How to Improve Math Skills

Co-authored by Daron Cam and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: November 1, 2024 Approved

There’s no doubt about it: math is tough. As a result, a lot of kids (and adults!) struggle with math at some point in their lives. By building up your skills and practicing every day, you can make math a little less frustrating and have a higher chance of success. Use these tips and tricks during school, while you’re studying, and when you’re out and about to break down and complete math problems easily.

1

Play math games.

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Build up your skills while having some fun! Look for online games that match your age and education level for the best experience. You can get computer games online or download apps on your phone to play games on the go. Try sites like:^{[1]
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Expert Interview. 29 May 2020.}
- DragonBox 5+ which lets you gradually build your algebra skills until you’re able to master more and more advanced equations.
- Prodigy, a game targeted at elementary-school students, that integrates math practice into a role-playing game that allows players to use math to make their way through an appealing fantasy world.
- Polyup, a calculator-based math game for more advanced high school and college students.

2

Practice math in everyday scenarios.

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Make math part of your daily life to practice it without even thinking. For example, if a sweater that’s regularly $38 is on sale for 30% off, what is the sale price? ($26.60). Or if you need to double a recipe that calls for 3/4 cup of flour, how much flour will you need? (1.5 cups).^{[2]
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- Or, if you plan to hike a new trail that’s 7 miles long and it takes you 20 minutes to walk a mile, how long should you plan for your hike to take? (2 hours and 36 minutes).

3

Use mental math if you can.

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Doing math in your head can help you remember key concepts. Some problems, like geometry or calculus, require a pencil and paper to get started; however, math basics like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are ones you can do in your head. If you come across an easy problem, do it in your mind first before resorting to a calculator.
- If you’re worried about your mental math skills, you can always double check your answer on your phone or computer.
EXPERT TIP

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher
Joseph Meyer is a High School Math Teacher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at City Charter High School, where he has been teaching for over 7 years. Joseph is also the founder of Sandbox Math, an online learning community dedicated to helping students succeed in Algebra. His site is set apart by its focus on fostering genuine comprehension through step-by-step understanding (instead of just getting the correct final answer), enabling learners to identify and overcome misunderstandings and confidently take on any test they face. He received his MA in Physics from Case Western Reserve University and his BA in Physics from Baldwin Wallace University.

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher

Develop your mental math skills. Mental math is when you perform mathematical calculations without using calculators, paper, or counting aids. Use your mind, memory, lessons, and discussions with your classmates to refine your math skills and build strong problem-solving strategies.

4

Review math concepts every day.

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Practice makes perfect, and math is no exception. Set a study schedule for yourself and try to review your math problems for 15 to 20 minutes per day (or more if a test is coming up). Your skills will build up over time with not much effort on your part!^{[3]
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- Make note cards. Write out important concepts and formulas on note cards so that you can easily refer to them while doing problems and use them for study guides before exams.
- Study in a quiet place. Distractions, whether aural or visual, will detract both from your ability to pay attention and to retain information.
- Study when you’re alert and rested. Don’t try to force yourself to study late at night or when you’re sleep-deprived.

5

Show your work, not just your answers.

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Writing it all out can help you spot mistakes. As you work through a problem, use a pencil to write out what you did and how you did it. Some teachers require you to show your work anyway, so it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.^{[4]
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- Showing your work can also help you check your answers on homework and test problems.
- Don’t solve math problems with a pen! Use a pencil so you can erase and correct mistakes if they happen.

6

Sketch out word problems to give yourself a visual.

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Word problems are usually tougher than straight math problems. If you’re struggling with picturing the problem on the page, grab a pencil and get to drawing. You don’t have to be an artist—make a few circles to represent pies or some stick figures to stand in for people. Use your visuals to help you solve the problem as you work through it.^{[5]
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- For example, a problem might say, “If you have 4 pieces of candy split evenly into 2 bags, how many pieces of candy are in each bag?” You could draw 2 squares to represent the bags, then fill in 4 circles split between them to represent the candy.

7

Practice with example problems.

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You can find tons of example problems online. If you’re going over a concept, look it up and try 2 to 3 problems on your own. Check the answers to figure out if you got them right, and study the concept again if you didn’t.^{[6]
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- Your teacher might also be able to give you some extra example problems if you ask for them.
- Using example problems is a great way to practice for a test.
- Identify which skills and concepts you’ll need to solve the problem. This will give you an overall sense of what you’ll need to do to find the solution.^{[7]
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  Daron Cam
  Academic Tutor
  
  Expert Interview. 29 May 2020.}

8

Look up lessons online.

