Science and maths courses are often the bane of some people’s lives. From primary school right through to the algebra and calculus required at university, hard sciences are known to challenge even the most gifted minds.
When ranked against other countries, South Africa is far below the international average in terms of maths. This is one reason why so many students seek maths extra classes near me that include arithmetic worksheets.
If you are struggling with maths, or got lost in maths at a basic level, one of the best things you can do is go through basic maths questions from past exam papers. Even better, find a tutor who can take you through the right old exams for you and help you to make arithmetic flashcards to help you practise.
Developing adequate maths skills is especially important in communities where the average maths results are lower in comparison to the rest of the nation. Regardless of where you think you are when it comes to the national curriculum, using the right maths resources can fill the gaps and help you to achieve better results.
Regardless of whether you need a private maths tutor to help you with arithmetic, or only occasional help on an ad hoc basis, supplementary mathematics resources like online games, arithmetic worksheets, basic maths questions from old papers and even arithmetic flashcards can help.
Remember that the best maths resources will be the ones that have been recommended by a tutor or teacher who understands where you are struggling in maths.
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The Origin of Arithmetic
Whether it is your child who is struggling with basic maths in primary school, or whether you are slogging through university-level maths, arithmetic is a skill for every grade in maths. This is often a fact that is forgotten even though it is integral to a student’s success in maths.
This is why it is helpful to understand exactly what arithmetic is, and how it is used in mathematics.
As a branch of mathematics that goes back to 18 000 BCE, arithmetic has played a vital role in facilitating real-world mathematical concepts for commerce and industry. While the significance of arithmetic to solve many of the world’s complex issues can never be underestimated, the subject’s definition is relatively simple.
Arithmetic is the branch of mathematics that uses the recording of numbers through its four main operations: addition, multiplication, subtraction and division.
These operations are involved in everything from basic counting, solving inequalities and quadratic equations, to more complex maths problems involving rational expressions, math logarithms, conic sections and more.
There are many examples of basic arithmetic equations and examples, however a few that you can count on at primary school level are word problems that contain the three laws of arithmetic. These laws are:
- Associative Law
- Commutative Law
- Distributive Law
In general, the rule for these laws is that they mainly apply to multiplication and addition, but not to subtraction and division. These basic laws are similar to ones used for exponents and are also useful for solving systems of equations and quadratic equations.
Find an Arithmetic Tutor to Advise You on Mathematics Resources
A good maths tutor is going to ensure that you practise basic maths questions from old exams, and make you arithmetic worksheets, but will also recommend free online maths resources to supplement your lessons.
If you are wondering how to find an arithmetic tutor you could easily start with a general internet search. Bear in mind that this is a time-consuming exercise that will not necessarily leave you with the peace of mind that the tutor you find is indeed who they say they are.
A good option is to head straight to a reputable tutoring website like Superprof where the tutors are reviewed by their students for your peace of mind. Regardless of where you intend to find a tutor and your maths resources, determine which grade of maths it is that needs help.
Maths tutors generally fall into four main categories:
- Primary school maths for lower grades
- Senior primary maths
- High school or tertiary education maths
- Test and exam preparation.
Regardless of which category you fall into, there are maths tutors in abundance if you know where to look. For instance, on Superprof, every tutor has their own profile page which will give you information on their background and experience. You’ll also notice that their hourly rate is also on their page and that there are tutors to suit every budget.
Before you start looking for a tutor, set your budget, and also determine whether your need occasional help or regular extra maths lessons. In South Africa, the average cost for a private arithmetic tutor from Superprof is only R152 per lesson.
In addition, you can use the website’s location tool to find a maths tutor near to you for in-person lessons. Of course, if you are set up for it, you could find online extra maths lessons with a tutor from anywhere else in the country, or even overseas.
If you just need help preparing for exams, there are tutors who specialise in what is called test prep. Ideally, you should try to discuss the areas of maths that you are struggling with before you begin your first lesson. At Superprof, where many tutors offer their introductory lesson for free, you could do this and also establish whether or not they are a good personality fit for you or not.
With thousands of tutors available just for the subject of maths alone, Superprof is a worthwhile platform to check out because there is help for every academic level and every budget.
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Learn Math Online
Whether you’re struggling with the arithmetic involved with polynomial or linear equations, trigonometric concepts and rational functions, getting help online for maths is easy. After you're done understanding all there is to know about arithmetic, start practising at home! Here are some of the different resources you can take advantage of depending on what your budget looks like.
Free Maths Learning
There are innumerable maths resources online. From arithmetic worksheets and apps that provide arithmetic flashcards, to mock tests with basic maths questions, there is something for everyone. The trick with using free online maths resources is knowing which ones are right for you. Without this guidance, your search for free resources can waste time, and at worst, even teach you bad maths habits.
Ask your tutor for the best free mathematics resources to supplement your extra lessons. Ideally, you want a site that is highly recommended and offers a wide selection of free, online arithmetic lessons.
There are many websites that are organised by concept and grade. You could find lessons for basic operations like subtraction, addition, geometry and mental maths exercises. There are also sites that have been put together by some of the best mathematicians and professional academics around. Whether you want to learn how to apply percentages and ratios, or find lessons on square roots and inequalities, there are usually topics available for everyone.
Some websites even host podcasts on subjects that range from philosophy to ancient history. All of these resources should help you to improve your overall maths result and grow your overall knowledge base too.
Math Learning Courses
There is also the option of paid online tutorials and webinars to increase your maths knowledge and help you to hone arithmetic skills. While some of these offerings are free and are sometimes even offered by top academic institutions, some can require subscription fees.
Practise Arithmetic Online
While many of the maths resources already mentioned are often enough to deliver unlimited and extensive arithmetic practice, there are also many other ways to practise and review your basic skills.
Whether you are taking pre-calculus math lessons, studying online with a private tutor in preparation for exams, or simply need homework help, grasping the basics of arithmetic can and should be fun!
Online maths games are also a great way to develop your memory. They can be fun for both adults and children and can refine many of the elements required to become truly capable at maths.
Games can help you to improve the speed at which you solve equations, but they can also help you to develop mental maths skills.
Why not try some of the arithmetic games online through websites like Math Playground or Arithmetic Game which are bound to give your maths skills a boost while entertaining you at the same time?
Discover maths lessons online when you search for a tutor on Superprof!
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