math dummy

[CarolinaGirl]

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Okay so it has only been almost ten years since HS and basic math. I am working some of the mcat stuff and my problem is how to work the equation. I know I learned it a long time ago but I need some help. Is there any good site that I can read about working square roots, Sin/Cosine/Tan, etc?



p.s. I HATE MATH!😱

 

[smuwillobrien]

A lot of MCAT review books have an Appendix which will review this stuff - it isn't that important for the MCAT - I don't remember having to do much actual math, it was much more conceptual.

 

[akinf]

Yea, for the MCAT, if you find yourself having to do some math you find a little difficult, you are probably approaching the problem incorrectly or the long way. Typically, for the math on the MCAT, you just need to find where factors and multiples can cancel to simplify to smaller numbers that are much easier to deal with. Look for this whenever you have to do a calculation question. Also, you will often have to estimate (so 5.2/2.2 is roughly 5/2, but just account for it by knowing it should be a little smaller than 2.5)

 

[Funky]

i think the EK verbal book which has math in the beginning does a good job with teaching how to do mcat math. Whenever you need to do a sin/cos/tan on the mcat, they usually give you something easy like sin(30) or something like that. they would even give you the value for a sin/cos/tan of an angle if it's not either 0,30,60,90

 

[Terpskins99]

Okay so it has only been almost ten years since HS and basic math. I am working some of the mcat stuff and my problem is how to work the equation. I know I learned it a long time ago but I need some help. Is there any good site that I can read about working square roots, Sin/Cosine/Tan, etc?

p.s. I HATE MATH!😱

The easiest and cheapest way to address this is by borrowing an Algebra II/Trig book from your local library. And just practice.

Don't forget "SOH CAH TOA" (eg Sin = Opposite over Hypotenuse).

For square roots, you should just memorize the squares of the most common ones (most mcat prep books will tell you to do the same).
Square of 4 = 16
Square of 5 = 25
Square of 6 = 36
Square of 7 = 49
Square of 8 = 64
Square of 9 = 81
Square of 10 = 100
Square of 11 = 121
Square of 12 = 144
Square of 15 = 225
Square of 25 = 625