Simple: I Just find a book and bash the problems until I have destroyed the whole book! I would suggest the same method for you.

Planning on doing that tomorrow. Got a test this Wednesday.

That's what I do! There are shreds and tatters of once proud books scattered all over my office.

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"No matter how fast or how far you run, you're still in the space where you are." -- Russell

I've been working for about 12 hours and I'm calling it a night. 8 straight just sitting here doing problems.

I hope I get a good grade. I think I've got most of the content down pretty well, but I'm sure there are going to be some nasty surprises on the test.

Update:

I took the test last night and I was one of the last three to leave the room. I don't know how I did. I put in a lot more time into this test and understood the content better but when it came to the test she threw some curve balls.

Like graphs of exponential and logarithmic functions. No mention of it and wasn't in the homework. We're also not allowed to use graphing calculators, so I had to borrow my sister's and it didn't even have a Pi key. I thought that was the most ridiculous crud ever. I wrote that in an answer though.

For the most part, it looked formidable. I was able to answer most of the questions and I never left an answer blank. Unlike last test because on that one I truly had no clue to even answer some of the problems. I'm not sure I got them right on this one, so that can't put me in a good position. I reviewed and reviewed and even met in the library with the smartest kid in class...he helped me understand it a lot better but test time came and I was second guessing myself. I did the homework thrice over.

I'm seriously starting to worry because if I get a bad exam again, this is gonna really put me on the line. I only have 5 tests and then a final. If I don't pass this one class, I don't get into Calculus next semester. I know I can pass the College Algebra CLEP if you give me like one whole month of study time (intersession, got December 13th to February something off). I'm good when I have a lot of time like that, but everything is so rushed and compacted. Bah.

I sincerely hope your result reflects the effort you put into it. Best of the very best of luck.

If you don't make it this time, there are other routes in.

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"No matter how fast or how far you run, you're still in the space where you are." -- Russell

I did better but not much better...

I got a 62. There was an assignment where we could earn an additional 3% to that, which I did...I don't really count it though because it wasn't earned.

It looks like we're done pretty much with a chunk of the College Algebra portion of the course. We started on Trigonometry today, which is a subject I enjoy 'cause I also have a Trigonometry class and I got an A on my first test for that class and I'm pretty confident I'll get an A on my next test.

I was also able to answer the questions for the teacher before anyone else did (the teacher assumes everyone took Trigonometry already). It comes really easy to me and I don't see why I had so much trouble with the algebra...I could do the homework...it wasn't that hard...oh well.

EDIT: Took Trig test. Aced it.

Written in priority order:
1. Compress 300 page textbook in 30 pages of notebook, by maintaining all essential info.
2. Think very hard (and long) about theoretical concepts and make sure I understand them (while doing number 1).
3. Do homework
4. Ideally do extra problems or go over their solutions, but I never have the time for this.
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Before exam:
1. Go over 30 pages of notebook, rather than 300 pages of textbook, and compress info I need to memorize on 1 page only!
2. Go over homeworks and their solutions
3. Ideally do extra problems or go over their solutions, but I never have the time for this.

Does anybody else study like this? I've never met anyone that does.

I embarked on step 1 when trying to get my head round topology a few years ago. Worked like a dream. You learn by writing it down better than you do by just reading.

You might also add to the list: do past papers. Over and over again if necessary.

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"No matter how fast or how far you run, you're still in the space where you are." -- Russell

It's good to hear you're acing the trig stuff. That should balance out your grade a lot.

You definitely don't suffer from lack of effort which puts you ahead of 99% of undergrad students. I really think you just need to study smarter, but you obviously get this by making this thread.

After the time you put in studying I find it very surprising that you encounter problems that you cannot start at all. What do you think this means about how you prepared? With algebra, you can lose lots of points here and there because there are so many steps. That kind of error is much better than a completely conceptual one.

Can you give an example of a problem on the test which stumped you 100%?

I like to have music on while I study math.

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Life is complex: it has both real and imaginary components.

