1 Why do I Hate Math?
What is Math Anxiety?
Why Should I Listen to This Guy?
Did You Have a Math Bully?
Loss of Control and the Fear of Feeling Stupid
Math Feels Like a Poor Fit
Math is Viewed as Authoritative
Ambiguity Should be a Four- Letter Word
Math is Required for Every Degree. Who Did This to Us?
Returning to School After Some Time Away?
Are Men "Better at Math" Than Women?
Addressing Racial Inequalities in Math
Overcoming Defeatist Attitudes
The Development and Treatment of Math Anxiety is a Process
Why in the World? Part 1
Why in the World Does Multiplying a Number by Zero
Give Us Zero?
Activity
2 I’m So Confused….Navigating the Math System
First Things First
Choosing a School
Community Colleges
Four- Year Colleges
Online Institutions
Financial Aid and Scholarships
The Placement Test
What is Developmental Math, and Will I Have to Take It?
What is "College- Level Math?"
The Traditional Pathway
Alternative Math Pathways
Quantitative Reasoning (or Math for the Non- Math Major)
Introduction to Statistics
Teacher Preparatory Classes
What are Corequisites?
The STEM Pathway
Undecided?
Modality Types
Traditional Classes
The Emporium Model
Online
Virtual Learning
Inquiry or Group- Based Instruction
What is Your Learning Style?
Learning Style Quiz
Why in the World? Part 2
Why in the World is a Number Divided by Zero "Undefined?"
Activity
3 How Do I Prepare for College and Math?
Register as Early as Possible and Do Your Homework
Choosing a Professor
The Biggest Reason for Failure in Math and Something that May
Surprise You!
Being Behind May Not be Your Fault
Preparing for Your Math Class Even Before the First Day
Statistics Can be Deceiving
What if I Struggle with Basic Arithmetic?
How is Your Number Sense?
Developing a Sense of Community and Belonging
My Own Story in Developing a Sense of Community
The Challenges of Meeting People
Ensuring You Have Your Materials
Disability Services (If Needed)
Are Your Basic Needs Being Met?
Figure Out Your Math Time!
A Fresh Start
Why in the World? Part 3
Why in the World Doesn’t "PEMDAS" Always Work?
Activity
4 Getting Off and Staying On the Right Foot
What is Your Math Personality?
The First Day
Technology in Math
Calculators
Interactive Math Software
Zoom Meetings
I’m in My Nightmare! I’m Lost in Class!
Does Reading a Math Textbook Help?
What Can You do Outside of Class to Help?
Become a Regular at the Tutorial Center
Study Groups
Online Resources and Artificial Intelligence
What Happens When Life Happens?
I Understood What We Were Doing in Class, But I Drew a Blank
When I Tried It at Home
Math Vocabulary: Yes, that Sounds Awful!
Suggestions for Each Learning Style
Tips for the Auditory Learner
Tips for the Visual Learner
Tips for the Kinesthetic/ Tactile Learner
Back to the Quantitative and Qualitative Thinkers
Why in the World? Part 4
Practice Some Math
Activity and Math Exercises
5 I Hate, Hate, Hate These Math Topics!
Fractions
Why Do Students Hate Fractions?
Where Will I Need Fractions?
What Can We Do About Fractions?
What Should I Know about Fractions? And Some
Tips to Get Started
A Look at Adding and Subtracting Fractions
How Does This Apply to Higher- Level Math?
A Look at Multiplication and Division of Fractions
How Does this Apply to Higher- level Math?
Where Do Students Get Stuck with Fractions?
The Laws of Exponents
What is an Exponent?
Why do Students Hate Exponents?
What are the Laws of Exponents?
Wait? What?
Of Course it Gets More Complicated!
What About Negative Exponents? Do They Exist?
Where Will I See the Laws of Exponents?
Exponents can be Weird?
Probability
Why is Probability Hated?
When Will I Need Probability for College Math?
Do I Need to Prepare for Probability in Advance?
Geometry: Angles, Lines and Rays…Oh My!
Why is This Topic so Bad?
Where is Geometry Used in College- Level Math Classes?
Do I Need to Prepare for Angles, Lines, Rays, etc.?
Factoring
Why do Students Hate Factoring?
Why Does Factoring Exist and When Will I Need it?
So, Let’s Factor!
First Type of Factoring
Second Type of Factoring
Slope of a Line
Where is Slope Used?
Why do Students Hate Slope?
Slope has a Formula
Another Way to Determine Slope
Should I Prepare for Slope?
Why in the World? Part 5
Why in the World is Anything Raised to the Zero
Power Always 1?
