College algebra can be a challenge that many students confront early in their college experience. If you are concerned about how to pass college algebra, consider developing a strategy that includes the following tips from a former mathematics professor. College algebra is accessible to everyone, even if you think you aren’t a “math person”.
1. Attend every class meeting. Learning information that you missed by not attending a class meeting can take twice or three times as much time as attending class. If you must miss a class, try to plan ahead and read the material in the book. Do the homework problems in advance, so you can ask questions of the instructor before you miss the class. If you have to miss a class for unexpected reasons, make every effort to stay current with the reading, notes and the assignments. In order to pass college algebra, it’s critical that you not fall behind the rest of the class, because it can be very difficult to catch up, even if you haven’t missed any actual assignments.
2. Read the book ahead of time. Many people are surprised by this tip, because, let’s admit it: most people don’t read math books. In fact, these days, many people don’t read textbooks at all! But some math books are quite readable and can actually increase the likelihood that you’ll pass college algebra. If you read the section of the book that will be covered in class before the class meets (even if you don’t fully understand what you are reading), then you will be well primed for understanding what the instructor says, because it won’t be new material to you. You don’t have to spend hours reading it – just enough to get a feel for the material that will be covered in class.
3. Do your homework. Most likely the tests you’ll take in the course will involve problems similar to the homework. In the absence of practice tests, the best practice for the tests will be the homework itself. Doing the homework will help you pass the tests, and passing the tests will help you pass college algebra. But there’s an added benefit: doing homework problems will also prepare you for future concepts in the class. By completing all of the assignments in the first half of the semester, you’ll have a solid foundation for the topics presented in the second half of the semester.
4. Do at least five problems each day, even if they aren’t from your current homework assignment. Even if your class only meets once or twice each week, to pass college algebra, you need to stay in touch with the material. Doing a few problems every day will allow your brain to solidify concepts you learned in previous lessons and will prepare you for upcoming lessons. If you only interact with your college algebra book once or twice each week, everything else you’ve done in between will have drowned out the memories of what you learned the last time you interacted with it. It’s said that we most remember what we learn in the first ten minutes and the last ten minutes of each study session, so the trick is to increase the number of study sessions, not increase the length of them.
5. Ask questions in class. You or someone else paid for that class. Get your money’s worth by interacting with the instructor. If you have a very large class, assert yourself anyway. This step is vital in order to pass college algebra, even more than other math classes. I’ve taught many semesters worth of college algebra classes, and I have never heard a student ask a truly stupid question. It sounds trite, but if you have a question, there are five other students with the same question who are afraid to ask it. Do them a favor and speak up. This can be especially difficult for students educated in Asia who have learned that it is disrespectful to ask questions of a professor. In North America, it is not only allowed, but in most classes questions are welcomed and can show your professor that you are intelligently following along with the lesson. In my experience, most North American professors enjoy questions from students.
6. Don’t take an 8 a.m. class if you’re a night person. Don’t take a late class if you’re a morning person. For some students it can be a challenge to pass college algebra even when you are at your best. Taking a math class first thing in the morning can stack the odds against you if morning is not your best time for learning. In many schools, the early classes are the last to be filled. If possible, register for classes early enough so that options other than the earliest classes of the day are available. However, if you are a morning person, try not to take an evening math class. If you have to take evening classes because you have a day job, consider taking advantage of twilight classes that meet during earlier in the evening, rather than classes that last until 10 p.m. Or, consider a weekend or online class, if your institution offers them.
7. Find writing implements you like. This may seem trivial, but any small incentive you can use to make the college algebra experience a pleasant one is going to work in your favor. When I took my undergraduate math classes, I started my first class by getting a notebook with graph paper in it. I did all of my homework on that graph paper in that notebook. It made me feel super-smart, and it made me want to do homework. Find something that will please you in some small way every time you use it, and only use it for math – that way, over time, you’ll come to associate the pleasant feelings with doing math.
8. Get a study group. Two heads really are better than one. If you can explain a concept to another student, you have learned it! This is one of the most powerful ways to help you pass college algebra. While the actual interaction with your group is sure to be beneficial, groups offer the added benefit of holding members accountable for showing up at a certain time and place, ready to do math. It’s easier to keep your commitment to yourself to pass college algebra if you surround yourself with others with the same commitment. The best time to organize a study group is during the first or second class meeting. Pick three classmates, for a group-size of four.
9. Learn the language. This tip goes hand-in-hand with getting a study group, but can be accomplished independently. One of the necessities of learning any discipline, from music to biology, is getting a handle on the lingo. When your instructor starts talking about polynomials, make sure you are taking quality notes and write down just what a polynomial is. Then, when you ask questions in class (see tip #5 above), try to use the same words you hear the instructor using. Keep a list of new words or concepts, with definitions, in your notebook to refer to. Make a effort to use the language. This will help you understand future lessons, when old terms are used but no longer defined. It will also help you on tests, when the directions use phrases such as “Use polynomial division to simplify the expression and express the remainder as a quotient.” While you may know how to complete the process because you’ve done it in the homework, if you don’t know the language, you won’t know how to start. That’s why leaning the language is important in order to pass college algebra.
10. Believe in yourself. Tell yourself that you are a capable human being. Nearly all students can pass college algebra eventually if they apply themselves. The door is not closed to you. Chances are, even if you don’t think you are a “math person”, and no matter whatever you’ve been told by people who might not think you are a “math person”, you can learn the necessary material and pass the class. The power is within you. Think positively like this, and you’ll begin to see your studying and attending class pay off. Negative self-talk can be among the biggest obstacles some students face when they try to pass college algebra. Ask a friend to tell you often that they believe that you can do math. It can help to hear those words from someone else, too.
If you really can’t believe in yourself, find a lucky charm and believe in it. When I first began taking mathematics courses, I didn’t believe I could pass any math class, much less pass college algebra. I had bought a bunch of new school supplies, and then the first test came up. I struggled with it, erasing much of my work and redoing it repeatedly. I got an A. Because I didn’t believe in myself, I attributed it to my new, “lucky” eraser. I used that eraser throughout my undergraduate years in pursuing my math degree. (Then, I gave it to a student I’d been tutoring, and it worked its magic on him, too.) The eraser didn’t really have anything to do with my test scores – and I knew that, even as I was making sure I had it before each test. But it gave me an excuse to believe in myself when I couldn’t get my head around the idea that I might even be good at math.
College algebra can be a steep challenge that students face early in their postsecondary education. The course will show you if you are willing to really apply yourself to details in order to get your degree. If you want to pass college algebra, consider following the strategy provided in the above tips from the start of class. You can pass college algebra with a combination of hard work and the right strategy.
Source: personal experience