I mainly do two things: I answer all the relevant homework problems and a few extra if I'm having trouble and I explain the steps and reasoning to myself in my own words. I pretty much word it in a way that if someone asks me, I can it explain it to them. Teaching others is a great way to study and reinforce what you've learned.

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Everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon.

I'll take a problem off the test and put it on here sometime tomorrow or on Wednesday. Wednesday's my next exam, my trig one. I should do really well because all of what's been taught is review for me, which I already know really well to begin with as it's still fresh in my mind. I've worked the homework though and I'm going to work it again tomorrow as prep.

I don't know what that says about my studying though. It's like a potshot when it comes to the exam and the questions are randomly generated (it seems, I haven't found any logical sequence or number of certain questions). However, today she did tell me that it'd be largely about just Chapter 4 and everything in there's pretty darn easy (basic trig) with very simple proving identity problems from Chapter 5. I'm thinking she chose examples though for a reason, but I haven't matched my notes up with any of the test questions that popped up though. She also gave us another hint that what we saw on the quiz today (aced it) would be similar to what'd be on the test also. Nothing that difficult.

I thought about condensing my book to a level of understanding the essentials, but it's not that needed because the text isn't much useful to look at to begin with. All of the example problems in the Larson text are pretty irrelevant to the homework and I usually get the right answers working the problems just fine. If I need to, I use the solution's manual (which you'd probably benefit more from than the actual book).

I have an abundance of extra problems I could work seeing as I own more than five texts on pre-calculus itself with some more problem-solving oriented than others. It's far more than I need but good practice.

My brain - I don't know if I'll ever fully understand how I learn. I was tested in school all of the time and always came up as an auditory learner. That has its advantages but yeah. I can usually recall with great detail what someone's said. I have a pretty good memory, but I hate memorizing. It's the learning that's important. The trig stuff sticks though. I basically can just recall the unit circle in my mind. I see a lot of things in my mind as clear pictures. Researching some tricks helps too rather than go on the conventional method. There's usually a more efficient way of getting an answer, I think. Sometimes I get really confused when a problem looks like it's made in a way that I haven't seen before.

I do - and it's an excellent study plan (even if I do say so myself)! Although for me the "30 page notebook" is essentially just a statement of all definitions, theorems etc. and I never advise anyone to do it because I believe people can use it to procrastinate (I used to a bit, and I would say it is very helpful but less helpful than doing problems and past papers).

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Hello everybody! Awesome thread, it should be stickied. There is some very good advice in here.

Here are a few tips I can give. They work for me; I can't say they would work for everybody. But my 4.0 GPA might attest to their efficiency.

1. Do not take notes in class, if you have a textbook. Instead, learn to listen and to do the math in your head along with the professor. Try to anticipate proofs, and try to relate what you hear to what you already know. I can't believe so many people take notes and think that they help. Taking notes is counterproductive because: a) it takes your attention away from the content, and you have to concentrate on writing instead of using your energy to understand; b) class notes are often a terrible study aid, because, given that you did not understand what you wrote when you wrote it down, you'll understand it even less when you come back to read it before the exam; and c) because it will not help you use a textbook properly, and in fact I notice that many people who frantically write down everything the teacher is saying are absolutely incapable of using their textbook as reference, and they are often actually scared to do so.
If you try this, you'll notice that the professor will often end up talking to you, because you'll be the only one really listening.
It takes some guts to try this, so maybe try it in an easy course in which you have a good, reliable textbook. You'll never look back - I haven't taken notes in class for many years, and I rarely forget what I learn.

2. Think about what you learn. Always test your knowledge, and challenge yourself to come up with proofs of the fundamental concepts. You might get discouraged often, because you'll realize that you don't understand the basics as well as you thought you did; but after working hard to fill in the gaps, you will be miles ahead of everybody else.

3. Read about the course material before the course. Buy your textbook, and read the first few chapters before school starts. You'll find that, once the course has started, everybody will struggle to understand and you'll just be coasting along. Even better is to keep your advance throughout the semester - always be a couple of chapters ahead of everyone.

4. Love what you do, and convince yourself that it's really easy. It will become easy.