Math Idiot

>>18310307
Most professors give test problems based on the ones worked out in class. Redo these yourself and make sure you understand every step. Do the homework and after that open the textbook and try to solve every problem in the section being tested on. Skip sections that are beyond the scope of the class. Once you feel confident try tutoring some of the slower kids in class. The best way to learn something is to teach it.

>>18310307
You just have to do it. Read the problem. Find out what information they give. Find out what they're asking. Find a way to turn that information into a solution. You need to push your mind into inertia even if it's a bullshit move. Don't be afraid to just randomly try something. Even if you fail, you'll understand why you failed and therefore be able to understand the problem better.

>>18310321
>>18310338
Thanks, I guess I'll just have to ganbare and suck it up somehow...

>>18310407
Pretty much. How many problems in a set are you completely lost on? If you need to look at a solutions manual to understand use it and notice the tactics they use to solve.

>>18310307
May I ask why you're taking the course OP? If it's your only STEM course, I assume it's for degree requirements. At my university I had to complete breadth courses to make us more well rounded I guess.

If you can, and this is still based on my assumption, just take a different STEM course to complete your requirements. I realized I wasn't the greatest at maths, but I was very interested in logic - which just so happened to be considered a quantitative course that filled my requirements.

If that's the case, look into that, it's a lot easier to do introductory logic (stuff like P & Q or P -> Q or P v Q) than it is to do Calculus. Worth a shot right?

>>18310511
Sorry if it wasn't written that clearly, what I meant to say was that it is the only STEM class I am taking this semester. I am currently on the Pre-Biomedical Engineering track, so STEM is what I need to do.

>>18310493
If solutions manuals were free or I knew where to find them then sure. We use WebAssign for homework problem sets, so I don't think they have solutions for them avaliable. It sometimes shows you the answer to the problem, or even steps on how to do the problem or a similar one. (Usually after you fail the problem a number of times)

>>18310321
Do not take this advice. Professors aren't that stupid to put problems similar to the homework or class since many people memorize them. Homework, although useful for the basics, is not sufficient to prepare for test since most of the HW problems assess procedural skills and how well you know the formulas. Manwhile tests usually give you worded problems or very unique and difficult expressions which force you to think out of the box and apply multiple formulas and stuff learned a long time ago that many students overlook. The only way to get higher than a D on tests is to do worded problems from previous midterms.

>>18310338
I'm assuming he does what you said. Simply knowing whats given, the formulas, and whats needed to be found is completely insufficient for solving problems. Most problems have a moment which is a key to finding all the other answers. The only way to consistently find this key is to have a talent in analytical thinking and mathematics in genera. If OP isn't born with them, he'll never master stuff essential for calculus like applied optimization or differential equations.