Best review if weak in math

[MSc44]

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As some may have read previous posts, im a recient graduated MS student working full time in Alzheimer's research. I am not the greatest in math and need to really brush up on it. (for chem and physics sections) and suggestions on what i could use to do so??????

How are the EK books.....

any books out there that explain the math of the problems in a bit more detail

since i work full time and will be studying at night and on weekends i want to use my time Effectively

thanks

 

[shantster]

What are your problems with math? Do you have more problems manipulating the equations or with the actual number crunching.

What helps me doing the problems is to simplify the number-crunching step as much as possible by using algebra until the final step. If that part is tripping you up, try to find some basic/intermediate algebra workbooks to go through. Those will get you used to doing the algebra steps. It's also important to know basic algebra since some of the questions will ask you something about if the distance is doubled, what happens to the electric field on a point charge. Those questions will sometimes give you all the numbers to do the calculations, but it's much easier to be able to do it algebraically (e.g. the e-field decreases by a factor of 4 since the equation is E=kq/r^2).

For number crunching, I set everything into scientific notation before doing the problems. It helps simplify it since you can get down to the power of ten that you are using. Then just do the math on the numbers. EK has a basic review on that in the intro lecture in the verbal book.

I hope that helps, if something doesn't make sense, just let me know.

 

[zimmie256]

As some may have read previous posts, im a recient graduated MS student working full time in Alzheimer's research. I am not the greatest in math and need to really brush up on it. (for chem and physics sections) and suggestions on what i could use to do so??????

How are the EK books.....

any books out there that explain the math of the problems in a bit more detail

since i work full time and will be studying at night and on weekends i want to use my time Effectively

thanks

I don't know your educational background, but for most MCAT problems you don't really need to grind out the numbers all the way to a final answer. My best advice (and take with a grain of salt, I haven't gotten my scores back yet!) would be to do as many practice problems as you can. But the key is to spend at least as much time reviewing the tests as you do taking them, especially in the beginning. This will help you identify specific concepts and types of MCAT math problems that you are weaker in. Since it sounds like your time is limited, I think that's probably the best way to master MCAT math, which is not the same as what you do in a typical math class. For the MCAT, it's especially important to recognize when you can estimate, learn to eliminate answers without doing calculations and learn to do problems quickly. Get very comfortable working with scientific notation. Also make sure you know how to estimate logs without calculating (needed for chem). Good luck!

 

[jsnuka]

Become VERY familiar with the sine cosine and tangent of 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree angles.

Everything else is recognizing units and using algebra. That is, being comfortable enuf with the formulas to know which one to use when and what the likely answer will be.

 

[MSc44]

What are your problems with math? Do you have more problems manipulating the equations or with the actual number crunching.

What helps me doing the problems is to simplify the number-crunching step as much as possible by using algebra until the final step. If that part is tripping you up, try to find some basic/intermediate algebra workbooks to go through. Those will get you used to doing the algebra steps. It's also important to know basic algebra since some of the questions will ask you something about if the distance is doubled, what happens to the electric field on a point charge. Those questions will sometimes give you all the numbers to do the calculations, but it's much easier to be able to do it algebraically (e.g. the e-field decreases by a factor of 4 since the equation is E=kq/r^2).

For number crunching, I set everything into scientific notation before doing the problems. It helps simplify it since you can get down to the power of ten that you are using. Then just do the math on the numbers. EK has a basic review on that in the intro lecture in the verbal book.

I hope that helps, if something doesn't make sense, just let me know.

Yea its totally manipulating the equations, and how to get what you finally need (i dont know if that makes sence) Im not the greatest at number crunching however im not so worried about that because i can brush up on that. Its how to manipulate the mathamatical science equations allong with conversions and stuff of that nature.....its so bad i can sit there for hours stumped. Its strange because i did well in gen chem and physics but it was murder for me. i was a bio major and every other science class i ever took in my like i never got lower then an A in, including every biology class i ever tookincluding undergrad and graduate ( i have an MS in molecular Bio) as well as both Organic chems. I was never great at math and i suppose this stems all the way back from when i was real young and not being a great fan of math.
So this is where im at, and im siking my self out about it. And at this point i dont know where to begin i suppose. I just need to get over this MCAT hill. Its the only think keeping me from doing what i really want, but its mainly the math that is the major part of being intimidated by the MCAT


SORRY for ranting....just needed to vent that out
were u in a similar boat???
Was anyone???
Thanks for the input and keep it comming

 

[quarterhorsecol]

yeah i was in the same boat but things are much better now. I think a good place to start is making sure you can +/-/x/divide exponents, understand basic sin/cos trig functions, know how to rearrange equations, and understand proportionalities and inverse relationships. These are all things I didn't really understand until recently (i'll admit it).

I would strongly reccommend EK 1001 for chem and physics in order to improve your math skills in these areas. Nova's MCAT physics is also great. Both helped me to overcome any math shortcomings in a matter of a couple of weeks.

