If you focus on understanding math, you will most likely end up in love with math. Imagine that in your math class, you are asked to memorize the following list of numbers in ten seconds: 10, 40, 90, 61, 52, 63, 94, 46, and 18. In ten seconds, you can barely read those 9 numbers a couple of times. Memorizing that list in that time is definitely hard (unless you have a photographic memory.)

On the other hand, the elements of this list do not seem to have any relationship. You may find the relationship for the first 3, but after the fourth, the apparent relationship you found is no longer true, forcing you to look for a new one that is true for the following ones as well.

Now it takes more time. Try to find the relationship between two consecutive numbers or the rule that allows you to know the procedure used to obtain that list of 9 numbers. If you don’t get it after 10 minutes, continue reading.

The Logic behind success in your math

Learning math by heart, without understanding what you are doing, without understanding the meaning of the math concepts, is analogous to memorizing that list of 9 numbers without understanding the relationship between them or how one can be calculated after the other.

If you memorize the list, you will see no relationship between the consecutive numbers or why the list is the way it is. On the other hand, if you understand the mathematical ideas and procedures, everything will be easier since you will know why that result is obtained, how the procedure works and how it allows you to see things that those who memorize cannot see.

Perhaps you have seen people who seem to have a natural gift for moving quickly through math courses. They may not know it but focus on understanding, not mechanical learning. That’s the secret.

Suppose you dedicate yourself to memorizing formulas and procedures without understanding why they work or learning definitions without understanding their meaning. In that case, you will have to remember endless rules to carry out the procedures and when they are applicable.

But if you focus on understanding, what you understand now will help you advance much faster in your math courses in the future because mathematics is constructive. What is built first is used later to justify other, more advanced ideas.

The secret

So the secret to fast progress in your math courses is focusing on understanding. You should ask yourself now: How do I know if I already understood a concept or a procedure in mathematics?

The answer is simple: If you can explain the idea to someone else, or give arguments for why it is correct to go from one line to the next for each step of the procedure, then you have understood; that concept or that mathematical procedure.

Before saying goodbye, I will share how to easily solve and learn the solution to any problem given to you in maths. Suppose you have any questions to solve in mathematics, and you want to learn the step-by-step procedure to solve them. In that case, you can use the Gauthmath app. It helps you solve any mathematical problem while showing you the procedures.

Conclusion

If you understand, no memorization is needed. If you do not understand, memorizing does not help you to continue with the list in case it is required. It is the same in your knowledge of mathematics. It would be best to focus on understanding because that will allow you to move faster and faster. With Gauthmath that is easy to achieve.