Need Math advice a.s.a.p please

[accesskb]

Hi,
I am a 19 year old student from Canada. I have been given a conditional admission to an Architecture program at a local university. The problem is I need to complete the grade 12 (pre-university) Algebra and Geometry course, with a grade of 75+ in about 4 weeks. As you know may know, all secondary schools are currently closed for summer holidays, so the only course available for me to take is the pre-university course offered by the university. It's a distance education course where I have to go through the course myself without any teacher's help and sit to write one exam in the end that's worth 100% of the mark. I have never been good at math and haven't done any math for half a year now.
Do you all think it's actually possible to finish an entire course in a month and get 75+? I'd be very greatful if you could give me some advice as to how to study all the material. I just took a look at the text I received and there seems to be so much formulas to remember. So, should I study chapter by chapter and do all problems? or should I just read through the book to get an idea first, memorize the formulas before attempting the problems?
Please help me ... :( I'm scared to death that I may be denied admission. Appreciate all your kind help.

 

[ktpr2]

Yes you can do it. You need to learn how to focus your mind upon the task at hand. After every problem, ask yourself what could have gone wrong, what silly mistakes could you have made which you'll regreat later? Find them, if any and correct them. I suggest doing twice or even three times the assigned material so you'll find the exam a breeze. Best of luck.

 

[lurflurf]

Don't worry too much about memorization. If you understand concepts memorization should be easy. You may need to remember a few formulas, but analize the material to determine which are important and which are either unimportant or obvious. Four weeks is a long time, even though others spend 2 years on this material you have several advantages you will need to use singular focus, specific goals, and efficient approch. Make a list of all the material. Learn all of it. Understand it. Practice practice practice.

 

[LeonhardEuler]

Hi,
I just took a look at the text I received and there seems to be so much formulas to remember. So, should I study chapter by chapter and do all problems? or should I just read through the book to get an idea first, memorize the formulas before attempting the problems?

It will probably be helpful to you to not just "memorize the formulas". That's the way I used to study for math in the beginning of high school, and I hated it. If you take the time to read the proofs and understand where all these formulas are coming from you'll be much more likely to remember all of the important ideas because they will make sense to you. You will also be able to solve more problems. For example, if the book gives you a procedure to find "a" given "b", and on the test they ask for "b" given "a", you'll be stuck if you just remember a mechanical procedure, but you'll have a much better chance of figuring it out if you understand the reasoning. And finally, you may actually find that you enjoy it.

 

[neurocomp2003]

try to find a tutor. and always write a crib sheet...this way you have all the formulas(or attmpt to) on one or two sheets(so you don't have to flip thorugh so much)...cue cards may be of value if you have that type of studying habit...read the later chapters just to see the ideas that you may be looking at but always do all the questions till your comfortable then move on.

 

[Nomy-the wanderer]

Maths doesn't need memorization as much as it needs practice...I'm sure u won't find any difficulties, it's something u certainly can do...