Ai Ling Ong

Poll: Do You Want To Receive Math Exam Papers Monthly?

As part of making singaporeolevelmaths.com more beneficial to all readers and subscribers, we are doing this poll to find out your response.

It will be both Additional Mathematics (A-Math) and Elementary Mathematics (E-Math).

Please vote.

Poll will expire end of this month (30 Nov 08) and results and outcome will be announced then.

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Additional Math Holiday Programme : Key Concepts Revision (For Sec 4 - 2009)

Update (8Nov08): 'O' Level A-Math Essential Concepts Revision Workshop Early Bird Registration has started. More details here =>http://www.WinnersEducation.com/holidaya-math.html

I want to personally train you for O level. (But there are only limited seats!)

With the academic term ending, we have received many enquiries from
referral from previous participants and website subscribers
for our 2009 programmes.

To ensure that the best is brought to you, there are still some
minor details to be confirmed.

Being our faithful subscriber of singaporeolevelmaths.com, I want you
to be notified first and enjoy the exclusive bonuses before anyone else.

So if you are looking for coaching programmes or
workshops to improve your current results in Additional Math,
go to this website,

http://www.WinnersEducation.com

fill up the details and get to be the limited few who will be
notified exclusively of the latest events.

Act fast if you really want to make a difference to your current results.

Cheers to your success,
Ai Ling
http://www.WinnersEducation.com

PS: Please send this message to friends who want to improve their
Additional Math results today. (Click on Tell A Friend Icon)

PPS: This is currently open to only subscribers in Singapore.

Announcement: SimpleChemConcepts.com - My Learning Partner

If you are a vivid (avid) reader of singaporeolevelmaths, you would have noticed that I do recommend some Chemistry programmes by SimpleChemConcepts.com 2 - 3 months back.

I am excited to announce that both singaporeolevelmaths and SimpleChemConcepts.com have come together under the same umbrella to continue unleashing potential of more students, coaching them to achieve what they truly deserve.

What is SimpleChemConcepts.com all about?

#1 Site for 'O' Level Chemistry Tips as seen on Google.com, Yahoo.com, Live.com, MSN.com

#1 Site for 'O' Level Chemistry Workshops as seen on Google.com, Yahoo.com

SimpleChemConcepts.com is a website learning portal for students, parents and educators to enhance their understanding and interest in Chemistry through the extensive sharing of tips, strategies, Chemistry everyday events. It makes uses of videos to bring across messages, making it every interactive for its readers.

SimpleChemConcepts.com has a over 6000 views per month, with readers mostly from Singapore, US, Australia, India, Pakistan.

Who is the founder of SimpleChemConcepts.com ?

“Sean is full of passion to relate abstract ChemistryTheories to his students in an enjoyable way, and shares from his heart” – Mrs Vina Yeow

Many people talked about teaching Chemistry, Sean Chua lives it. He is a passionate Chemistry Coach based in Singapore, Southeast-Asia and one of the most dynamic, powerful and humorous speakers in Asia. He has empowered hundreds of students to experience Chemistry learning with a difference, and unlock the secrets to achieve the grades they truly deserve.

Sec 2 to Sec 3: How To Prepare Yourself For Elementary Math

I have earlier written an article on Sec 2 to Sec 3: How To Prepare Yourself For Additional Math

For those who aren't taking additional math, how can you prep yourself this holiday? (Note: I ain't telling you to burn your holidays mugging. Nope! But I mean to say have some work time and play time!)

I remember I was given quite a bit of holiday assignments during Nov/Dec holidays. Read in Facebook comments, this is still the ongoing trend in schools. Finish those work fast (No motivation? Get friends to complete the work together )and you can play for the rest of the days! Do not be like majority of the folks who wait till the end of the holidays, only to realize school is starting in a few days time that they start knowing that homework is due.

What I personally suggest for prep for Sec 3 Elementary Math is to ensure that your Sec 1&2 foundation topics are built upon on solid ground (These topics are tested in 'O' levels and every often schools do not have the time to revise thoroughly during term time)

Some of the foundation topics are listed below:

Making subject formula
Algebraic expansion rules
Algebraic factorization
Properties of Angles
Mensuration (New syllabus e-math has formula provided in exams)
Similarity & Congruency
Statistics (Mean, Median, Mode)
Equation of lines

These topics involve some fundamental applications which will be revisited again in Upper Sec.

