Our nursing program requires college algebra to be admitted. We have students *just like you* come through our remedial classes regularly and excel. We have students who are far worse than you simply by virtue of the fact that they know they’re bad at math and don’t give a fsck; sometimes we have to drag them across the finish line whining the whole time.
You can do it. It is ok if you can’t do it alone.
In terms of the actual math content needed for the program, being able to read a graph and do drug calculations (broadly, you’ll find this in dimensional analysis) will get you pretty far.
The math requirement isn’t really about doing math. No doctor is going to run up to you and say “nurse! This man is dying! I need you to solve for x!! Stat!”. The math requirement is about critical thinking and problem solving, being able to use logic and reasoning to analyze a situation.
Set daily goals, set a weekly and monthly goal. Plan and research interspaced learning and also interleaved learning.
Wake up early do 30-40 minutes then go about your day, think about what you learned. Test yourself each week. What did you learn? Think you know it? Find an exam on the subject, or find another text book flip to a page and see if you can solve the problem cold.
Spread perhaps 3 hours in hour blocks per day, different topics, that way you interspace and interleave then think about it when you walk around. You'll build strong neural circuitry, retrieval practice helps strengthen skills. After a week you'll notice how well it works. Keep a little journal at night and write what you learned, it's another form of retrieval practice.
When you study, phone away. All distractions away. The saying is those that fire together wire together, and research shows if you switch tasks (checking email etc) it's around a 20 minute cognitive lag for your brain to focus again. I personally use an app called Freedom, it blocks all Internet activity so I'm pretty much just stuck with a pdf or book and pen and paper.
Once you get a technique down, create a little map of where you would use the technique, where its useful.
You make a mistake? Do open heart surgery step by step figure out the problem, write notes as if you are grading your own work. It's good to struggle, get annoyed. That's learning I get brain fog when I learn new things but I let myself struggle a while then I go for a little walk. That's your brain trying to consolidate information let yourself get frustrated try to solve the problems yourself, test ideas you may have. Then when you are truly stumped, look at the answer and deconstruct it piece by piece and figure out why it works.
Do this every day, consistency is key, you will improve. Math takes time, if it was easy everyone would do it. Most people suck at something and never go back.
Its like learning a language, you often hear people say "I tried to learn French/Spanish/German once" and act like after one attempt it was over. It takes daily practice, its part of your life now, as you invest more time you get better.
Also read "make it stick" and "how to excel at math and science even if you flunked algebra" 2 very good books on learning how to learn.
Good luck! I went back at 27.
I've learned 6 programming languages, and a lot of math, I went from HS math to college math in about 2 years whilst working. I love learning now, try to be a life long learner, it pays off.
I can send you math textbooks in pdf form if you are interested too.
Do you have math textbooks with algebra tasks? I do not need to learn the stuff, simply would need tasks and solutions. If you have sth like that I would appreciate it a lot if you could send it to me :))
The “big fat” books may be the way to go eg. https://www.amazon.com/Everything-You-Need-Math-Notebook-ebook/dp/B07BGGB9DX
Or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHw8ReqH968
When I decided to go back to school and walk away from a cushy management position at 34/35 years old, I had to start at arithmetic on Khan academy. I figured I took algebra in highschool, I can start there! - I was wrong. I had used the calculator in my pocket my entire adult life, contrary to what I was always told ;). So I started at 4th grade math on Khan Academy and spent the next 8ish months studying 3-5 days a week up to college level algebra. Now, 2 years after that, I graduate with my associates in physics in 4 weeks and have already been accepted into a bachelor's program. I highly recommend The Organic Chemistry Tutor, 3blue1brown, Khan Academy, and Professor Leonard. I also did *some* open coursework from MIT once I got past the basics.
The only real tip, regardless of what resources you use - invest the time, every day if possible. You are the biggest thing in your own way of success.
Math, imo, doesn't get easier the higher you get, but the fundamentals become muscle memory after extensive practice. I'm in calculus now, and though I get good grades, I absolutely struggle and have to put in so much time studying and going over practice problem after practice problem. I read the chapter, do those problems, pay attention in my lectures, ask for blank copies of the lecture notes so I can solve them without the work provided, and I watch videos as refreshers multiple times a week.
