The X-Factor of Life

The X factor of life is an algebraic equation that analyzes our existence to give us victory in the end of times. In order to realize this equation we must first examine each of its parts.

PART A is titled Earth. Earth is the primary function in the equation. The numbers here are random and separate the different behavior patterns we all exhibit. They fall within two categories. Those of the negative nature encompass, rage, envy, jealousy, adultery, lasciviousness, hatred and anger. Those of the positive nature encompass long suffering, endurance, love, joy and peace. These parts are all random and are part of who we are as human beings. We are born into some and acquire others through life. Part A can be represented as follows:

PART A = Earth (Positive behavior + Negative behavior)

Where:

Positive = rage, envy, jealousy, adultery, lasciviousness, hatred, anger and many of this nature

Negative = love, joy, peace, long suffering, endurance and others of this nature

Part B is titled Doorway. This is the way, the truth and the life. They are a constant because they belong to our Lord and are him. Only by this doorway is anything prosperous possible for us in the end of time. The value of measurement for this is the flesh and blood, the spiritual intake in communion of our Lord and savior. Although we receive this as a blessing physically in church we must learn to accept it spiritually. This is represented as:

PART B = Doorway (Way + Truth + Life)

Where: way, truth and life are represented by flesh and blood as part of communion

When Part A and Part B are put together we get Part C which is spiritual prosperity. This is labeled Sheep. It is the combination of the element man, spirit existence and comforter since we have accepted Christ. The Lord's sheep hear his voice and come to him. They have the comforter within them to remind them ever so often of the Light of the Lord. This is the ignition within man to know and retain the knowledge of our Lord. Part C can be represented as follows:

PART C = Sheep {Comforter/spirit + man (Positive behavior >>Negative behavior)}

PART C = PART A + PART B

When these parts are combined correctly we worship God in truth and in spirit. It must be noted here that our spiritual existence cannot be measured by mathematical formula. These parts are simply expressed in this way to allow us to interpret the word of God in our lives.

Leslie Musoko
http://lesliemusoko.ning.com
http://lesliemusoko.blogspot.com

Saving Our Dropouts By Saving Math - Math Grades May Predict Who Survives High School

Research conducted in 2005 by Johns Hopkins University and the Philadelphia Education Fund revealed that as many as half of all Philadelphia high school dropouts showed signs predicting their early departure from school as early as the sixth grade. Four factors were essential in forecasting these AWOL students: low attendance, poor behavior, failing math, and failing English grades. Such research is indispensable in the fight to raise America's educational standards and to help struggling students conquer their academic nemeses.

It's difficult to extrapolate on precisely why so many leave school early, and why these occurrences are linked so strongly with math and English grades, specifically. Perhaps the current school system isn't flexible enough to accommodate different learning styles and conditions like ADHD for such difficult subjects - an argument alternative educational theorists have been raising for decades. Perhaps factors unrelated to the school environment, such as difficulties at home, are to blame. Maybe poor study techniques, and lack of assistance to correct them, are the culprits. Of course, no single explanation will do...but in my quest to find real and practical solutions, I decided to start with a factor everyone can control: study techniques. In particular, one of the hardest of them all - math study techniques.

Hey, who among us is, or was, the picture perfect student? Did we always clear a room to study, take breaks when we should have, or have what we needed on hand? How often did we get up to snack when the math homework became just a little too overwhelming? Did we always ask for the algebra help, the geometry help, or the calculus help we really needed? Math tutors could have saved us a lot of grief, but losing our pride just seemed too valuable to our adolescent hearts. Being guilty myself, I decided it was time to pull in a heavyweight for some advice.

Dr. Christine Benson, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at Northwest Missouri State University, is one of the most qualified individuals in the country to recommend effective math study techniques. Having earned an interdisciplinary doctorate in mathematics and education at the University of Missouri, Dr. Benson also received a MSEd, taught math at public schools for eight years, and has been teaching math method courses at NWMSU for the past twelve. Here are a few of her top recommendations for making the grade.

(1) Study in several short sessions of twenty to thirty minutes, and then take a break! There's only so much your poor mind can take at a time, and research proves that putting book to brain for shorter, intermittent periods, versus forcing yourself into longer cram sessions is far more effective. Plus (unlike most things that are good for you) you'll probably find this to be a lot easier.

