“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.” - Albert Einstein
Math isn’t just multiplication tables, mental arithmetic, or algebra, it’s a skill that can also be for problem-solving, programming computers, or studying sciences.
If you’re good at math, there's a high probability you'll be good at problem-solving and develop useful skills for outside of the classroom like understanding a graph, dividing a bill, or just having a better understanding of your finances.
So how can you use your computer to gain a mastery of math?
If you've grasped counting, addition and subtraction but not much else, are struggling with your homework, or just an avid learner who feels let down by their math skills, it might be worthwhile getting out your old textbooks, turning on your computer, and sitting down to study some math.
In this article, we're going to look at how you can learn math at your own pace with a number of digital learning strategies including math websites, quizzes, worksheets, etc. If you can't pay math tutors to teach you mathematics, these resources could end up being more useful than any textbook!
Why is Learning Math Important?
Math is one of the most important subjects you will learn in school. It is a subject that opens up so many opportunities for your future academic and career pathways.
Secondary math credits are required for so many programs, including:
- Business
- Accounting
- Medicine
- Science
- Engineering
Some of the most highly paid professionals use mathematical skills and thinking on a day to day basis to make decisions that can impact entire organizations or even societies. People use math to determine risk, interpret statistics, prescribe the right amount of medication - just to name a few examples.
Take note that math isn't just for professionals. We need number sense to simply survive in today's society. We use mathematical thinking to calculate how long it will take to get from A to B, to understand how much money we have to spend on groceries, and how much of a mortgage you can afford to purchase a house. We use math to cook, estimate weight, or even choose a container that will hold the right amount of volume for anything from pasta to paper clips.
Don't ever underestimate the importance of solid math skills! Finding a local math tutor is easy. Just type "math tutor Toronto" or in another city into your browser. Now, let's take a closer look at why and how you can learn math online.
Why Learn Math Online?
Before we mention anything, you need to know that arithmetic is a branch of mathematics concerned with the science of numbers and that there are several types of number:
- Decimal numbers and place value
- Relative numbers
- Prime numbers
- Whole numbers
- Complex numbers
Better yet, these numbers can be subjected to mathematical operations such as:
- Simple calculations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
- Complex operations: equations, inequations, proportionality.
These are fundamental to understanding math, be it arithmetic, symmetry, geometry, or even trigonometry.
They can also be used to solve mathematics problems in school or understand Pythagoras’ theorem and Thales’ theorem.
Most people think that there are only two ways to learn math:
- at school
- with a private tutor or educator
When in fact, there’s a third way:
- teaching yourself about math from in front of your computer.
Of course, when we say computer we could also say:
- Laptop
- Desktop
- Tablet
- Smartphone
There are plenty of devices you can use! This is also why we’ve seen a huge increase in ways to learn online, even when it comes to mathematics. There are a number of advantages to learning this way:
- You can learn everything about math (which can sometimes be overwhelming)
- You can use your devices almost anywhere in real-time.
- You can learn whenever you want to
- You have an entire library of resources available to you including math games and apps
There are a lot of different types of content including audio (podcasts) and written resources. Another advantage is the fact you can get your hands on new linear algebra or integral calculation software quicker than you could with a private tutor or in a class.
Studying math doesn’t need to be a chore! Whether you’re on the bus, between two meetings, or relaxing in your room, you can learn whenever you want.
“Each student has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to math. Not everyone is familiar with working on a computer, either. It’s a fun and relaxed way for students of all ages to do math exercises” Olivier, math tutor.
Learn about online math courses here.
What kind of Online Math Courses Should I Take?
Are you a student in Canada? You may be wondering which math courses you should take, and whether you should do it online or in person. The first things you should consider are what your goals are.
Secondary students will want to take great care to select courses that support their future pathways in college, university, or the trades. In the senior grades, students can choose between college or university track courses. The best way to know which one to take is to work backwards from your dream job or career goal.
For example, if your goal is to become an engineer, find out what the pre-requisite courses are to get into an undergraduate program. You can find these answers on the website of a university that has an engineering program, such as the University of Toronto or McMaster. The courses listed are a basic blueprint of what you will need to take in secondary school.
Most provinces will offer online versions of core secondary mathematics courses. Keep in mind that online learning will be significantly different from learning online.
Online courses will typically involve a live, instructional component for part of the course. You will be expected to join other students in a virtual meeting led by a teacher. Much of your learning may require a lot of self direction. While virtual learning is available to all students, you may find yourself better suited for it if you are:
- comfortable working independently
- self driven
- a strong listener
- prefer to learn remotely
- can self-advocate and locate resources that are important to your learning
If you are an English learner, or have unique learning needs, you may find that online learning isn't the best option for you.
Still not sure? Contact your school's guidance counselor to see if they can offer any advice based on your personal learning style.
Online Math Resources
Learning mathematics is more than just learning theories, formulae, and times tables off by heart, you have to be able to reason and understand certain things. To improve, there are plenty of teaching resources available online.
Check for online math tutor here.
There are math games on derivation, the sides of a polygon, fractions, graphing, etc. You have everything you need.
Most of the exercises online also bear the names of famous mathematicians like Euclidean division or Napierian logarithms. There are several different types of math games:
- Logic games
- Calculus games
- Algebraic games
- Geometric games
- General math games
- Daily math games, like Sudoku and puzzles
Many math games websites cater for all levels, primary school mathematics, Pre-Calculus and Calculus, all the way to University. You can find interactive games on both simple and complex themes like how to solve a differential equation, linear equations, and word problems.
There are also resources for those who want to combine their math and their computing studies.