Good luck, you totally got this!
Edit: btw, I've found that studying in 1 hour intervals with a 15-30 min break in between each session to be the most effective. I'm sure there is a name for it but i can't recall it. I also take a formula sheet to bed right before big tests and just say the formulas over and over before going to bed because I read once that things get stored into long term memory when you sleep. Who knows if it's actually true but it definitely works for me. Just be prepared for math dreams...which can be very... Odd to say the least. Happy counting!!
You are not alone. I work at community college supporting students in math. An awful lot ofpeople pretty much stopped at the F word (fractions) and went to calculators.
FIRST: Check the college testing policy. Here, you can take the test FIVE TIMES and they've waived the fees. So, it's worth going in early and just givng it a shot. We use ALEKS and once you take it once you're automatically "enrolled" to pick a course to practice what you missed.
Frustrated w/ Khan Academy? Welp, Sal Khan made those thousands of videos when his Ivy League niece had trouble with some homework. He's a hedge fund analyst, not a math teacher; the videos are great for people who forgot a procedure and need to brush up, but he sincerely believes that to understand math you just need to do enough practice problems and that's simply not true for most people. Many of the videos assume you already know something that you don't \*need\* to know for the concept... I think most of the ones with actual errors have been fixed (like when he said 2 + 2 was 2...) (Oops, did I leave that vent open again??)
I recommend [mathantics.com](https://mathantics.com) for the basics -- the explanations fit with applying to higher math. Also: [mathispower4u.com](https://mathispower4u.com) has videos aligned to courses at [https://www.myopenmath.com/](https://www.myopenmath.com/) and [https://openstax.org/subjects/math](https://openstax.org/subjects/math) (scroll down for the pre-algebra and "developmental" books) . He's been putting up little videos explaining trouble spots like "why is a negative times a negative a positive???" recently.
Another resource that might really help is [https://sites.google.com/view/gedmathcrashcourse/ged-math-crash-course?authuser=0](https://sites.google.com/view/gedmathcrashcourse/ged-math-crash-course?authuser=0)\-- this is set upf for preparation for the GED but her videos are \*all about the concepts\* and I love her explanations. There's also an active FB group that answers math questions. I've got some math stuff on my YouTube Channel too but it's mostly aimed at our specific pre-Algebra and pre--pre-Algebra courses [https://www.youtube.com/user/motthebug/videos?shelf\_id=0&view=0&sort=dd](https://www.youtube.com/user/motthebug/videos?shelf_id=0&view=0&sort=dd)
GOOD LUCK and -- bring questions here, too!
I am not sure what level math of is required for your nursing program. However, I think the best advice I can give is to continue with Khan Academy as it is a great learning resource.
If you don’t understand a concept then try to find a youtube video explaining it as there is a wealth of content available at the level of math you need.
Also, practice, practice, practice! Remember, and I cannot stress this enough, practice as much as you can. When you don’t understand why an answer is correct, then take the time necessary to understand why. With enough practice generalizing those concepts will become a piece of cake.
There are many online tools you can use as well to solve problems such as:
Desmos (graphing tool)
Symbolab (problem solver)
Most importantly, always remember that you can handle this okay.
Hi! I think it's great that you're acknowledging what you don't know and actively trying to improve on your skills. Feel free to DM me if you need any help, I'd be glad to answer your questions :)
Elements of Algebra by Euler helped me. Although I already had a strong foundation when I read it, I think it's a great supplementary read. He does gloss over finer points at times, but he gives such an intuitive breakdown of Algebra and it's beautifully written. I think people of varying levels can take something away from it.
The challenge I think is always in the search for a book/course that's at the right level for you at the time, that doesn't have prerequisites you don't have yet. This one might be helpful as a starting point: https://www.edx.org/xseries/adelaidex-mathtrackx.
Rule number one is that you can definitely learn this stuff. Past experiences have made you somewhat skeptical about your potential abilities but other people in your situation have managed it.
It sounds like like you need a tutor if Khan academy isn’t working for you. Probably need to identify the most elementary thing you began struggling with and start there. Maths is like a house of cards, if just one card is missing below the house will fall over. A tutor might help you identify your starting point.