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Sometimes you need a little more explanation to really understand. If you’re having trouble and you don’t have class for a few days, try looking up a math lesson online. There are tons of resources for math students out there, including:
- PatrickJMT on YouTube, a college math professor
- Khan Academy, a website with video lessons and interactive study guides
- Breaking Math, a podcast for math concepts

9

Master one concept before moving onto the next.

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In math, each topic builds upon the last one. It’s super hard to move forward if you don’t understand the previous lesson. If there’s something you aren’t quite getting, spend some extra time studying it or doing homework problems to really cement it into your mind.^{[8]
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- If you’re struggling with a particular idea or concept, don’t skip it and move ahead. Instead, seek help from the instructor or a tutor until you’ve mastered the idea.^{[9]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Daron Cam
  Academic Tutor
  
  Expert Interview. 29 May 2020.}
EXPERT TIP

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher
Joseph Meyer is a High School Math Teacher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at City Charter High School, where he has been teaching for over 7 years. Joseph is also the founder of Sandbox Math, an online learning community dedicated to helping students succeed in Algebra. His site is set apart by its focus on fostering genuine comprehension through step-by-step understanding (instead of just getting the correct final answer), enabling learners to identify and overcome misunderstandings and confidently take on any test they face. He received his MA in Physics from Case Western Reserve University and his BA in Physics from Baldwin Wallace University.

Joseph Meyer
Math Teacher

Review basic concepts before diving into advanced topics. Identifying the gaps in your knowledge helps you avoid difficulties later on. Take an assessment or get your teacher's advice on where you can improve. Practice targeted exercises to build a strong foundation so you can confidently tackle new lessons.

10

Teach math problem or concept to someone else.

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Learning by teaching someone is a great way to solidify concepts. Invite a friend or family member over and explain to them what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. If you get stuck, review your notes or textbook again until you can explain it clearly and concisely.^{[10]
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- Have your friend or family member ask you questions, too. Try to answer them as best you can to really practice.

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Why do I struggle in math?

Daron Cam
Math Tutor
Daron Cam is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of Bay Area Tutors, Inc., a San Francisco Bay Area-based tutoring service that provides tutoring in mathematics, science, and overall academic confidence building. Daron has over eight years of teaching math in classrooms and over nine years of one-on-one tutoring experience. He teaches all levels of math including calculus, pre-algebra, algebra I, geometry, and SAT/ACT math prep. Daron holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and a math teaching credential from St. Mary's College.

Daron Cam

Math Tutor

Expert Answer

Math can be challenging for anyone! The different concepts of math are structured like a pyramid, so. if you don't understand the more basic math skills it can be really hard to learn more complicated stuff at the top of the pyramid. I would recommend asking your teacher for help. If you're still struggling, consider hiring a private tutor. They'll be able to address the topics you still need help with so you can become a strong math student.

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Question

How does math relate to daily life?

Daron Cam
Math Tutor
Daron Cam is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of Bay Area Tutors, Inc., a San Francisco Bay Area-based tutoring service that provides tutoring in mathematics, science, and overall academic confidence building. Daron has over eight years of teaching math in classrooms and over nine years of one-on-one tutoring experience. He teaches all levels of math including calculus, pre-algebra, algebra I, geometry, and SAT/ACT math prep. Daron holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and a math teaching credential from St. Mary's College.

Daron Cam

Math Tutor

Expert Answer

You probably use math more than you realize! Math is super important. Try to relate the math concepts you're learning in class to things that are happening in your real life to help you understand.

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Question

How can I learn math for fun?

Daron Cam
Math Tutor
Daron Cam is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of Bay Area Tutors, Inc., a San Francisco Bay Area-based tutoring service that provides tutoring in mathematics, science, and overall academic confidence building. Daron has over eight years of teaching math in classrooms and over nine years of one-on-one tutoring experience. He teaches all levels of math including calculus, pre-algebra, algebra I, geometry, and SAT/ACT math prep. Daron holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and a math teaching credential from St. Mary's College.

Daron Cam

Math Tutor

Expert Answer

Try playing online math games for a fun way to learn and practice math. You can find a lot of free math games.

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Relate the math concepts that you’re learning to real-world examples to make the work meaningful to you.^{[11]
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Daron Cam
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Expert Interview. 29 May 2020.}

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Try not to fall behind in your homework or schoolwork. The more you keep up in class, the easier it will be.

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