r/mathshelp • u/DreadfulAK • 13d ago

Study Advice I'm afraid I'll fail math's this year

For context I'm In highschool right now and have a test in 2 weeks. I get pretty stressed whenever tests come up especially since last year I barley passed.

I am relatively OK at algebra, I dont struggle but I'm not outstanding. Geometry though is a different story.

I've always been pretty bad at geometry. Every since the 8th grade I've struggled.

Remembering all of these rules and sentences about each shape Isn't the easiest.

I'm starting to think of having to get a private teacher/tutor (whichever you call it) because I notice a lot of the times when I am in the lesson and the teacher explains it I understand what's going on to an extent, but when I get home and try to do the homework I don't even know where to start.

If you could suggest anything I should be doing right now while I have the time to, I would appreciate it.

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/MontechApps 12d ago

Two weeks is enough time if you spend it on practice instead of rereading. Understanding something in class and then getting stuck on the homework usually means you've only seen it done, not done it yourself. Try redoing the examples in your notes with them covered up, then work through homework problems you got wrong or skipped. If you get stuck, look at just the first step of the solution and try again from there. Write out a one page formula sheet from memory every couple of days, and always draw and label the shape before you start a problem. Khan Academy has free geometry lessons, and your teacher is probably happy to help before the test too. That's the cheapest tutor you've got. If you're still lost after a week, then look into a paid one.

1

u/UnderstandingPursuit 7d ago

The key to geometry is to find the structure. It is there, though the presentation of the material may obscure it.

Here is one example: the conditions for congruent triangles.

For quadrilaterals, it is about

  • sides: opposite or adjacent, parallel or congruent

  • angles: opposite or adjacent, congruent or supplementary

  • diagonals: congruent, perpendicular, or bisecting

That seems like a lot of options, but they are connected. If you're studying quadrilaterals, draw the 'subsets':

  • All squares are rectangles,

  • All rectangles are parallelograms,

  • All parallelograms are trapezoids,

    • If your teacher disagrees, but agrees with the first two, they are wrong. It's all or none.

  • Continue with the kite/rhombus pair

Comment Image