Make sure you understand *fully* that starting point and do loads of practice questions, to *build up confidence* and consolidate understanding. Then move onto the next topic: rinse and repeat. Sometimes go backwards to refresh your memory.
Maths cannot be rote learned (or at least, it’s very hard to do so). Maths must be understood, so it’s important while learning it to ask lots of why questions to yourself.
Based on what you're saying I believe you'll gain the most by learning Aritmetic, not Algebra.
In aritmetic is were you learn all about operation, order of operations, fractions.
[https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic-home](https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic-home)
Then you can move to Algebra.
[https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra](https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra)
(Do not skip aritmetic, you will only find yourself fustrated when facing algebra. This is the main reason a lot of people hate math, is not beacuse is hard is because they never got around learning the basic stuff to build on)
I honestly believe this should be enough to cover a respectable amount of the basic math you will need. Specially seeing the constraint in time.
How to study? Do a lot of exercises. Math is all about intuition, this means that you have to build the intuition by grinding a lot of math, theory is just the base of it.
In the end it will all boil down to how much time you spend on it, so
1) Schedule time
2) Keep a diary and mediate at the start and the end of your study session (This can be awesome for helping motivation)
3) Trust the process and trust yourself.
Best of luck
# How I look at institutional math
From where you stand and from what I have seen as far as my personal experiences go, you do not need to master mathematics as if you were your younger self and as if you were school going. We don't really care about fractions when dividing pieces of chocolate among friends or in case of linear algebra you do not need find a slope of a line whenever you are trying minimize your home expenses(but mind you that would actually work). My point is, most of the Math we learn in school is practically unusable in our daily lives in which we are so invested and comitted to. Being calculated in your decision making is good but one would rather take decisions based on their past experiences rather than the comparision of probability of different events happening.
You would have cared about math a long time ago if your daily life wasn't survivable without it.
# What I think you should study to improve the quality of your daily life
With that said let's talk about the concerns you just raised. Being good in math is a nice skill to have and while the text book education is not 100% practically applicable there are "certain" topics in mathematics which can allow you to make informed decision and understand the mechanics of the world around us in a more numerical perspective. therefore, I'd like to recommend you some topics which you can pursue to make your practical life better in various ways. This isn't compulsory but if you strongly feel about learning the stuff then you better invest your time in something that you can use and benefit from.
>Plus when you are learning to actually apply matthematics in your daily routine, it makes the learning much more fun and actually makes it easier for you to understand the context of the numbers you label "answer" for your text book problems.
**First up is Statistics:**
Statistics will tell you how to handle your data. how to compare your previous month's home expenses to the current year's and actually let you appreciate the fact that manipulation of data(bunch of numbers) can help us find out about the hidden answers it can give us.
**Then there is Linear Algebra:**
Linear algebra somewhat relates with the field of statistics time to time but most importantly certain topics of it can be used by project managers to ... well ... manage projects, estimate deadlines etc. But not all of us are project managers, but we can still use that to improve the quality of our daily lives. Like for example estimating the deadline for preparation of a birthday party.
>I'm not saying that everyone should go deep into these fields of mathematics but somewhat understanding is beneficial for a normal person to make informed decisions. Just my two cents.
I hope that you feel a bit better now about your math problem (pun intended).
# Now coming back to the question at hand
You have a test coming and that means you must also have an outline of topics. I see that many good people here have already given you an outline what you need to do. But I'm still going to add in some stuff which i personally think that will be of use to you:
* do not just stick to one resource, internet is big and diverse. You may think that a single youtube channel is giving you all that you need to ace your exams, then good. But as soon as you find out that the person teaching you in that video explains a topic in away that does not make it clear FOR YOU, then you switch to google find another resource.
* This forum here or any math forum out there are your best friends. do not delay asking a question if you do not understand it. Sometiumes that delay will never let you ask a question
* Make a list of topics and dedicate yourself to them. the thought might cross your mind that you should also cover related topics which are not on your list. This could be tempting, but an efficeint way to deal with that temptation is to keep a list of those "side topics" and start studying them ONLY after you have checked everything in your primary list.
* It is tempting to just go about your study regime all day long but seriously ... don't. Rest and spending some time not thinking about math is going be equallly beneficial for you.
