This is a guest post by Alexis Bonari from www.collegescholarships.org
The math homework problem
Have you ever been in the trying position of helping your child with difficult math homework? Of course you have, that’s why you’re reading this!
photo credit: Bindaas Madhavi
The problems can be threefold.
Kids often
- “get stuck” on certain problems
- forget recently learned rules and concepts, and even
- come across uncharted territory that was somehow overlooked by the teacher.
Paging through your child’s textbook and calling up your “math expert” brother who doesn’t remember as much as he seems to think he does, can be a frustrating way to approach the problem.
Top online resources for (tricky) math homework help
If you have access to the following online resources, you and your child can find the information you need in order to:
- identify gaps in knowledge,
- re-learn key concepts, and
- finish that tough homework!
Whether your child is in elementary or junior high/high school, the following websites can provide the math help you need.
Elementary Math Resources
- Check out the Ask Dr. Math elementary archive for resources on everything from basic arithmetic to a thorough explanation of concepts like the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio. You can also find historical and biographical information about these math topics as well as helpful descriptions to help students understand number sense and measurement. Each subcategory contains even more topics to explore, so it’s very likely that your question is answered somewhere on the site. For example, if you choose “arithmetic” under elementary math, then select “multiplication”, you’re presented with a constellation of concepts ranging from associative and distributive properties to the order of operations for solving equations. There’s also a helpful search function at the bottom of the page, which can search a specific archive or the entire site. This comprehensive resource is a must for elementary math problems.
- Use A+ Math’s Homework Helper to enter a problem and find the correct solution. This is a great resource to use if you’re doubtful about the correctness of an answer to a difficult homework problem. It covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and division with remainder problems, so it’s great for elementary students who want confirmation on their math homework. This website also offers help with understanding the order of operations, along with interactive addition and multiplication tables.
Junior High & High School Math Resources
- Discover hints and tips on every subject from basic and everyday math to calculus and advanced topics at math.com. No matter where your junior high or high school child is in his or her math studies, this website can provide solid support. Each section offers in-depth explanations of detailed topics, tables and formulas, unit quizzes to check for understanding, test preparation and study tips, and “cool tools” that include a wide variety of online calculators.
- Try Math League’s Introduction to Algebra for explanations of basic concepts that will be built upon throughout your child’s higher math studies. If your child is struggling to adjust to this new type of math, the Introduction to Algebra can provide solid reinforcement.
- Basics in Geometry can help your child get accustomed to yet another type of mathematical study. Choose from Introduction to Geometry, Angles and Lines, Measurement Formulas, and much more – basic geometry is covered here, so your child can get a great start on more advanced math.
Bio: Alexis Bonari is currently a resident blogger at College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching federal plus loans as well as married student grants. Whenever this WAHM gets some free time she enjoys doing yoga, cooking with the freshest organic in-season fare, and practicing the art of coupon clipping.
What are your tricks for dealing with tricky maths homework? Have you tried any of the sites above? What sites have saved your child from maths homework detention?
Big thumbs up on Ask Dr. Math – I was a math doc on that site back in grad school!
A math doc! That’s cool Bon! There’s so much on that site – it’s great that you played a part in building up that huge bank of answers!
It was lots of fun. I remember sitting at the monitor between my grad school classes and answering one or two questions.
Ah… the good ole days…
*sigh*
These sites are definitely needed. It a great idea to have a Doc. on hand to help with maths problems. Very useful information. I use the internet if I have a problem. Sometimes I even use Yahoo Answers or just search Google to find what I want.
I would have loved these sites as a child, but they weren’t available for another 20 years after I finished high school!
Thanks for sharing these sites – I am pleased to see that there are sites set up just to help young ones with math. Hopefully some of them will grow up to love math in the process.
Thanks for passing by!
I really like your podcasts over at Classroom Professor. They’re a great resource for teachers and parents alike! ,
I have a Moodle course for every year group at school with suggested sites to support learning at home. I have just created a new blog – this time aimed at students. Your readers may be interested in some of the information and links there.
http://mathematicsforstudents.wordpress.com/
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