How To Study Maths Well And What Are The Tricks For Scoring Good Marks In Maths?

As with many endeavors, doing well in math requires knowing the fundamentals. Recognize that math concepts build on each other, and that it is not generally a good idea to study with the idea you will want to forget everything after the test.

• Be absolutely certain of your addition facts and multiplication facts, at least through 12*12. If you are the least bit slow on addition (or subtraction) facts, I suggest learning to use a soroban or abacus. Learn all of the tricks you can for speedily accomplishing addition and multiplication, and know why they work. Even if you don't use them, knowing why they work will be a big help to you. Be completely comfortable with signed arithmetic, place value, and scientific notation. (Understanding math in different number bases will help with this.)
• Know what common fractions look like in decimal form and as percentages. Be able to quickly convert from fractions to decimals to percentages and back again. Know how to convert mixed numbers to improper fractions and back again. Know how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions, and how to reduce fractions to lowest terms. (Knowing your multiplication tables and addition facts will help you in this.)
• Understand the meaning of substitution, and what it means when two entities are "equal." Know how to perform operations on both sides of the equal sign in order to keep quantities equal. Know the difference between equalities and inequalities in this regard. (The only difference is that multiplying/dividing both sides of an inequality by a negative value changes the direction of the inequality. Know why.)
• Study each new concept until you understand it completely. Work as many problems as necessary, which may be more than the number of problems assigned. Always check your work. Sometimes, checking your work will mean you need to find another way to work the same problem. You will probably find it worthwhile to seek to understand a problem well enough that you can work it as quickly as possible--more quickly than you could at first. (This will serve you well on tests.)
• Learn to set up and solve equations for "story problems." Be able to recognize essential information and superfluous data. In many cases, there is more than one way to work the problem. Find the different ways. See how often you can work the problem in your head. Always check your work.
• Memorize the necessary formulas. There are only a few formulas for equations of a line, areas and volumes of common geometric figures, the solution to quadratic equations, and logarithms of expressions. Learn how to derive those you don't want to memorize (for example, sums of arithmetic and geometric series).

The trick for getting good marks is understanding the material. Take as long as you need to take. (Only you know how long that is.) Work as many problems as you need to work. (Only you know how many that is.) Make up your own problems "just for fun." See what happens when you change things. Notice how what you learned before relates to what you are learning now. Play with it until it becomes your friend.

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