Oh Boy...Math.

essayons89

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I need to take a placement test for Cincinnati State Technical and Community College to see what classes I need to take before I can start working on my Associates Degree. I don't remember how to anything other than basic ad, subtract, multiply and divide.

http://www.act.org/compass/sample/prealg.html

I looked at the first question and realized I'm sunk as far as math goes. It may be a good idea to start over with basic math just to rebuild the foundation.

I feel like a
right now.
 

white cat lover

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If it makes you feel any better, I had pretty good ACT scores, took them in high school. By the time I took math in college, like 2.5 years later, they reccomended I take basic math.
Made me feel smart!

My 2 cents....don't get over your head. You may feel dumb taking elementary math, but long-term....you'll be better off.
 
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essayons89

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

If it makes you feel any better, I had pretty good ACT scores, took them in high school. By the time I took math in college, like 2.5 years later, they reccomended I take basic math.
Made me feel smart!

My 2 cents....don't get over your head. You may feel dumb taking elementary math, but long-term....you'll be better off.
Did you take it? Did it help you out?

I have no idea how I passed Algebra 1. I know that I barely passed it.


I don't feel dumb that I need to take basic math over, I feel dumb that I can't remember how to convert even a basic fraction, much less solve multiple fractions like the one in question three.

Oh well...I'm going to go to work now and wallow in my self pity.
 

beck4582

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Try taking some tudoring or something, if possible. I took tudoring for reading comp skills before I took the ACT in highschool and it really helped. Good luck!
 
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essayons89

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I should be able to take a basic math class before I end up testing. There are various places around town that offer classes and I could always take it at Cincy State if I do it as a non-degree seeking student (I have to check into this a little more, though).

I do pretty well when it comes to writing and reading comprehension but it wouldn't hurt to brush up on them.
 

isabel

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I went back to school after 20 years out and took the placement tests. My advice is to start over at the very beginning if you feel at all uncomfortable with math.
 

strange_wings

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If you're quick enough at learning and disciplined enough to do it you could try reteaching yourself - just get books with very good examples and answers (to self check). You should be able to at least get up to a decent algebra level.

I was always horrible at algebra... until I started ignoring everyone trying to teach me. There are so many ways to do one problem and everyone uses their own method, the teachers were in the mind set that only "their way" should be used.
Makes it more confusing.
 

pookie-poo

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I'm horribly math challanged. I took basic math skills (actually a couple of basic math skills classes) before I went to nursing school. I passed algebra with 4.0......how......I don't have a clue! I was on the deans list throughout nursing school, which included nursing math classes (calculating dosages based on body surface area..OMG!!!) I still consider myself horribly math challanged. If I need to calculate a dosage at work, I always have another nurse (or a pharmacist) check my calculations...just because I don't trust my math skills!!! Besides, it never hurts to have med dosages checked!

Good luck! I would recommend finding a tutor to help. I'm sure there's got to be some college students looking for a little income, that would welcome the opportunity to help you brush up on your math skills!
 

capt_jordi

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I had to take remedial math Freshman year of college. And they handed us a test the first day to get out of the class (it was based on our ACT SAT scores.) And I decided not to take the test and just take the class and it helped me soooo much! I would recommend it!
 

katachtig

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If you aren't using it everyday (and how many of us really use algebra after school?), the skill gets rusty. Look at this as a review. We all need them every once in awhile.
 

natalie_ca

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When I decided to go back to Nursing School I had to take an entrance test/exam. Most of it was math related because as a nurse we have to figure out medication dosages so you want to make sure you know your math.

The math stuff involved fractions and ratios. Something I had never learned!!!! I'm a decimal girl I had no clue how to do fractions. Ugh!

I borrowed a book from the library called "123 Math The Easy Way" which I think was created for grade 2 or 3 kids, LOL, and I used it to learn fractions.

Go to your library and borrow a kids' math book. Not sure if you can find the one I used or not, but if you can I highly recommend it.
 

calico2222

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Oh, I would be clueless on that test! I was never good at math in high school. Well, let me rephrase that...I could come up with the right answer in the beginning, but not using the methods the teachers wanted me to learn. Like, with that fraction quesion about the fabric...I could picture it and figure it out correctly, but not using the "formulas" that are probably supposed to be used so I would get marked down for that (because, of course, we had to show our work).

I don't think there is anything wrong with taking the beginner math course, or if you could take it before you take the placement test, or get a tutor that would work too.

If it make you feel any better, I usually have to add using my fingers!
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by calico2222

Well, let me rephrase that...I could come up with the right answer in the beginning, but not using the methods the teachers wanted me to learn.
This is the sort of thing that is a big problem. Teachers won't accept there's other ways to work problems in math and will often make students second guess themselves completely.
 

natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

This is the sort of thing that is a big problem. Teachers won't accept there's other ways to work problems in math and will often make students second guess themselves completely.
I had a horrid time in math class. When it came to adding numbers, most people add from right to left. For some reason it always seemed more logical for me to add from left to right. I mostly got the right answers, but when it came time to show my work as to how I arrived at that number, I was always marked wrong regardless if I got the answer right or not ... because I added in the opposite direction than what the norm was.

To this day I add from left to right instead of right to left. It's just plain faster IMHO.
 

strange_wings

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^Left to right might be because your brain is used to reading that way? Possible anyways.

I had a weird problem, it still happens sometimes, I'd write numbers out of order - backwards or all mixed up. Recent embarrassing situation was on an online order... I put four of the credit card numbers backwards.

Because of that it always takes me longer to do anything math wise, just to make sure I don't make that mistake as my brain doesn't see it as wrong.
 

lunasmom

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I hated math classes, but loved math problems. I stopped taking math after the subject of imaginary numbers came up. I don't care if it was the basis for Calculus and Einstein's theory or relativity...if the number is imaginary, then it does not exist then therefore we can solve for it!!!

Plus the last math teacher was coincidentally the brother of one of the students in my grade...who happen to be very popular (nice though). So all her friends in the class would get special attention over the rest of the students.
 
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