How to Actually Get Better at Math

So, are you trying to study math, but it feels hard to understand? That's because you were taught to memorize formulas, follow standardized procedures, and focus on getting the right answer without really understanding why math works the way it does. And that's why no matter how much effort you put in, math still feels confusing. But here's the truth. You don't need to be genius to do well in math. You just need to learn it the right way. In this video, I'll walk you through eight key steps that will actually make you better at math. Whether you're starting from scratch or aiming to get high grades on your exams. Step number one, really understand the basics. If we had to make tier list of the most difficult subjects, math would definitely rank near the top. But why is math so difficult? Well, there are two main reasons. The first is that math requires very precise way of thinking. Unlike many other school subjects where questions can leave room for interpretation, in math you're expected to find one exact solution. The second reason is that math is cumulative. Every new concept builds on what you've already learned. In history, if you forget few facts about Abraham Lincoln, you can still understand the Civil War. But in math, if you haven't fully mastered the fundamentals, you might get stuck even years later. That's why really understanding the basics is crucial. If you don't understand topic, use multiple resources like textbooks, YouTube videos, or free courses on Con Academy. Different explanations can help clarify concepts that are hard to get the first time around. Step number two, change the way you approach math. There are basically two ways to approach math. The first one is what call rule-based approach. It's the classic school approach. Like you see right triangle, so you use the Pythagorean theorem. This approach works as long as the problems look exactly like the ones you've already practiced. But when you're faced with more abstract or unfamiliar problem, you don't know where to start because it's not enough to just remember formula. You have to actually understand what you're doing. And this is where the shift happens. You start to see math not just as set of rules to follow, but as coherent system of ideas that are all connected. To use this approach, you don't just have to memorize steps mechanically. You have to understand the why behind each rule. Ask yourself, why is this the formula? How do you arrive at this equation? Is there another way to solve this problem? Step number three, create study schedule. Studying math can feel overwhelming, but with little organization, it becomes much more manageable. Start by looking at your typical day and find those moments where you can carve out bit of time to study. You don't need to spend hours. Even one focused hour day can lead to great results. Science has shown that intensive studying is an inefficient study method because the brain can only retain limited amount of information in short time. When you try to learn everything in one sitting, most of it never makes it to your long-term memory. What does work is spacing out your study sessions over time. This is called spaced repetition. For example, study today, review tomorrow, then again in 3 days, and again in week. Each time you review, you strengthen the memory and move it into long-term storage. The key is to plan smart. Break your week into topic blocks. One day, focus on equations, another on geometry, and so on. Each session should have clear goal. When you practice problems, aim for balanced mix. Solve five to 10 problems day, combining easier ones with few more challenging ones. That way, you build both confidence and problem solving skills. Step number four, keep your work tidy. well organized notebook isn't just about aesthetics. It helps you review your thought process, track your progress over time, and spot recurring mistakes that are holding you back. Unfortunately, no one really teaches us how to study math effectively. But just like with foreign language, there are formatting tricks that can make huge difference. The first trick is to use navigation system. Start each page with the date, the topic, and the exercise number. That way, even months later, you can easily find what you're looking for. Strategic spacing. Leave ample space between problems. That white space will be valuable later on for adding corrections, notes, or insights you have after revisiting the problem. Create cheat sheet page. Dedicate one page to collecting all the key formulas from topic so you'll always know where to find them when you need quick reference. Selfcorrection system. Use check marks for problems you got right and crosses for the ones you got wrong. This helps you quickly identify which types of problems are giving you the most trouble. Take notes. Every time you get problem wrong, write short note explaining why you made the mistake and how to avoid it in the future. Step number five, break down problems. As George Pulia teaches in his book, most problems can be solved by following three simple steps. The first is to understand the problem. At this stage, you need to clearly identify what the question is asking and what information you're given. It can also help to draw diagram or sketch to make things more visual. The second step is planning. Here you try to connect what you're