Published Jun 7, 2007
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
Howdy!
Here's my situation in a nutshell. I have almost all my prerequisites completed with a 3.8 grade point average to date. My only major hurdle is completing college algebra. My math placement test scores were so low that I need several remedial math classes. I registered for the remedial math class recently, but the pace was way too fast for me, so I ended up dropping it. I don't know where to go from here, and I really need help. I took 4 years of college prep algebra in high school, but didn't learn anything.
If any of you had low math skills at one time, how did you sharpen them? Did you attend remedial classes? Did you hire a tutor? Did you teach yourself? Or, did you find a good math website or self-study computer program? Please advise. Thanks!
stpauligirl
2,327 Posts
Howdy!Here's my situation in a nutshell. I have almost all my prerequisites completed with a 3.8 grade point average to date. My only major hurdle is completing college algebra. My math placement test scores were so low that I need several remedial math classes. I registered for the remedial math class recently, but the pace was way too fast for me, so I ended up dropping it. I don't know where to go from here, and I really need help. I took 4 years of college prep algebra in high school, but didn't learn anything.If any of you had low math skills at one time, how did you sharpen them? Did you attend remedial classes? Did you hire a tutor? Did you teach yourself? Or, did you find a good math website or self-study computer program? Please advise. Thanks!
Does your school offer the Math tutor program PLATO to students? Contact your Student Services Department and ask if this or something similar is available to you.
txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN
4,373 Posts
first thing is which math did you take? you are at tcc right? there is 0302 which is your basic arithmetic, but what you probably need it 0304 which is beginning algebra. during the summer it is fast paced and they skip a lot of information. if you are having that much trouble with math you need to take this in a long semester. math 0305 is intermediate algebra and the last few chapters in this course is your first couple in college algebra. don't take 0305 unless you have some knowledge of rational numbers, quadratics and logs. a lot of this stuff is repeated in the college algebra just at a more complex level. i have taken all three at tcc multiple times i could recommend a good teacher for you. i am sorry to say i have 27 hours of remedial math courses cause i just didn't get it for the longest time. i also spent a lot of time the math lab on the south campus...
howdy!here's my situation in a nutshell. i have almost all my prerequisites completed with a 3.8 grade point average to date. my only major hurdle is completing college algebra. my math placement test scores were so low that i need several remedial math classes. i registered for the remedial math class recently, but the pace was way too fast for me, so i ended up dropping it. i don't know where to go from here, and i really need help. i took 4 years of college prep algebra in high school, but didn't learn anything.if any of you had low math skills at one time, how did you sharpen them? did you attend remedial classes? did you hire a tutor? did you teach yourself? or, did you find a good math website or self-study computer program? please advise. thanks!
here's my situation in a nutshell. i have almost all my prerequisites completed with a 3.8 grade point average to date. my only major hurdle is completing college algebra. my math placement test scores were so low that i need several remedial math classes. i registered for the remedial math class recently, but the pace was way too fast for me, so i ended up dropping it. i don't know where to go from here, and i really need help. i took 4 years of college prep algebra in high school, but didn't learn anything.
if any of you had low math skills at one time, how did you sharpen them? did you attend remedial classes? did you hire a tutor? did you teach yourself? or, did you find a good math website or self-study computer program? please advise. thanks!
loricatus
1,446 Posts
About 10 years ago, when I decided to go back to school, I conquered my fear of math and taught myself. I knew I would not be able to pass chemistry and physics unless I overcame my 'problem.' I could not even add fractions because of a math anxiety that plagued me since grade school. I was in remedial ed in high school and never understood math at all. I let this math phobia influence the direction I took with my life, since I never went to college because of fear of the math I would need.
There are books out there, something like-Math made simple or math made easy. After I conquered the simple math, I went on to the algebra part of the books and did a college algebra at home course from UNC or Indiana U that had video tapes of instructions (can't remember which one). Then I took a trig class at the CCCC (plano). Since I was going for a biology degree, I needed calculus [this was equal to sky-diving for a person who has a fear of heights and falling]. Well, long story shortened, not only did I pass all my college math classes, I got A's and actually tutored others. I still hate Math, but by taking one step at a time, at my own pace, it became manageable. I think the key was keeping in mind my eventual goal and not giving up this time.
catzy5
1,112 Posts
I started off teaching myself the basics with a book called "all the math you will ever need to know" Slavin is the author. I studied it cover to cover, very basic math starts with multiplication and works up. I then took intro to algebra and remedial algebra, I recieved A's in both. Starting from scratch gave me the confidence I needed to do the work. I later found that I actually love math and I CAN do it! sometimes its all in the mind, but usually its because you missed something, if you find that something then the rest will fall into place. Practice practice is all you can do keep writing problems out start over from scratch and do it again and again it will click.
first thing is which math did you take? you are at tcc right? there is 0302 which is your basic arithmetic, but what you probably need it 0304 which is beginning algebra.
I_am_Julia
226 Posts
first i want to wish you the best of luck with you upcoming math classes.
i wouldn't say that i have low math skill per say but a high irritation with math. it's just not interesting in the least bit. when i completed my undergraduate degree, i planned to take my required math during the summer session so i wouldn't have to endure the irritation. in addition, i reviewed my basic math skills because they are indeed the foundation.
write out everything in long hand and review with a peer as well.
i would say that the most important tools were foundation, tools and review.
salsaking
118 Posts
have you ever considered online tools such as ALEKS? Thats an online program that really helped me in my college algebra class. I ended up getting an easy A and proceeded to ace statistics
Toey
29 Posts
Math is just one of those things you have to do. I had to start in the prep courses in college, and I enede dup dropping my pre-algebrba class because I felt like I just wasn't getting it. Truth was, I wasn't really applying myself as much as I should.
Just find the courage to do the prep courses, and don't look at it as a death sentence ( although at times it feels like it)
I am in college algebra now, and I'm pulling consistant A's. I even pipe in now and then to answer questions the instructor asks. Somewhere between intermediate algebra and this summer all the algebra clicked in my brain. Now I just have to tackle statistics