Why do I suck at Math?

[StrawPipes]

wizekrak - That link sent me to an article dealing with breast cancer. Unless you have/had breast cancer, I'm kind of confused on what you are implying? Lol

 

[wizekrak]

wizekrak - That link sent me to an article dealing with breast cancer. Unless you have/had breast cancer, I'm kind of confused on what you are implying? Lol

Weird. It links to the physics book on amazon. Works for me.

 

[StrawPipes]

Oh lol. Well I don't know, it's an interesting site though. I'm reading about some illnesses.

 

[StrawPipes]

K I clicked it again and it worked this time. Don't know why it didn't last time
I already know the books and stuff I'm going to get, its all onstudent doctor website it's called Sn2ed or SD2nd or S2ned or some shit like that. But it's on the forums, its a sticky I believe in the "MCAT discussion forum"


Did you take the MCAT? If so how did you do? What was it like? Are you in Med school? If you don't mind me asking

 

[Heuristic]

Excellent general book on mathematical problem solving (it's quick, easy, light reading, so no worries) is called "How to Solve It" by George Polya. A classic.

Imho--RedLeader can offer a much more informed and expert opinion--math is essentially a playground with a lot of very precise rules. You can do whatever you want, as long as you follow the rules. Once that realization sinks in, I think the subject becomes very enjoyable.

I disagree with the idea that some people simply can't get math. That's a bit like saying some people simply can't get logic. The problem, imho, is that some people don't learn adequately the simpler tools and rules that are then combined into more complex tools and rules, which are then used to solve complex problems.

When you're learning math, slow down. It's not like reading a novel. You'll re-read things. You frequently can't just skip over symbols like you might punctuation marks in a sentence. It's normal to experience some frustration and difficulties; that's how you know that you're learning something new. Mastery at anything doesn't come right away. Even Tiger Woods felt awkward at the golf course, or nightclub, at first.

One other thought:

Get SPECIFIC. Telling yourself, or anyone else, that you don't understand math is too vague. Odds are that there are specific concepts and rules that you don't understand. Otherwise you're similar to the person who tells someone "I'm having trouble on my Italian test because I don't get Italian!" but never says what the Italian test was actually on, which parts of Italian are not understood, etc.

 

[wizekrak]

K I clicked it again and it worked this time. Don't know why it didn't last time
I already know the books and stuff I'm going to get, its all onstudent doctor website it's called Sn2ed or SD2nd or S2ned or some shit like that. But it's on the forums, its a sticky I believe in the "MCAT discussion forum"


Did you take the MCAT? If so how did you do? What was it like? Are you in Med school? If you don't mind me asking

No problem.

I'm not in yet, I applied last year and was rejected since my first MCAT was around a 10. I rewrote and scored an 11 and applied again this year so I should stand a good chance. The first time I wrote the MCAT it was pencil and paper and took 8 hours to finish. The new computerized one is much better. I was able to finish all sections and didn't really have to guess much. They give you the option to take breaks but I just powered through the whole thing nonstop, I found that worked well for me since I could keep my momentum going. I also did all the online AAMC exams and went though them as soon as I was done to review the stuff I got wrong. I wouldn't mind having scored a few more points but I'm not going to rewrite it. What worked out well for me was that the physical sciences section was pretty tough, the consensus was that everyone got creamed and since its all graded on a curve it worked out well for me. There's a lot of luck involved in terms of what questions you get. Give yourself the opportunity to write it 2 or maybe 3 times before you're set to apply. Obviously its best to just do it once but if you think your first score isn't representative of your ability then by all means write it again.

 

[StrawPipes]

You say you received a 10 and 11? What would this score be equivalent to on the scale I'm thinking of. For instance, the girl I know acquired a 25 on her MCAT. What's that equivalent to with the 10's and 11's you're talking about?

Moreover, what was/is your current gpa when you applied? When you took the test? Did you retake any classes?

It seems I'm changing my own thread a little. Very interesting considering the OP usually isn't the one to do so and instead topics get altered by condescending punks who just want to argue and flame.

Sorry that above statement may have been a little bit unnecessary.

 

[Cyc]

Well I just aced my Chemistry test, so I think some of my hard work has actually paid off. I just want to give a quick nod to those who suggested repetition.

 

[wizekrak]

You say you received a 10 and 11? What would this score be equivalent to on the scale I'm thinking of. For instance, the girl I know acquired a 25 on her MCAT. What's that equivalent to with the 10's and 11's you're talking about?

Moreover, what was/is your current gpa when you applied? When you took the test? Did you retake any classes?