(2) Study everyday. Math is a bit like learning a language - it takes consistent, sometimes tedious, irritating hours upon hours of work to get the job done. It also tends to pile up with cold indifference; at every lesson, you'll learn new concepts that count on your understanding of the ones from last time. Falling behind will just exponentialize your frustration, because you won't have the proper tools to understand new materials. Discipline pays off! Soon, you'll be able to understand concepts-the language of math, if you will-you never thought possible. You'll feel like the brilliant individual you really are. It just takes practice.

(3) Don't just memorize steps in an equation. "I know, I know," you say. "Try to understand it - that's what everyone tells me." But, like it or not, it's true. You'll remember the formulas much better if you can understand the bigger pictures behind them and are able to integrate new information into what you already know. Reasoning through questions that do not precisely fit the models you studied, but require you to use the broader concepts from them, will also be much easier.

(4) Ask questions! Don't be embarrassed to raise your hand and engage in a true discussion about all the whys of all these whats. You can't fully integrate the concepts you're trying to learn until you understand at least some of why they work and what they are meant to do.

(5) Include brain-empowering protein in your munchies. It's all right to snack while you study, but don't just reach for the carbs.

(6) If your eyes start to droop while pulling an all-nighter (or an all-dayer), wake yourself up with some physical activity. Get that circulation going! Take a walk, do some jumping jacks or push ups, go for a short jog - whatever it takes to change your setting and rouse your body.

(7) Duplicate the test room setting. If you'll be taking your exam in a quiet, controlled environment (which is most likely), then study in that environment. No music, no television, no loud noises or chatty friends coming in and out to distract you. Train your brain to work with the stimuli that will be there when you test.

(8) Get a good night's sleep and eat a protein-rich meal before the dreaded exam. You can't test your best if you don't feel your best.

At least something can be controlled. Failing at anything, or even not doing as well as you know you could, can be absolutely maddening. Dr. Benson has showed us there are things you can do, however. If you're a parent, enforce the rules. Set your child up for success by providing the proper environment. If you're a student, hey, you just got free expert advice - and you didn't even have to let anyone know you needed it.

Math Made Easy provides Math help for Algebra help, Geometry help, math homework help using math online tutorial services and math tutorial cd so you can watch your math scores soar.

Math Tutorial - Finding the Greatest Common Factor and Factoring Squares

Greatest Common Factor: of two numbers is the result of two numbers being factored into their smaller factors individually and the of all the numbers that are factors, the one that is greatest is the greatest common factor.

Symbol: ( ) means greatest common factor.

For instance, (6,8) means the greatest common factor of 6 and 8.

Example: (6, 8) is,

First, find all the factors of 6. The factors of 6 are all the numbers that when multiplied by another number give us 6. Those are, 1, 2, 3, 6. This is so because:

1*6=6 and 2*3=6

So you see that each number when multiplied by another number gives us 6.

Similarly,

Second, Find the factors of 8.

Those are, 1, 2, 4, 8.

So, now, when we look at the factors of 6 and 8

for 6: 1, 2, 3, 6

for 8: 1, 2, 4, 8

We see that 1, and 2, both appear in the factors of both six and 8:

Now, of the factors that appear in both numbers, that is 1 and 2, the greatest one is 2. *

We use greatest instead of greater because when we speak of bigger numbers, there might be more than just two numbers that are common factors.

Factoring A Difference Of Two Squares

Once students are familiar with the idea of factoring, there are shortcuts to the FOIL method of quadratic equation factoring. One of these is factoring a difference of two squares. A difference of two squares means that we have a monomial multiplied to another monomial to give us a quadratic function where one monomial is a conjugate pair of the other and the middle term in the quadratic form of an equation disappears.

A quadratic equation is represented by ax^2+bx+c, when the "bx" term disappears, we have a difference of two squares.

Example:

(x-3)*(x+3), here (x+3) is a conjugate pair of (x-3), and here is where we get a difference of two squares.