 

[MSc44]

yeah i was in the same boat but things are much better now. I think a good place to start is making sure you can +/-/x/divide exponents, understand basic sin/cos trig functions, know how to rearrange equations, and understand proportionalities and inverse relationships. These are all things I didn't really understand until recently (i'll admit it).

I would strongly reccommend EK 1001 for chem and physics in order to improve your math skills in these areas. Nova's MCAT physics is also great. Both helped me to overcome any math shortcomings in a matter of a couple of weeks.

wow....yea, what yo usaid above deffinetly hit the nail on the head, with the exception of +/- and x.....honistly i dont know or remember how to do all the rest. Thats why i begen to freak and feel like i needed to re learn all of high school math .......i felt so far behind

do these books actually explain how to do this????
were there any other resources that you used???

 

[HunterGatherer]

EK's Complete Package has some good tips on calculations in the physics book, it goes over log functions well in the chem book, and the Math/Verbal book goes over proportions and other Math.

I remember making a chart for sin/cos of 0, 30, 45, 60, 90 degrees and going over that many times so I don't think EK covers that. Memorizing that chart cold is a good idea for the MCAT even though the info is usually given.

I think the SDN MCAT forum goes over some of these topics in the FAQ sections

 

[grapeflavorsoda]

As some may have read previous posts, im a recient graduated MS student working full time in Alzheimer's research. I am not the greatest in math and need to really brush up on it. (for chem and physics sections) and suggestions on what i could use to do so??????

How are the EK books.....

any books out there that explain the math of the problems in a bit more detail

since i work full time and will be studying at night and on weekends i want to use my time Effectively

thanks

if you are really worried about math because of the mcat, just browse through any rudimentary algebra books(i am sure your school library has it if your school offers either education or business degrees). it shouldn't take more than 2 hours to browse through the whole book. pay some attention to sections concerning trigs and logs along with some basic shapes of the graphs of various common function types(exponential, logs, trigs, inverse, etc) if you are not totally comfortable with it.

 

[Sundarban1]

To answer your question, the best book for MCAT prep math would be Schaum's outline of basic mathmatics (with applications for science and technology). It offers a complete review, more so than any of the MCAT test prep companies.

 

[shantster]

Yea its totally manipulating the equations, and how to get what you finally need (i dont know if that makes sence) Im not the greatest at number crunching however im not so worried about that because i can brush up on that. Its how to manipulate the mathamatical science equations allong with conversions and stuff of that nature.....its so bad i can sit there for hours stumped. Its strange because i did well in gen chem and physics but it was murder for me. i was a bio major and every other science class i ever took in my like i never got lower then an A in, including every biology class i ever tookincluding undergrad and graduate ( i have an MS in molecular Bio) as well as both Organic chems. I was never great at math and i suppose this stems all the way back from when i was real young and not being a great fan of math.
So this is where im at, and im siking my self out about it. And at this point i dont know where to begin i suppose. I just need to get over this MCAT hill. Its the only think keeping me from doing what i really want, but its mainly the math that is the major part of being intimidated by the MCAT


SORRY for ranting....just needed to vent that out
were u in a similar boat???
Was anyone???
Thanks for the input and keep it comming

Since it is the manipulation of the equations, find algebra practice booklets or textbooks to get you used to the manipulations. If you know someone that is good at doing those things (or you know someone that knows someone), have that person go over some basics with you.

My biggest tip is look at the units. If you have something like g/mol and you want to convert it into grams, you will multiple by moles to get the answer. Notice that multiplying the units would give you (g*mol)/mol, and the moles would cancel to give you g.

Good luck!

 

[PRamos]

I am not the greatest in math and need to really brush up on it. (for chem and physics sections) and suggestions on what i could use to do so??????

any books out there that explain the math of the problems in a bit more detail

The very best thing by far from what i found wasn't a book at all. One of the teachers at Berkeley Review put out a few packets (about twnety pages or so, not that much) on different math tricks for logs, exponents, ratios, etc...

I'm not too fond of math either, and his tricks showed me how to zero in on the best answer in a multiple-choice question without really calculating. I unfortunately gave my stuff away, but if you can find someone who took BR and had Todd teaching physics and chemistry, see if you can get a copy of his math packets.

 

[Dr.Andrews]

Become VERY familiar with the sine cosine and tangent of 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90 degree angles.

Everything else is recognizing units and using algebra. That is, being comfortable enuf with the formulas to know which one to use when and what the likely answer will be.

There are two triangles that you can use to help you remember those values as they are pretty important 🙂

 

[jsnuka]

There are two triangles that you can use to help you remember those values as they are pretty important 🙂

Do you mean 30-60-90 and 45-45-90?

 

[shantster]

Do you mean 30-60-90 and 45-45-90?

I'm thinking that it's 3-4-5 and 5-12-13 (side lengths for right triangles)