looking at with concepts you already know. Do you remember useful theorem? Have you solved something similar before? If the problem feels too hard, try breaking it down into smaller sub problems and solve them one at time. Let's take this problem as an example. You're asked to find the area of the region of the plane bounded by these two curves. So to make this problem more manageable, you can break it down into subpros. The first one could be finding the points where the curves intersect to determine the limits of the area. The second is figuring out which curve is on top and which is on the bottom. The third is setting up and calculating the definite integral that gives you the area between the curves. The final step is solving and validating. writing down the calculations neatly and as you go along, ask yourself these questions to check if everything makes sense. Finally, check your answer. Online, you can find tools like Symbol Lab that can help you verify your solution. You can type in the problem or even upload photo and it'll walk you through the steps. Keep in mind though that the goal of these tools isn't to do the work for you, but to support your learning. Step number six, understand math symbols. Mathematical symbols are universal abbreviations that let us express complex ideas in precise and compact way. Think about it. When you read 3 + 5, it's instant. But if you saw this and didn't know what the symbols meant, your brain would just freeze. The good news, learning this language is way easier than it looks. But here's the really important part. Math symbols never work in isolation. They only make sense when combined with other symbols, numbers, or variables. It's just like with spoken language. Knowing the meaning of single word isn't enough. You also need to know how to use it in full sentence. Take the sigma symbol. No, not this one. We're talking about the math sigma, which represents the sum of sequence of numbers. On its own, it doesn't tell you much, but when you combine it with other elements, it all starts to make sense. Each part around the sigma has specific meaning and together they're telling you to add up the numbers from 1 to Step number seven, become master of arithmetic and algebra. It might sound strange, but all advanced math really rests on these two fundamental skills. Think about solving differential equation. In the end, it all comes down to being able to manipulate numbers without making mistakes. And trust me, even small algebraic slip up can ruin an entire problem, even if you perfectly understand the underlying concept. Arithmetic is your ability to do quick and accurate calculations. If you have to spend 10 seconds figuring out what 7 * 8 is, you'll waste lot of time during exams. So you need solid grasp of basic operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, powers, roots, and order of operations because this helps you avoid silly mistakes like confusing the base of power and helps you feel comfortable with numbers. Algebra is where math starts to get abstract and that's where many people get stuck. But if you learn it well, everything else becomes easier. With algebra, you learn to solve equations, inequalities, algebraic expressions, tackle real world problems by translating them into mathematical models. And that's exactly what makes algebra so powerful. It gives you tools to think logically and strategically, not just to calculate. Step number eight, build chunks of information. Imagine learning to drive. At first, you have to focus on every little move, clutch, shift, accelerator, mirrors. But after few months of practice, you drive almost on autopilot. That's what chunk is. group of related pieces of information that your brain stores and recalls as single unit rather than as separate elements. In math, chunks can be formula you've internalized, step-by-step method, or even an abstract concept. Chunks are incredibly useful because many math problems follow similar structures. Once you've built chunk, you'll start recognizing problem types instantly and know what strategy to apply. You'll also be able to focus on more complex reasoning without getting tripped up by basic algebra steps because those will happen almost automatically. The first time you see this formula, you might hesitate. But after turning it into chunk, your brain instantly knows that it's right triangle. and are the cathex and is the hypotenuse. You can find one side if you know the other two and you'll need to take the square root to isolate This kind of thinking will help you lot. So how do you create chunk? Well, the first step is to deeply understand the concept. Whatever the idea is, you need to truly understand it before it becomes chunk. Deep understanding acts like mental superglue. It holds the pieces together and makes them easier to remember and apply. After you master concept, you have to give context to the chunk. It's not enough to know how to solve certain type of problem. You also need to understand when that method works and when it doesn't. This is where varied practice comes in. Instead of doing 10 identical exercises, you practice with problems that look different on the surface, but rely on the same underlying concept. Math can seem like maze. It's easy to feel lost or think you're just not math person. But with the right approach, consistent practice, and bit of patience, you can make sense of