(x-3)(x+3), using the FOIL method, is:

(x)(x)+(x)(3)+(-3)(x)+(-3)(3)=

x^2+3x-3x-9

x^2-9.

Here, we see that since the middle term disappeared, we see that (x-3)(x+3) is simply X^2-(3)^2, the two squares being X and 3, which is why it is called the difference of two squares.

Of course, the same thing would result if we were doing (x+3)(x-3) since multiplication is commutative.

Now, to give more examples:

(x+4)(x-4)= (x^2-4^2)=(x^2-16)

(x+9)(x-9)=(x^2-9^2)=(x^2-81)

And so on, from here on, the patern is too clear and it would be too much repetition to go on.

Math Made Easy provides Math help for Algebra help, Geometry help, math homework help using math online tutorial services and math tutorial cd so you can watch your math scores soar.

Numerical Tools For College and University Students

Students attending college or university in a discipline heavy in the physical sciences, for example, science or engineering, frequently make use of several specific numerical routines. Five of the most popular numerical routines are examined below. These types of routines probably cover 90% of the routines a student will use during a typical undergraduate degree. In addition to their popularity among science and engineering programs, these numerical routines are also encountered in many other curriculum. For example, students in first year university who take an Algebra course to satisfy a breadth requirement might need a Simultaneous Equations Solver occasionally - while they are taking the course. Another student might need to apply a Linear Least Squares fit - once, for a specific assignment - when taking an Accounting class. If the students then continue on in their planned majors, say, Political Science or English, they do not use such tools again.

The five routines examined below are presented in response to the following hypothetical question: Which five numerical routines fill most - if not all - of the needs of undergraduate university students? The answer given below presents the most common types of numerical tasks and some of their applications. In addition, several good-quality free tools are named that offer solutions to these types of problems; they provide most of the functionality required by undergraduate students, allowing them to avoid - or at least delay - the expense of purchasing commercial software.

1) Root-finding

Root-finding covers the class of problem in which the zero(s) of an equation cannot be found explicitly.

Consider the Quadratic Equation:

a x^2 + b x + c = 0

a, b, and c are constants, and values of x that satisfy the equation, called the roots or zeros, must be found.

The Quadratic Equation is one example of the class of the problem of finding the roots of polynomial equations which is, in turn, part of the larger class of problem of root-finding. In fact, because the Quadratic Equation is so well-known (students are often introduced to the Quadratic Equation and its solution in Grade 10), root-finding is probably the best-known class of numerical routine.

The van der Waals Equation is another example of a polynomial equation for which roots are often sought:

pV^3 - n(RT + bp)V^2 + n^2 aV - n^3 ab = 0

In this case, values of V that satisfy the equation are sought, and the polynomial is a cubic (the highest power of V is 3). van der Waals Equation is often encountered in chemistry, thermodynamics, and gasdynamics applications.

Kepler's Equation of Elliptical Motion is another equation to which root-finding techniques are applied:

E - e sin(E) = M

In this example, the equation is not a polynomial, but it involves a transcendental function. e and M are known quantities, but there is no way to isolate E on one side of the equation and solve for it explicitly. Consequently, numerical techniques have to be employed. Rearranging the equation as follows turns the problem into one of finding the roots of the equation:

E - e sin(E) - M = 0

These examples are just three equations whose solution requires root-finding; many more equations arise whose solutions can be found only by employing root-finding techniques. Fortunately, the problem of root-finding is a well-developed field of mathematics and computer science. Almost all root-finding algorithms take an iterative approach to computing a solution to a desired degree of accuracy: first, an initial guess is made and checked, then a closer solution is estimated and checked, and this process is repeated until the user-specified level of accuracy is obtained. For example, a user might require four decimal places of accuracy in the solution, so the computer program would stop iterating for a solution once an approximation has been found to four decimal places.

2) Simultaneous Equations

This class of numerical task deals with solving N Equations in N Unknowns. For example, a situation may arise in which it can be mathematically described as a linear (the highest power of x present is 1) system of Three Equations in Three Unknowns:

a11 x1 + a12 x2 + a13 x3 = b1

a21 x1 + a22 x2 + a23 x3 = b2

a31 x1 + a32 x2 + a33 x3 = b3

The aii and bi values are known but the values of xi that satisfy this system of equations must be computed. This task could be accomplished with a pencil, paper, and hand calculator, but it would be tedious. And as systems get larger, the number of computations involved grows fast, introducing the risk of typos or other errors. A system of, say, 10 Equations in 10 Unknowns would keep a person busy for quite a while!

