Many high school students taking Algebra 2 Trigonometry or Precalculus often run into a recurring issue. While homework problems may seem easy enough, they quickly learn that teachers tend to put much harder problems on the test.

What can students do to study more effectively and feel more confident in tackling curve ball problems?

If a student is getting a “C” or “D” in the class, there could be several reasons behind it. Some teachers ask students to take notes in class, but if the student has questions, they often do not have the opportunity to ask, leaving students in a vortex of confusion. Consequently, students have a hard time doing the homework. Because math builds from previous chapters, it creates a domino effect. Moreover, the way the teacher explains may not resonate with the student. Some students need clear, straightforward explanations to do the homework, while some students need to understand the “why” before they can even start doing the problems. If not, math just becomes a bunch of symbols that doesn’t logically click in their minds.

Some students come in for tutoring when they are in the “B” range. They are very close to an A, but something just seems to be amiss. For these students, they have a relatively solid foundation of the chapters, but they are tiny gaps that are preventing them from doing the harder problems. Moreover, many of the students simply complete the homework and leave it at that. When it comes to preparing for a test, they may read the book and review their notes, but they likely will not be doing a few extra problems to solidify their understanding. Finally, many students in this range have a hard time with the word problems. On the tests, the word problems come in the form of a “twist,” and students aren’t exactly sure how to answer them because they don’t align with anything that the teacher has talked about or it wasn’t covered in the homework set.

So what is the key?

When it comes Algebra 2 Trigonometry and Precalculus there is some predictability when it comes to the word problems. There are only a few ways that word problems can be presented, and if the student can recognize the patterns, they can begin to unlock the problems with confidence.