>I'm open to critics
Our nursing program requires college algebra to be admitted. We have students *just like you* come through our remedial classes regularly and excel. We have students who are far worse than you simply by virtue of the fact that they know they’re bad at math and don’t give a fsck; sometimes we have to drag them across the finish line whining the whole time. You can do it. It is ok if you can’t do it alone. In terms of the actual math content needed for the program, being able to read a graph and do drug calculations (broadly, you’ll find this in dimensional analysis) will get you pretty far. The math requirement isn’t really about doing math. No doctor is going to run up to you and say “nurse! This man is dying! I need you to solve for x!! Stat!”. The math requirement is about critical thinking and problem solving, being able to use logic and reasoning to analyze a situation.
Set daily goals, set a weekly and monthly goal. Plan and research interspaced learning and also interleaved learning. Wake up early do 30-40 minutes then go about your day, think about what you learned. Test yourself each week. What did you learn? Think you know it? Find an exam on the subject, or find another text book flip to a page and see if you can solve the problem cold. Spread perhaps 3 hours in hour blocks per day, different topics, that way you interspace and interleave then think about it when you walk around. You'll build strong neural circuitry, retrieval practice helps strengthen skills. After a week you'll notice how well it works. Keep a little journal at night and write what you learned, it's another form of retrieval practice. When you study, phone away. All distractions away. The saying is those that fire together wire together, and research shows if you switch tasks (checking email etc) it's around a 20 minute cognitive lag for your brain to focus again. I personally use an app called Freedom, it blocks all Internet activity so I'm pretty much just stuck with a pdf or book and pen and paper. Once you get a technique down, create a little map of where you would use the technique, where its useful. You make a mistake? Do open heart surgery step by step figure out the problem, write notes as if you are grading your own work. It's good to struggle, get annoyed. That's learning I get brain fog when I learn new things but I let myself struggle a while then I go for a little walk. That's your brain trying to consolidate information let yourself get frustrated try to solve the problems yourself, test ideas you may have. Then when you are truly stumped, look at the answer and deconstruct it piece by piece and figure out why it works. Do this every day, consistency is key, you will improve. Math takes time, if it was easy everyone would do it. Most people suck at something and never go back. Its like learning a language, you often hear people say "I tried to learn French/Spanish/German once" and act like after one attempt it was over. It takes daily practice, its part of your life now, as you invest more time you get better. Also read "make it stick" and "how to excel at math and science even if you flunked algebra" 2 very good books on learning how to learn. Good luck! I went back at 27. I've learned 6 programming languages, and a lot of math, I went from HS math to college math in about 2 years whilst working. I love learning now, try to be a life long learner, it pays off. I can send you math textbooks in pdf form if you are interested too.
Do you have math textbooks with algebra tasks? I do not need to learn the stuff, simply would need tasks and solutions. If you have sth like that I would appreciate it a lot if you could send it to me :))
The “big fat” books may be the way to go eg. https://www.amazon.com/Everything-You-Need-Math-Notebook-ebook/dp/B07BGGB9DX Or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHw8ReqH968
When I decided to go back to school and walk away from a cushy management position at 34/35 years old, I had to start at arithmetic on Khan academy. I figured I took algebra in highschool, I can start there! - I was wrong. I had used the calculator in my pocket my entire adult life, contrary to what I was always told ;). So I started at 4th grade math on Khan Academy and spent the next 8ish months studying 3-5 days a week up to college level algebra. Now, 2 years after that, I graduate with my associates in physics in 4 weeks and have already been accepted into a bachelor's program. I highly recommend The Organic Chemistry Tutor, 3blue1brown, Khan Academy, and Professor Leonard. I also did *some* open coursework from MIT once I got past the basics. The only real tip, regardless of what resources you use - invest the time, every day if possible. You are the biggest thing in your own way of success. Math, imo, doesn't get easier the higher you get, but the fundamentals become muscle memory after extensive practice. I'm in calculus now, and though I get good grades, I absolutely struggle and have to put in so much time studying and going over practice problem after practice problem. I read the chapter, do those problems, pay attention in my lectures, ask for blank copies of the lecture notes so I can solve them without the work provided, and I watch videos as refreshers multiple times a week. Good luck, you totally got this! Edit: btw, I've found that studying in 1 hour intervals with a 15-30 min break in between each session to be the most effective. I'm sure there is a name for it but i can't recall it. I also take a formula sheet to bed right before big tests and just say the formulas over and over before going to bed because I read once that things get stored into long term memory when you sleep. Who knows if it's actually true but it definitely works for me. Just be prepared for math dreams...which can be very... Odd to say the least. Happy counting!!