Fortunately, computer programs have been developed that can compute solutions to these systems quickly and accurately. They are usually put in matrix notation:

[A](x) = (b)

where [A] is a square matrix and (x) and (b) are column vectors.

These sorts of systems can arise from almost any field of study. In a course on Linear Algebra such systems will be faced all the time. These systems also arise in electric circuit analysis (i.e. - Mesh Current Analysis), industrial chemistry projects, structural analysis, economics studies, and more. In addition to solving the system for the x values, quantities of the [A] matrix itself are often computed to reveal informative properties (for example, its determinant, eigenvalues, and LU Decomposition).

3) Linear Least-Squares Data Fitting

Linear Least-Squares data fitting is often applied to describe data which includes errors. For example, a curve might be sought for data, but the data may be such that the expected curve does not satisfactorily pass through all the data points. For situations like this, a systematic method is required to produce an approximating function that describes the relationship defined by the data. The approximating function can then be used to interpolate data between the known data points (or to extrapolate outside the range of the known points). Linear least-squares data fitting is one tool available for such situations.

Applications for this class of numerical task arise in almost any field: economics, physics, politics, engineering, chemistry, environmental studies, and many more. For example, say a researcher has collected population data for a country over the past fifty years and would like to define an equation that effectively describes the population growth so that future growth can be extrapolated. Instead of simply looking at the data, and creating a "guesstimate" for an equation--a technique that would vary from one researcher to the next--a systematic and effective way of examining the data is offered by Linear Least- Squares Data Fitting; it offers a systematic approach for determining trends.

4) Interpolation

Interpolation is often used when drawing smooth curves through data, usually data that does not include errors, and provides a systematic technique for computing data values between the known data points (or outside the range of the known data points). For example, a researcher might have (x, y) data points for the following x-values: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. However, the researcher might need a y-value that corresponds to an x-value of 2.5 or 6.4. The researcher would have to interpolate for the y-value at x = 2.5 (which is within the range of known data values) and extrapolate for the y-value at x = 6.4 (which is outside the range of known data values). Furthermore, the acquisition of the data may require sophisticated equipment that is hard to access, or the data may be very expensive to compute. In these sorts of situations, a systematic method of computing these interpolating data points is required.

Several algorithms exist for this purpose; one such algorithm is a Cubic Spline Interpolation. A Cubic Spline Interpolation creates a smooth curve through known data values by using piecewise third-degree polynomials that pass through all the data values. However, it should be noted that different versions of this algorithm exist, for example, a natural cubic spline interpolation has the second derivatives of the spline polynomial set to zero at the endpoints of the interpolation interval. This means that a graph of the spline outside the known data range is a straight line. Another version of the algorithm forces a "not-a-knot" condition: the second and second-last points are treated as interpolation points rather than knots (i.e. - the interpolating cubics on the first and second sub-intervals are identical, and so are the ones for the last and second last sub-intervals). Applications for spline interpolation include population data gathered over many years, cyclical sales information, and the contour of the shape of an automobile body.

5) Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors

lambda is an eigenvalue (a scalar) of the Matrix [A] if there is a non-zero vector (v) such that the following relationship is satisfied:

[A](v) = lambda (v)

Every vector (v) satisfying this equation is called an eigenvector of [A] belonging to the eigenvalue lambda.

Eigenproblems arise in almost all fields of science: structural analysis, computing the modes of vibration of a beam, aeroelasticity and flutter, system stability (structure, aircraft, satellites, etc.), heat transfer, biological systems, population growth, sociology, economics, and statistics. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors are also often used in conjunction with the solution of differential equations. Furthermore, the algorithm behind the Google search engine is also said to treat indexing as an eigenproblem.