You can learn more about fields such as:
- Computer programming
- Object-oriented programming
- Learning programming languages
- Online coding courses
- Math in the national curriculum
If you want to effectively study math, you can visit specialised math websites:
- Corbettmaths
- Illuminations
- Khan Academy
Online math exercises are a great way to check if you’ve understood what you’ve been studying. You can then get your daily practice by downloading apps for your smartphones or tablets.
Math 42, an app for secondary school students who want to develop their math skills.
Todo Math, an app with fun and interactive lessons for younger children.
Photomath, an app which lets you take photos of equations and then solve them. King of Math, an app which, as the name suggests, can help you become pretty good at math.
Using math apps is a fun and useful way to brush up on your logic skills.
Math Resources To Help With Revision
You should also have a look at some of these great math websites and apps:
| Resource | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Sudoku, Chess, and Board Games | Easy to learn | Not for specific maths skills |
| Montessori | Multi-platform | Just for kids |
| iTooch | Positive reinforcement, progression, built-in calculator | Rigid structure, American school system |
| BBC Bitesize | Wide range of subjects, activities, levels | British curriculum only |
| AB Math Lite | Bright and colourful app, free | Mostly arithmetic, |
Organising Math Revision Online
In reality, it’s not as complicated studying mathematics as it is studying physics, chemistry, history, or geography: you just need to put a plan together and you’re ready to go. This is really useful if you’re:
- Preparing for an end of year exam.
- Studying for a specific qualification like the GRE
- Getting ready for an entrance exam
If you feel like you need a little extra help preparing for your next exam, it may be a good call to try private tutoring. It's super simple: depending on where you're located, all you need to do is type "Math tutor Vancouver" in your browser, for example, and start scrolling down the tutor profiles!
Put together a plan with all the different aspects of mathematics that you’ll have to study. Make sure your goals are achievable:
- Consider starting with a math level test so you can work out your strengths and weaknesses.
- Order your exercises (especially with algebra) so that you can memorise and improve your knowledge of the fundamentals first, especially if you struggle with learning new things or the more challenging aspects of math.
- Do memory exercises for different types of memory.
- Ask an online math tutor to regularly test you.
- Improve your knowledge with past papers.
With the right methods, it can be easy to conquer math. Make revision sheets and sort them according to difficulty, go back over them, and surround yourself with an online group or community of other students.
Start taking math classes here.
How to Find Online Tuition for Math
Not everyone is going to immediately understand what a square root or a scalar product is at the first time of asking. You’ll need to learn certain numerical tables, then apply them according to certain problems and in terms of the mathematics rules involved.
If you’re looking to learn more about the divisibility rule or a linear function, you can find tonnes of exercises online.
If you want to succeed, make sure you’re patient and willing to learn. You’ll need to be really motivated and know how to motivate yourself since when it comes to playing a math game and a regular game, it’s very easy to choose the latter option. If this is the case, a math tutor can help you do things like:
- Plot curves
- Brush up on subjects that are likely to appear on your exams
- Create a mental map
You can do all of this without even picking up a math book. This is one of the reasons why mathematics is one of the most popular subjects for distance learning. That said, you can also use your computer for other things related to math like:
- Learning more about the history of math
- Looking for web development or programming classes
- Studying some of the less popular math topics like boundary functions, measuring angles, quadratic equations, or triangles.
There are some really good programmes which are both educational and useful for doing math functions or plotting shapes or graphs.
You can get a visual representation of what you’re studying and use online graphical calculators to make sure you make the most of every minute you spend studying.
Programmes like Dmaths or Xcas are often used on courses at universities or beyond. They are useful for doing mathematical calculations, vector drawings, as well as statistics.
“My math students weren’t very attentive in math class. However, once I started using teaching resources like math games or online activities, they became more hard-working, gained reasoning skills, and learnt more quickly” says Isabelle, a math tutor on Superprof.
After that, you’ll be a math master. Getting online math lessons can help you gain more confidence in math or even maybe become the next great mathematician.
It’s also a good idea to study using resources on your computer alongside private math tutoring! Tutorials are a great way to learn to do mathematics in a fraction of the time.
See here how you can:
What Can I Expect from an Online Math Teacher?
We've talked a lot about online math tutoring and resources. But what can you expect from a strong online math teacher or online math tutor?
It is no secret that students learn best from instructors they like. While you shouldn't expect any educator to be a friend, you should certainly feel safe, comfortable, and eager to learn with them.
A good online math tutor or teacher will be one that will make an effort to build a strong professional relationship with their students. They will ask you about your interests, strengths, and areas of need so they can program effectively for you. They will go over your work and problem solving with a critical eye, and give feedback that enhances your work.
Students or parents of math students will want to choose a tutor that is knowledgeable enough for the level of learning they are being hired to instruct. For example, if your child is in elementary school, a student in secondary school or higher that enjoys math can be an excellent choice for a tutor. Secondary age students will benefit from having a tutor studying mathematics or other related subjects in an undergraduate or graduate program.
A strong math tutor or teacher will also be able to recognize if there are foundational gaps in your learning. Students struggling to solve math problems accurately may need more practice in basic math operations and mental math. When in doubt, they will know to consult the appropriate math continuum to determine which gaps need to be addressed.
Finally, you will want a math tutor or teacher that is fun and easy to understand. Many issues that students have in math may be attributed to poor or unclear math instruction, or learning in sub-par conditions. Perhaps you needed more one-to-one instruction, or more visuals to support understanding.
Good math educators will know how to use manipulatives and give instructions and feedback clearly so students understand how to self-correct and have a wholistic understanding of a mathematical concept. Too often students apply formulae and processes without understanding why - this type of superficial understanding is not enough to study math at higher levels.
As a student or a parent, you will want to consider all of these elements when choosing a math tutor. Take the time to ask prospective tutors questions, and don't hesitate to advocate for what you want!
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