Make It a Habit: Tips for Studying Math

If it seems like math tests these days are harder than they used to be, that's probably because they are. In a recent national survey, 86% of responding math teachers said they believe the newly adopted common core standards are more rigorous than prior standards.

But a more difficult curriculum doesn't need to spell disaster for all (or any) students. Actually, adjusting to the revised common core standards can be quite simple and painless when students practice a few good studying habits.

Slow and Steady
Math isn't like other subjects that can be easily learned through late-night cramming or memorized with mnemonic devices. For most students, mathematical operations are disorienting, cumbersome, and unintuitive, and that makes it hard to process and retain large bits of unfamiliar material at once.

In other words, students won't get the hang of trigonometry by speed-reading the three chapters they missed while on vacation, but it is possible to gain some traction by making a habit (rather than a special occasion) of studying and absorbing the material bit by bit.

So start early
Keep up with the homework and show up to class with questions about confusing parts of the chapter. That way, there will be no need to cover and catch up on large amounts of material at once, which can be challenging for anybody in the math world.

Find Time Every Day
Don't be intimidated by the idea of finding time each day to study. It doesn't have to be an all-night commitment. Instead, plan a half-hour before bed for practice problems or take advantage of downtime on the bus, between classes, or elsewhere to review notes and reread key sections from the textbook.

Do the Math

Mental math is fine for students who have already mastered the material, but working it out in your head is not an effective way for anyone to learn or review new material. Students–even good ones– who convince themselves they know the steps without ever performing them on paper often regret it on test day when they don't get the answer they'd expected or struggle to remember key steps and operations.


Working out the problems not only reinforces the rules and orders of operations in students' minds but also develops a sort of "muscle memory" for mathematical problem-solving. And that, in turn, reduces the chances of panicking or drawing a blank when tests and exams roll around.

Adjusting to the revised common core standards has potential to be a road bump for any student of math, but with a bit of effort, students who make habits of these studying tips will find they're quickly up to speed and comfortable with the new material.