Summary

Root-finding, solving Simultaneous Equations, Linear Least-Squares Data-fitting, Interpolation, and the computation of Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors are the most common types of problems faced by students in college and university. Not only are these types of numerical tasks faced by science and engineering students, they also show up throughout a variety of other programs. In addition, two more factors attest to the prevalence of these numerical problems: (i) routines for handling these types of tasks are almost always covered in texts and courses on numerical mathematics, and (ii) algorithms for these mathematical tasks are well-developed and source code for computer programs has been available for decades.

Considering their popularity, readily-available tools that provide solutions to these most common numerical tasks would appeal to a broad range of users. On one hand, some users might need a few routines for one-time or very infrequent use whereas, on the other hand, other users might use a program often, but only one specific routine. In either case, the purchase of a commercial software package is not justified and having free software available is a convenient alternative. In fact, these types of numerical math routines are widely available for free, in a variety of formats, offering a variety of capabilities. Several software packages have been developed for installation on a user's computer, for example, Octave and Scilab, to name two. Others are available as Java applets. And yet more are available as immediate-for-use Javascript web pages; for example, AKiTi.ca offers routines for solving many of these types of problems. The availability of these various numerical routines provides people more options when selecting a tool that best fits their unique needs, especially if these tools include solutions for the most common numerical tasks. The availability of good-quality software tools for working with the most common numerical tasks offers the greatest utility to the greatest number of people.

David Binner has a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering. Since graduating, he has taken up computer programming, with an emphasis on numerical programs, and web page design as hobbies. To contact David, please visit his web site, AKiTi.ca, and go to the "Contact" page.

Top 5 Mental Math Methods in the World

Today you can define mental math in various different ways. Some would say, memorizing times table and remembering the solutions can form the part of mental mathematics. Some would say ability to perform simple calculations in your head can be mental mathematics.

The web dictionary defines mental mathematics as "Computing an exact answer without using pencil and paper or other physical aids."

Today there are five methods available to learn and practice mental mathematics.

Let's begin with the first one called 'Learning by Heart' or better known as the rote memorizing method where your teachers ask you to mug up boring multiplication tables. It not only kills the interest of the child in mathematics but also makes sure that he develops hatred towards the subject for the rest of the years he studies it. This system gives its ardent devotee some degree of success initially as he is able to answer easy problems but then when the supposedly bigger application problems come the steam is almost over.

The second one gives you a good degree of success and I would highly recommend it to the younger lot out there. It hails from China and is popular by the name of The Abacus (also known as the Soroban in Japan). An abacus is a calculating tool, often constructed as a wooden frame with beads sliding on wires. With the use of this tool one can perform calculations relating to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with ease. Gradually one practices with the tool in one's hand and later on when experienced he learns to do it without the tool. This tool is then fitted into the mind mentally and he can then add, subtract multiply and divide in seconds. This tool also enhances a child's concentration levels.

The main drawback of this system is that it focuses only on the 4 mathematical operations. Concepts beyond these operations such as Algebra, Square Roots, Cubes, Squares, Calculus, and Geometry etc cannot be solved using it at all. Also one needs a longer time to be able to fully get a grasp of the system hence you see courses in the abacus stretching to over 2 years which leads the child to boredom and then quitting from the course.

Another Chinese system mainly collected from the book The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art lays out an approach to mathematics that centers on finding the most general methods of solving problems. Entries in the book usually take the form of a statement of a problem, followed by the statement of the solution, and an explanation of the procedure that led to the solution.

The methods explained in this system can hardly be termed mental and they lack speed to top it all. The Chinese were definitely the most advanced of the civilization thanks to the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers but if I were to choose out of the two methods given by this culture It would be the abacus.

If wars have a 99.99% downside, sometimes they can have an upside too for they give birth to stories of hope and creativity. The next mental math system was developed during the Second World War in the Nazi Concentration Camp by a Ukrainian Mathematician Jakow Trachtenberg to keep his mind occupied. What resulted is now known as the Trachtenberg Speed System of Mathematics and consists of Rapid Mental Methods of doing Mathematics.

The system consists of a number of readily memorized patterns that allow one to perform arithmetic computations very quickly. It has wider applications than the Abacus and apart from the four basic operation methods it covers Squares and Square Roots.

