Never Miss a Class:

Never miss a class. Always remember that math is a cumulative subject, if you skip a class you will miss important material that will be used in later exercises.

Be Punctual:

Always be on time, 10 minutes late and you may miss an important formula, method or technique which has been thoroughly explained by the teacher.

Be Active:

Be an active listener in the class. Try to make notes step by step as the teacher explains the solution to a problem.

Ask Questions:

If you don’t understand something then ask your instructor.  Chances are you are not the only one who doesn’t understand. Ask the teacher if you are having difficulty in understanding.

Problem solving:

When working a problem, follow these steps:

• Read through the problem at a moderate speed to get an overview of the problem.
• Read through the problem again for the purpose of finding out what the problem is asking for (your unknown). Be able to state this in your own words.
• Read the problem, first try to solve it on rough paper.
  Form relationships among all facts given. (Write an equation that includes your unknown.)
• Think of every formula or definition that might be relevant to the problem.
• Work backwards; ask yourself, “What do I need to know in order to get the answer?”
• Relate the problem to a similar example from your textbook or notes.
• Solve a simpler case of the problem using extremely large or small numbers; then follow your example as if it is an example from the text.
• Break the problem into simpler problems. Work part of the problem and see if it relates to the whole.
• Guess an answer and then try to check it to see if it’s correct. The method you use to check your answer may suggest a possible plan.
• If you are making no progress, take a break and return to the problem later.
• Once you have a plan, carry it out. If it doesn’t work, try another plan.