Wonderful Stuff
College Junior
Sierra College, Rocklin, CA

I found many of the Articles linked on the howtostudy.org Math page to be best suited to getting Students through Lower Division Math. I really liked this page because it provides perspective on Mathematics as a whole, potentially even through Graduate Level and Professional Mathematics. The Myths that the Author describes often inhibit Students from actually doing any Actual Math in Math Class! Mathematics is about bringing incredibly sustained thought, contemplation and analysis to really Difficult Problems in order to provide rigorous, complete and Proven Solutions that further Mathematics may then be based upon. It is Easy to no one, not even PhD Mathematicians or the best Mathematicians in the World - because if it were Easy, we would have the Mathematics to then do thoroughly Amazing things that would otherwise be Impossible. (This, of course, describes our current Technology!) If you're such a "Math Genius", then why aren't you doing PhD Level Mathematics: all it requires is Interest and understanding the prior Math! (One of my fellow Classmates at University was -- an 8 year old girl who was taking Graduate Level Math.) Studies in Calculus should be required of all Students, including those Majoring in the Written Humanities (I happen to be a Double Major), because they represent the most Important and Difficult Academic Ideas that are the basis of all of our Culture. Today's Women seem to be better at Math than Men because Mathematical Study requires Continuity in Education, and today Women consistently think more of School and therefore Learn more than Men. Actual honest to god Mathematics is less about "Learning" how to Answer to a Test and more about Learning and Living a new, different and entirely Unique way of thinking about Understanding and Interacting with Reality and our World. It's a wonderful Experience that done correctly helps the Individual Grow in Intellectual Maturity and as a Human Being.

Math Myths Dispelled!
Dina Miller, College Sophomore
Sierra College, Rocklin, CA

I enjoyed the article on Math Myths from the University of Alabama. All of the myths they discussed were very helpful.

I found two to be very insightful " Using Tools is Cheating" pointed out that tools like fingers and a computer can and should be used in math. The second myth, "The Magic Key", states that there is no magic key, that anyone can do math. They did point out that getting over any anxiety they are having is a great first step.

Overall, it was a very helpful article.

Thumbs Up
Soroush Motahari, College Freshman
Ca?ada College, Redwood City, CA

Very insightful. I had heard some of these myths before, but the way they're explained here is very good. It is very well written and the examples are really eye opening.

Very nice disclaimer
HS Sophomore
Ca?ada College, United States

As someone who has it pretty good with math (it makes sense to me) I can relate to quite a few of these myths. The "Good memory myth" and the "using tools is cheating myth" are especially well put. I generally derive formulas when doing higher math and while I can do math in my head, calculators are possibly the most useful things in math when it comes to solving equations. It makes sense to use them. Again, very nice

Cornell Note Taking
Carol Gatlin, College Sophomore
Ultimate Medical Academy, Tampa Florida

I have experience this method format in taking notes, and noting the principal facts to gain the correct answers in the math test. It is my opinion that the method really was helpful, and I sucessfully passed the math course.

Math Myths
Teddy Martin, College Junior
University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1000 University Ave Fairbanks, AK 99709

I enjoyed this article mainly because of its simple approach to dispelling some of the misconceptions of math. One of my favorite myths covered was the section talking about math being easy to those who are "math minded". Sure some people are naturally gifted in some areas over others, but the statement saying one's ability to solve a problem is not a measure of ability at all, but simply the result of experience and practice, rings very true to me. Like any other skill or talent, math is one that must be developed with experience and practice.

Math Myths Review
College Junior
Sierra College, Rocklin California

This is a very good article that describes the stereotypes involving math and the myths associated with success. The author does a great job of showing that success in math is not just based on IQ, but on the work that is put in to hone and sharpen skills. I do disagree with the author when they say "And there is nothing wrong with counting on fingers as an aid to doing arithmetic. This process actually indicates an understanding of arithmetic — more understanding than if everything were memorized." Things such as counting on fingers and using a calculator for basic arithmetic acts solely as a crutch to keep one from learning the material as well as slowing down in the calculation process. All in all this is a good article about the myths about math and what can be done to do well in math.