The method focuses mostly on Multiplication and it even gives patterns for multiplication by particular number say 5,6,7 and even 11 and 12. It then gives a general method for rapid multiplication and a special two finger method. After practicing the method myself I realized that the multiplication was a very applicable mental method but the other methods covered to solve division and square roots were not very friendly and were impossible to be done mentally. I was in search of a much better wholesome method where I could easily perform other operations also. Another drawback of this system was that it too like the abacus failed to have a wider scope i.e to encompass other fields like Algebra, Calculus, Trignometry, Cube Roots etc

A Recommendation by a friend of mine from America introduced me to what is known as the Kumon Math Method. It was founded by a Japanese educator Toru Kumon in 1950s and as of 2007 over 4 million children were studying under the Kumon Method in over 43 different countries.

Students do not work together as a class but progress through the curriculum at their own pace, moving on to the next level when they have achieved mastery of the previous level. This sometimes involves repeating the same set of worksheets until the student achieves a satisfactory score within a specified time limit. In North American Kumon Centers, the mathematics program starts with very basic skills, such as pattern recognition and counting, and progresses to increasingly challenging subjects, such as calculus, probability and statistics. The Kumon Method does not cover geometry as a separate topic but provides sufficient geometry practice to meet the prerequisites for trigonometry, which is covered within the Kumon math program.

I was much impressed with the glamour around Kumon but a glimpse of its curriculum deeply disappointed me. It is not mental at all. It does not offer any special methods to do mathematics and one does not improve one's speed by doing Kumon Math. There is a set curriculum of worksheets which one does till one achieves mastery in the subject. So say for example a sheet on Divison- one would continue to do division by the conventional method till he gets a satisfactory score and then he moves on to a higher level. This certainly doesn't make division any faster and the process is certainly not mental.

A deep thought on the reason of its tremendous popularity in America led me to conclude was the lack of a franchisee business model of the abacus and the Trachtenberg speed system in the 1950s. The franchisee model was essential in taking the course from country to country. This is where Toru Kumon thrived.

Dissapointed with other cultures in the world, my search made me look in my own Indian culture. What I found astonished and amazed me so much that I fell in love with the system and started coaching neighbourhood students in it.

This is easily the World's Fastest Mental Mathematics System called High Speed Vedic Mathematics. It has its roots in Ancient Indian Scriptures called the Vedas meaning 'the fountain head of knowledge'. With it not only you can add, subtract, multiply or divide which is the limiting factor of the abacus but you can also solve complex mathematics such as algebra, geometry, Calculus, and Trigonometry. Some of the most advanced, complex and arduous problems can be solved using the Vedic Maths method with extreme ease.

And all this with just 16 word formulas written in Sanskrit.

High Speed Vedic Mathematics was founded by Swami Sri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaja who was the Sankaracharya (Monk of the Highest Order) of Govardhan Matha in Puri between 1911 and 1918. They are called "Vedic" as because the sutras are contained in the Atharva Veda - a branch of mathematics and engineering in the Ancient Indian Scriptures.

High Speed Vedic Mathematics is far more systematic, simplified and unified than the conventional system. It is a mental tool for calculation that encourages the development and use of intuition and innovation, while giving the student a lot of flexibility, fun and satisfaction . For your child, it means giving them a competitive edge, a way to optimize their performance and gives them an edge in mathematics and logic that will help them to shine in the classroom and beyond.

Therefore it's direct and easy to implement in schools - a reason behind its enormous popularity among academicians and students. It complements the Mathematics curriculum conventionally taught in schools by acting as a powerful checking tool and goes to save precious time in examinations.

The Trachtenberg Method is often compared to Vedic Mathematics. Infact even some of the multiplication methods are strikingly similar. The Trachtenberg system comes the closest to the Vedic System in comparison and ease of the methods. But the ease and mental solvability of the other method especially division, square roots, cube roots, Algebraic Equations, Trigonometry, Calculus etc clearly gives the Vedic System an edge. Even NASA is said to be using some of this methods applications in the field of artificial intelligence.