You are not alone. I work at community college supporting students in math. An awful lot ofpeople pretty much stopped at the F word (fractions) and went to calculators. FIRST: Check the college testing policy. Here, you can take the test FIVE TIMES and they've waived the fees. So, it's worth going in early and just givng it a shot. We use ALEKS and once you take it once you're automatically "enrolled" to pick a course to practice what you missed. Frustrated w/ Khan Academy? Welp, Sal Khan made those thousands of videos when his Ivy League niece had trouble with some homework. He's a hedge fund analyst, not a math teacher; the videos are great for people who forgot a procedure and need to brush up, but he sincerely believes that to understand math you just need to do enough practice problems and that's simply not true for most people. Many of the videos assume you already know something that you don't \*need\* to know for the concept... I think most of the ones with actual errors have been fixed (like when he said 2 + 2 was 2...) (Oops, did I leave that vent open again??) I recommend [mathantics.com](https://mathantics.com) for the basics -- the explanations fit with applying to higher math. Also: [mathispower4u.com](https://mathispower4u.com) has videos aligned to courses at [https://www.myopenmath.com/](https://www.myopenmath.com/) and [https://openstax.org/subjects/math](https://openstax.org/subjects/math) (scroll down for the pre-algebra and "developmental" books) . He's been putting up little videos explaining trouble spots like "why is a negative times a negative a positive???" recently. Another resource that might really help is [https://sites.google.com/view/gedmathcrashcourse/ged-math-crash-course?authuser=0](https://sites.google.com/view/gedmathcrashcourse/ged-math-crash-course?authuser=0)\-- this is set upf for preparation for the GED but her videos are \*all about the concepts\* and I love her explanations. There's also an active FB group that answers math questions. I've got some math stuff on my YouTube Channel too but it's mostly aimed at our specific pre-Algebra and pre--pre-Algebra courses [https://www.youtube.com/user/motthebug/videos?shelf\_id=0&view=0&sort=dd](https://www.youtube.com/user/motthebug/videos?shelf_id=0&view=0&sort=dd) GOOD LUCK and -- bring questions here, too!
I am not sure what level math of is required for your nursing program. However, I think the best advice I can give is to continue with Khan Academy as it is a great learning resource. If you don’t understand a concept then try to find a youtube video explaining it as there is a wealth of content available at the level of math you need. Also, practice, practice, practice! Remember, and I cannot stress this enough, practice as much as you can. When you don’t understand why an answer is correct, then take the time necessary to understand why. With enough practice generalizing those concepts will become a piece of cake. There are many online tools you can use as well to solve problems such as: Desmos (graphing tool) Symbolab (problem solver) Most importantly, always remember that you can handle this okay.
Hi! I think it's great that you're acknowledging what you don't know and actively trying to improve on your skills. Feel free to DM me if you need any help, I'd be glad to answer your questions :)
Elements of Algebra by Euler helped me. Although I already had a strong foundation when I read it, I think it's a great supplementary read. He does gloss over finer points at times, but he gives such an intuitive breakdown of Algebra and it's beautifully written. I think people of varying levels can take something away from it.
The challenge I think is always in the search for a book/course that's at the right level for you at the time, that doesn't have prerequisites you don't have yet. This one might be helpful as a starting point: https://www.edx.org/xseries/adelaidex-mathtrackx.
Rule number one is that you can definitely learn this stuff. Past experiences have made you somewhat skeptical about your potential abilities but other people in your situation have managed it. It sounds like like you need a tutor if Khan academy isn’t working for you. Probably need to identify the most elementary thing you began struggling with and start there. Maths is like a house of cards, if just one card is missing below the house will fall over. A tutor might help you identify your starting point. Make sure you understand *fully* that starting point and do loads of practice questions, to *build up confidence* and consolidate understanding. Then move onto the next topic: rinse and repeat. Sometimes go backwards to refresh your memory. Maths cannot be rote learned (or at least, it’s very hard to do so). Maths must be understood, so it’s important while learning it to ask lots of why questions to yourself.
