend to gain your interest when you start getting along with your course. To excel in mathematics you need to be dedicated and hardworking and remember practice is the key to success. So don’t be afraid, all that you need is the hard work to score well.