There are just 16 Vedic Math sutras or word formulas which one needs to practice in order to be efficient in Vedic Math system. Sutras or Word Math Formulas such as the Vertically and Crosswise, All from Nine and Last from ten helps to solve complex problems with ease and also a single formula can be applied in two or more fields at the same time. The Vertically and Crosswise formula is one such gem by which one can multiply, find squares, solve simultaneous equations and find the determinant of a matrix all at the same time.

If either of these methods is learned at an early age, a student aged 14 can perform lightening fast calculations easily during his examinations and ace through them.

Vedic Mathematics is fast gaining popularity in this millennium. It is being considered as the only mental math system suited for a child as it helps to develop his numerical as well as mental abilities. The methods are new and practical and teach only Mental Rapid Mathematics.

The system does not focus on learning by repetition as in the Kumon Method. The system focuses on improving intelligence by teaching fundamentals and alternate methods. The purpose is not limited to improving performance in the school or tests, but on providing a broader outlook resulting in improved mathematical intelligence and mental sharpness.

To know more about the Vedic Mathematics Sutras - The World's Fastest Mental Math System you can visit http://www.vedicmathsindia.org

This Article is by Gaurav Tekriwal,, The President of the Vedic Maths Forum India who has been conducting High Speed Vedic Math Workshops for the last five years and has trained over seven thousand students across the world in the field. He is the author of the best selling DVD on the subject which contains over 10 hours on the subject. He is an expert in the field and revolutionizes the way children learn math.

This Article is by Gaurav Tekriwal, The President of the Vedic Maths Forum India who has been conducting High Speed Vedic Math Workshops for the last five years and has trained over seven thousand students across the world in the field. The author can be reached for consultancy on speed Vedic mathematics at gtekriwal@gmail.com

Math Tutoring for the Real World

If you're the parent of a student who is having a difficult time with math, you're familiar with the complaint that equations seem "pointless." Students want to know how solving equations with variables will help them in the real world. Students aren't sure that real people in the real world use math to solve real problems in their daily lives.

Students need to understand that logic used to solve math equations is a skill that will benefit them throughout life. Even in non-math situations, it is often necessary to isolate the unknown factor in a scenario to understand logically how to go about solving a certain problem. Math methodology lays the foundation for good problem-solving skills. In fact, many potential employers will require applicants to take a general math quiz before being hired. This realism makes the subject matter more enjoyable and easy to learn.

Many students who are struggling in their math work need additional tutorial assistance. In fact, hundreds of thousands of children having difficulty with a subject in school are currently being tutored in the United States for a variety of reasons:

· Many students didn't master basic skills which need to be re-taught to them

· Some have a learning disability which poses challenges to the mastery of math and slows down progress in school

· Others have weak organizational skills which result in difficulty with keeping on schedule with studying and completing assignments

· Some students have medical, social, emotional, behavioral and/or family problems which result in their struggling to keep up with their peers

· And still others simply desire to get ahead

Very often, all it takes to improve a student's low math grades is the right approach. Once that happens, it's as if a light comes on: suddenly everything falls into place! Even students who have been performing very poorly in math can finally experience the joy of "getting it."

Where can parents and students go for good quality math tutoring? Many parents find local tutors but rates can be as high as $175 per hour and not always effective.

An October 16th, 2007 Tutoring Report appeared on the NBC Today Show which described the dilemma many parents face in providing affordable quality tutoring.

As part of its overview of available services, the NBC Today Show explained that new internet technology is available to provide effective online tutoring services which enable students to get high quality one-on-one tutoring in the convenience of their own home at affordable prices.

With some online tutoring services, students can receive supplemental materials such as DVDs featuring complete review by expert teachers of the subject they are studying in school and unlimited practice exercises. In addition, online services may provide students access to new white board technology which enables them to watch the tutor's lesson and talk to them as if they were face to face with the tutors.

The NBC Today Show interviewed the Foley family in Peekskill, New York where Mrs. Foley acknowledged that she could not afford the costs of chain tutoring company services and therefore opted for an online tutoring program which was affordable and also gave her a full 30 day guarantee.

The two Foley daughters who used the program found that their math grades had a dramatic increase after using the online tutoring service and the DVD math reviews. In the interview, one of the Foley teenage girls said that she found the tutoring service easy to use and a really effective service.