It seems I'm changing my own thread a little. Very interesting considering the OP usually isn't the one to do so and instead topics get altered by condescending punks who just want to argue and flame.

Sorry that above statement may have been a little bit unnecessary.

We use a composite score, basically all sections are pretty much weighted equally so you take the numerical value of all 3 sections plus the letter for the writing sample (converted to a numerical score) and divide by 4. So a composite of 10 is like getting 10's in all 3 sections and the equivalent of a 10 on the writing sample, a composite of 11 is equivalent to getting all 11's on each section and the writing sample. I don't want to give out any specifics of my numbers so that I can maintain anonymity (yeah I know I'm paranoid). Your friends 25 would be equivalent to a 8.33 composite, but I don't think you guys factor the writing sample in equally.

We can retake classes, some schools will penalize you for it though unless you repeat the class on top of having a full course load. Often times they just add the new course grade to the transcript and it does not replace the previous grade, so its not like a do-over.

 

[Cyc]

My University does it like a do-over, but there's a little note beside that you retook the course.

 

[StrawPipes]

Well I have one C in my science classes; the rest are B's and A's. I'm hoping to acquire straight A's or atleast a definite noticeable upward trend these next two years of school. The classes are pretty in-depth Biology related courses such as Immunology, Genetics, Pathology. Plus all the pre-reqs like Bio's and Chems and what not. Cyc - What chemistry course was it? If you don't mind me asking.

 

[Cyc]

100 level University Chem, but probably the toughest in Canada in terms of marking. Here's just a few of the subjects covered.

MO Theory
Band Gap Theory
Crystal Field Theory
Chemical Kinetics
Gibbs Free Engery
Entropy/Enthalpy
Ideal and non-ideal Gases
Molality
Calorimetry
stereoisomers

Stoichiometry, Molarity, %yield, empirical formulas, pH and chemical reactions are NOT covered, as it is expected you already know these concepts.

 

[Heuristic]

Well I just aced my Chemistry test, so I think some of my hard work has actually paid off. I just want to give a quick nod to those who suggested repetition.

AWESOME! We're a long way from those earlier days eh? Great job.

 

[wizekrak]

100 level University Chem, but probably the toughest in Canada in terms of marking. Here's just a few of the subjects covered.

MO Theory
Band Gap Theory
Crystal Field Theory
Chemical Kinetics
Gibbs Free Engery
Entropy/Enthalpy
Ideal and non-ideal Gases
Molality
Calorimetry
stereoisomers

Stoichiometry, Molarity, %yield, empirical formulas, pH and chemical reactions are NOT covered, as it is expected you already know these concepts.

Wow, sounds almost just like my 100 level chem. What region of the country are you in?

 

[Cyc]

SW Ont

 

[ebola?]

Some people just really do not genuinely understand the concepts and thinking involved in certain areas of math, but that doesn't me they/we/I are lazy people. Some concepts just do not make sense to some people.

To elaborate:
I'd say that even in somewhat lower mathematics, most people hit a 'wall' at some point, where a particular concept demands 3-4+ times the work of most all others. Mine was partial decomposition of fractions with variables in the numerators and denominator (in 'pre-calculus'). I have an ex whose was using calculus to find the area of a shape resulting from rotation of a graphed equation around the x-axis.

So, I'm trying to say that difficulties vary idiosyncratically, as do ideal learning styles.

But other areas, which really can't be visualized comprehensively, can't be observed in everyday experience, and don't conform to our ways of understanding everyday experience, are extremely difficult to explain and articulate to someone who doesn't understand first the observations and problems that theories in these difficult areas are meant to address.

A great deal of psychology research bears this out; however, I don't know whether it's ubiquitous. . .a significant minority of people vastly prefer learning by engaging concepts first, as exemplars otherwise won't mean anything. But then again, how can one think other than manipulating what was engaged previously?

ebola

 

[ebola?]

Mu problem is that I'm a big picture kind of person and need to know how and why stuff works for it to make sense. I excel in large scale critical thinking and abstraction because I can look at things from a bunch of angles and do it the way that makes the most sense to me. This works great for physiology and any type of applied biology, but it really sucks for math where you can only do things in one way or its wrong.

Wait...doesn't (a lot of) math mark one possible pinnacle of abstraction, painting the largest, most universal picture that we can?

 

[wizekrak]

Wait...doesn't (a lot of) math mark one possible pinnacle of abstraction, painting the largest, most universal picture that we can?

I guess I'm doing the wrong kind of math? The only kind I've been exposed to is the math where you only have 1 valid or best way to solve the problem. I've never taken calculus or or pre-calculus, just basic stats and algebraic physics.