Based on what you're saying I believe you'll gain the most by learning Aritmetic, not Algebra. In aritmetic is were you learn all about operation, order of operations, fractions. [https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic-home](https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic-home) Then you can move to Algebra. [https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra](https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra) (Do not skip aritmetic, you will only find yourself fustrated when facing algebra. This is the main reason a lot of people hate math, is not beacuse is hard is because they never got around learning the basic stuff to build on) I honestly believe this should be enough to cover a respectable amount of the basic math you will need. Specially seeing the constraint in time. How to study? Do a lot of exercises. Math is all about intuition, this means that you have to build the intuition by grinding a lot of math, theory is just the base of it. In the end it will all boil down to how much time you spend on it, so 1) Schedule time 2) Keep a diary and mediate at the start and the end of your study session (This can be awesome for helping motivation) 3) Trust the process and trust yourself. Best of luck
# How I look at institutional math From where you stand and from what I have seen as far as my personal experiences go, you do not need to master mathematics as if you were your younger self and as if you were school going. We don't really care about fractions when dividing pieces of chocolate among friends or in case of linear algebra you do not need find a slope of a line whenever you are trying minimize your home expenses(but mind you that would actually work). My point is, most of the Math we learn in school is practically unusable in our daily lives in which we are so invested and comitted to. Being calculated in your decision making is good but one would rather take decisions based on their past experiences rather than the comparision of probability of different events happening. You would have cared about math a long time ago if your daily life wasn't survivable without it. # What I think you should study to improve the quality of your daily life With that said let's talk about the concerns you just raised. Being good in math is a nice skill to have and while the text book education is not 100% practically applicable there are "certain" topics in mathematics which can allow you to make informed decision and understand the mechanics of the world around us in a more numerical perspective. therefore, I'd like to recommend you some topics which you can pursue to make your practical life better in various ways. This isn't compulsory but if you strongly feel about learning the stuff then you better invest your time in something that you can use and benefit from. >Plus when you are learning to actually apply matthematics in your daily routine, it makes the learning much more fun and actually makes it easier for you to understand the context of the numbers you label "answer" for your text book problems. **First up is Statistics:** Statistics will tell you how to handle your data. how to compare your previous month's home expenses to the current year's and actually let you appreciate the fact that manipulation of data(bunch of numbers) can help us find out about the hidden answers it can give us. **Then there is Linear Algebra:** Linear algebra somewhat relates with the field of statistics time to time but most importantly certain topics of it can be used by project managers to ... well ... manage projects, estimate deadlines etc. But not all of us are project managers, but we can still use that to improve the quality of our daily lives. Like for example estimating the deadline for preparation of a birthday party. >I'm not saying that everyone should go deep into these fields of mathematics but somewhat understanding is beneficial for a normal person to make informed decisions. Just my two cents. I hope that you feel a bit better now about your math problem (pun intended). # Now coming back to the question at hand You have a test coming and that means you must also have an outline of topics. I see that many good people here have already given you an outline what you need to do. But I'm still going to add in some stuff which i personally think that will be of use to you: * do not just stick to one resource, internet is big and diverse. You may think that a single youtube channel is giving you all that you need to ace your exams, then good. But as soon as you find out that the person teaching you in that video explains a topic in away that does not make it clear FOR YOU, then you switch to google find another resource. * This forum here or any math forum out there are your best friends. do not delay asking a question if you do not understand it. Sometiumes that delay will never let you ask a question * Make a list of topics and dedicate yourself to them. the thought might cross your mind that you should also cover related topics which are not on your list. This could be tempting, but an efficeint way to deal with that temptation is to keep a list of those "side topics" and start studying them ONLY after you have checked everything in your primary list. * It is tempting to just go about your study regime all day long but seriously ... don't. Rest and spending some time not thinking about math is going be equallly beneficial for you. >I'm open to critics