Although no one wants their child to struggle, the good news is that solutions are available for math help. Parents should realize that the knowledge and sense of achievement that a tutoring program can bring to the student will pay big dividends for years to come. Not only will it help earn a better grade, but it will also lay a critical foundation for future success, including help with college admissions exams.

Math Made Easy provides Math help for Algebra help, Geometry help, math homework help using math online tutorial services and math tutorial cd so you can watch your math scores soar. For more information, please visit http://www.mathmadeeasy.com

Math Made Easy provides Math help for Algebra help, Geometry help, math homework help using math online tutorial services and math tutorial cd so you can watch your math scores soar.

What Makes Algebra So Difficult For Kids To Understand And Challenging for Teachers To Teach?

At first glance this seems to be another Chicken or the Egg situation. Are kids not understanding because Algebra is a subject that is difficult to teach or is Algebra difficult to teach because kids have so much trouble understanding it? In reality, there is some truth to both of these issues; and, theoretically, solving one will solve the other as well. So, exactly what is it that makes Algebra so unique?

Algebra is like a giant question mark in the brain of every freshman who walks into the classroom. These 14- and 15-year old students enter the classroom having absolutely no expectations of what they are going to be learning; and teaching Algebra successfully is one of the greatest educational challenges existing today.

Students in elementary school know just exactly what math was covered in each grade and what is coming next year. Addition, subtraction, multiplication,... They know. In high school, at the end of Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus, students can explain to you what the course was about. But Algebra is a different kind of animal. Too often Algebra teachers assume their students know what Algebra is, so Day One of school is Section One of Chapter One in the textbook and off they go on their unknown journey. Sadly, many students are as clueless at the end of the school year as they where at the beginning as to what they have been studying. Some students can tell you they solved(?) equations, they factored something, and they graphed things. Some students can actually be good at Algebra skills, but still have no idea why they were doing any of it. That's very sad.

The numerical skills required in Algebra (the HOW) are really pretty basic. It is the understanding of the WHY and WHEN that students don't get. But is this a student issue or a teacher issue?

Students issues to consider:

(1) knowledge of multiplication facts is the #1 indicator of success in Algebra, yet many students enter Algebra with weak multiplication skills,

(2) most students are lacking the ingrained sense of "I am smart enough" that they possessed when learning language,

(3) many students have lost the persistence they demonstrated when learning to walk, talk, and read,

(4) most students lack a pre-school math foundation similar to what parents provide for language skills,

(5) unlike all previous math courses in which only 25% of the material is new (never seen before), the amount of new material being covered in Algebra is approximately 75% of the course which seems to be too much for them to absorb,

(6) the pace required to cover so much new material seems too fast for students to absorb, and

(7) many Algebra students see no practical application to their lives, so they view it as unnecessary to learn. Have I missed any student issues? Probably, but you get the point.

Teacher issues to consider:

(1) the assumption that students already know what Algebra is is incorrect,

(2) teachers sometimes don't recognize that the problem is weak basic skills until the damage is done,

(3) the large amount of new material to be covered does not allow for proper processing but teachers do not have a choice about removing some of the subject matter,

(4) some teachers are weak at task analysis, (5) a few teachers have trouble explaining a topic several ways to deal with the different ways students learn, and

(6) No Child Left Behind has caused immeasurable harm to mathematics education and the learning environment. Again, you get my point even If I missed something.

In spite of all the issues I just listed, it should be noted that this "problem" has existed literally forever. The failure rate was 50% when I started teaching in 1972 and it still is. Many attempts have been made over the years to solve these issues. Nothing has been successful. So the answer to the initial question is: we don't know. If we knew, the issues would get solved.

Shirley Slick, "The Slick Tips Lady," is a retired high school math teacher and tutor with degrees in Mathematics and Psychology and additional training in brain-based learning/teaching. Her goals: (1) to help parents help their children with math, (2) to help eliminate the horrendous Algebra failure rate, and (3) to inform the general public about problematic issues related to the field of education. For your free copy of "10 Slick Tips for Improving Your Child's Study Habits," visit her website at http://myslicktips.com/