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So, I've been stonewalled by College Algebra/(Math 105 at my local CC) for the past 3 years.
Of all the academic classes I've attempted, each math class got progressively harder when it came to tests.
I've attempted College Algebra 2 times in the classroom, and 1 time as an online format.
Of the things that I've found that lead to my failure/dropping the course, I've noticed that when it comes to remembering long sets of numbers in any setting, I usually have to write them down in order to not mix them up in my head.
When it came to the different formulas we needed to memorize for the 20-30 question chapter exam, no notes were allowed and even after a week or so of studying for a few hours a day, I ended up either:
A)Completely forgetting the formula anyway.
or
B)Mixing two steps from two different formulas up in my head and coming up with some weird answer that was far from what was right.
So for future endeavors and eventual success the next time I ever tackle this, is there a better way to go about effective memorization for a long chain of exam formulas?
Apart from finding an instructor more accommodating for note-usage(the classes prior either allowed 1/2 page or had formulas included on tests) I want a surefire method that will at least keep some of this in my head without an all-out resort to cheating.
I have a hard time memorizing formulas too. The only other thing I can think of is to do lots and lots of practice problems that use the formulas. With enough repetition, it should eventually stick....
Find out where the formulas come from and what they mean. The better you understand them, the better you will remember them. For example, you could memorize a formula for the area of a triangle: bh/2. If you understand that a triangle is half of a parallelogram (or a rectangle, if that's easier to remember), and that the area of a rectangle is bh (or length times width, same thing), it's not just memorization. It's understanding.
If you aren't able to understand the formula, at least try to see how formulas relate to each other, so that each one will not be a separate project.
I recommend working on this some before you start another course. By now you at least know what topics to work on.
If you understand why you are using a formula and what the formula does, then it becomes much easier to remember. This is why algebra should not be taught as a plug in, plug out course. You might want to try these textbooks. The
The repetitiveness of the math problems is what makes it sticks. If the instructor assigns 1-35, only the evens, do 1-35 all. The more you practice, the easier it will come.
Repetitiveness, only until the counselors tell you that you have 4 chances to take a particular class before they nicely tell you to mess up elsewhere.
Degree-wise, I'm looking towards a high-demand one where the math overload won't be as bad.
Repetition. Do the problems, re-do the problems, do them again later. And repeat!
Even though notes weren't allowed during the tests, I would still create a "cheat sheet" of the formulas and would use that to cram in the 30-60 minutes prior to the test. Having the formulas there in my short-term memory, combined with the repetition of my studying in the nights/weeks leading up to it, all really helped me to remember those weird and rarely used formulas.
Once in the test, I would jot down the formulas on the provided scratch paper and use that as my reference throughout the test. Heh, I remember once, I got the initial formula wrong and used it wrong all throughout the exam. But the teacher had collected the scratch papers, saw my flawed reasoning, and gave me partial credit for having been "close, but no cigar." Also why it is important to always show your work. Hurray partial credit!
I have a horrible memory for things like formulas but I'm good with processes so what I used to do is write the formulas out in the same pattern, repeatedly, before an exam. When I needed a formula, I'd think of the pattern in which I wrote them to get to the one I needed. It, usually, worked.
I know you said apart from finding an instructor... but sometimes an instructor makes all the difference in the world. www.ratemyprofessor.com
I honestly went to a community college for my algebra. I was not getting it at my college and it was the only thing holding me back from my degree.
I also took it two times in order to pass - do not give up.
Practice daily, go for tutoring, ask for help. Try to memorize the information and before you take the test and get stressed, turn your paper over and write down the formulas you remember. Do not even look at the test, just turn it over and do some free writing to help you.
With that said, look for tips and tricks - some professors will share them. Others you will have to look for online.
I think this is how they separate the intellectual wheat from the chaff. It's called testing, and intelligence is, unfortunately, a factor in determining how one will perform on tests.
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Hurray partial credit!