Practice Problems
Practice with Fractions. Be sure to Reduce the Fractions
Geometry: Angles, Lines, and Rays
Factoring
Slope
Activity
6 Word Problems: The Bane of My Existence
Why do Word Problems Bring Out the Anxiety?
Reading Comprehension or Reading Differences
Not Even Knowing Where to Start
Math Terminology is an Issue
Quantitative Personalities may Struggle
Lacking the Prerequisite Skills
Bad Experiences Lead to a Self- Fulfilling Prophecy
What are the Prerequisite Skills Needed?
Now, Attack the Problem!
Example 1
Read the Problem
Ask Yourself some Questions
Understand the Prerequisites
Identify What You are Solving For and Translate
Solve the Problem
Does this Answer Make Sense?
Example 2
Read the Problem
Ask Yourself Some Questions
Understanding the Prerequisites
Identify What You are Solving For and Translate
Solve the Problem
Does this Answer Make Sense?
Example 3
Read the Problem
Understand the Prerequisites
Before Translating, Draw a Picture or Diagram (Sometimes)
Identify and Translate
Solve the Problem
Does the Answer Make Sense?
Mutual Exclusivity
Example 4
Understand the Prerequisites
Before Translating, Draw a Picture or Diagram (Sometimes)
Identify and Translate
Solve the Problem
Does the Answer Make Sense?
Example 5
Read the Problem
Ask Yourself Some Questions
Understand the Prerequisites
Identify and Translate
Solve the Problem
Does the Answer Make Sense?
Example 6
Read the Problem
Ask Yourself Some Questions
Understand the Prerequisites
Identify, Translate, and Draw a Picture
Solve the Problem
Does the Answer Make Sense?
Struggling?
Look Over your Class Notes
Is There an Online Tutorial?
Ask your Instructor….Right Away!
It Works!
Why in the World? Part 6
Why in the World do we Flip the Sign in an Inequality When
Dividing by a Negative Coefficient?
Exercises to Help You Practice
Basic Algebra Word Problems
More Advanced Algebraic Word Problems
Some Basic Probability
Activity
7 Tackling Exams
Test Anxiety? You are in Good Company
Root Causes of Test Anxiety
Poor Test History
Fear of Failure
High- Stakes Exams
Poor Test Preparation
Tackling an Exam Starts Long Before the Exam
Positive Thoughts
How do I Study for a Math Exam?
Is There a Study Guide?
Clean up any Mistakes
Data Drop Off (Memory Dump
Timed Tests!
The Day of the Exam
Try to Get Enough Sleep
Eat Well During the Day
Try to Stay in a Good Mood
Online Test- Takers
You Get the Test!
Now, Use the Data Drop Off (Memory Dump)
Start Where You Feel Most Comfortable!
Seemingly Contradictory Advice
Pacing the Exam
The Waiting is the Hardest Part
Celebrate!
Why in the World? Part 7
Why in the World Can’t I just Divide Stuff to Simplify?
Activity
8 Learning From Success, Failure, and Experience
Assessing Your Exam
Check Out Your Mistakes
How About your Grade?
Use Your Exam as a Study Guide
Learning from Success
Should I Withdraw from the Class?
The Reality of Failure
My Experience with Failure
Learning from Failure
Did You Lack Prerequisite Skills?
Did You Devote Enough Time to Your Studies?
Were You in the Wrong Modality?
Do You Need to Change Your Pathway?
Did You go at it Alone?
Generic Questions
Why in the World? Part 8
Why in the World do Logarithms Exist?
Activity
9 When Will Math Help Me in My Life?
Non- STEM Students
Helping Others
Managing Money
Predicting the Cost of Living
Being a Conscientious Consumer
Computing Depreciation Costs
Statistics can do a Lot of Explaining
Higher- Level Math Classes
Trigonometry
Pre- Calculus
The Calculus Sequence
Differential Equations
Linear Algebra
Proof Writing Classes
STEM Students
High School Math Teacher
Engineer
Computer Scientist
Astronomy
Can I Survive Calculus?
Confidence
Now Go Do This!
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Biography
Brian Cafarella, Ph.D. is a mathematics professor at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. He has taught a variety of courses ranging from developmental math through pre- calculus. Brian is a past recipient of the Roueche Award for teaching excellence. He is also a past recipient of the Ohio Magazine Award for excellence in education. Brian has published in several peer- reviewed journals. His articles have focused on implementing best practices in developmental math and various math pathways for community college students. Additionally, Brian was the recipient of the Article of the Year Award for his article, “Acceleration and Compression in Developmental Mathematics: Faculty Viewpoints” in the Journal of Developmental Education.