Some of the Major Sec 3 Topics you would be expecting include:

Indices (*new)
Quadratic Equations (*new+very important)
Congruency and Similarity (*revision+application)
Graphs (*new+add on from Sec 1/2)
Properties of Circle(*new)
Trigonometry (*new+very important+high weightage in E-Math & A-Math)
Co-ordinate Geometry (requires basics from Equations of lines from Sec 2)
Arc Length & Sector Areas (used to be A-Math topic but included in E-Math now)
Quartiles & Percentiles (Statistics)
Matrices (*new)

(Those highlighted ones are the topics which are heavily weighted and you must pay more attention in following through. They are also fundamentals you would need in A-Math as well)

You may want to familizarize yourself with the 'O' level E-Math formula provided but in school tests and exams, some schools choose not to provide.

(Click on image for larger view or you may even want to print out a copy and stick on your desk for easy reference)

Sec 2 to Sec 3: How To Prepare Yourself For Additional Math

Posting results of the subject combination would be released next week for many schools. It is a transitional period of the Secondary 2 to Secondary 3 (Grade 8 to Grade 9), from juniors, they become seniors of the schools.

Today, I'm going to talk about how you can prep yourself (mentally & physically) for an "additional" math subject, assuming you have selected to take up Additional Math as one of your 'O' level subject. If you are thinking of the consequences of not taking A-Math, you may want to read about it here.

Myths of A-Math (My seniors said A-Math ...)

A-Math is very tough, very difficult, very hard to understand, always fail, very different from Elementary Math (E-Math).., lots of formula to remember ... don't understand the concepts

Truths of A-Math

Just like E-Math, you just need to know the right strategies and constantly apply them.
It all boils down to linking up the basic concepts and sometimes cross topics (there are some topics which will require you to bring in the tools you have learnt previously)
There would be new topics which you will see it 1st time in your life, pay more attention to them. After all,just like when we meet someone new, we need more time to warm up to them compared to old friends ;-)
There are cross-over between E and A Math. So learning A-Math is advantageous to you as some of the basic concepts are already taught in E-Math

Topics You Must Prep Yourself (before school starts)

Simultaneous Equations
Similar Triangles
Algebraic Rules
Quadratic Graphs & Equations

By familiarizing yourself on these topics, you will have a smoother transition of having another Math subject.

I would love to hear from the Sec 4s (2009) on 'What advice would you give your seniors on preparing for A-Math?' Leave your comments in the section below. I'm sure your juniors would appreciate your opinions.

Update: Sec 2 to Sec 3: How To Prepare Yourself For Elementary Math

Poll results: What is your Biggest Challenge in Learning Math?

(Click on image for larger view)

A poll on "What is your Biggest Challenging in Learning Math?" is created 6 months ago and I think it is time to review the poll results as shown in the pie chart (One of the E-Math topics syllabus) below:

Out of 142 votes, 41% cite their biggest challenge in learning math to be "No Time to Practice /Lazy to be consistent"

"Cannot see & cannot understand" , "too complicated & confusing concepts" received 21% of the votes respectively.

This poll results are very much inline with my experience as a Math Trainer. No time to practice / Lazy to be consistent is indeed a challenge faced by many students. In fact, Consistency (not said by me only, but also through the mouth of my students) is one of the keys to be successful in any subject or area of your life! The question now is how to be consistent, how to have time to practice.

Before I answer these questions, it is important that you got to understand the reason(s) for being consistent and scheduling time for practice. ( I'm not asking you to practice for hours to face those numbers questions, a mere 15 minutes daily is sufficiently recommended on top of your homework time that is)

Why is there a need to be consistent? I have been doing my school work already.

Give yourself a pat on your shoulder if you have been doing your school work diligently! You should be on your way to achieving what you deserve. But to further build up your confidence on Math, especially new concepts that you have been learning, a little extra effort goes a long way. As mentioned, it is not the quantity of time or questions that really matter. It is the quality. Schedule 15 minutes daily to work on and review on current topics or even previous topics will not only expose yourself to more questions but also build up your skill set. More importantly, you are cultivating a habit of consistency. Just like scoring is a habit, it can be and must be built up. It will not happen overnight.

"Extraordinary people are ordinary people who do extra more than the majority"

Advantages for being consistent

You can have time to do what you like during exam period and yet feel prepared for exams while the rest of the world is doing last minute work. Isn't it a good feeling? After all, you have been preparing bit by bit daily.
Consistent review and actions pay off handsomely for you when you do not allow doubts to pile up.
You feel good daily and great sense of achievement!

How to be consistent (even if you do not like Math) ?

Bit by bit daily; start small but keep up the momentum
Start now! Have a reminder system to remind yourself about your 15 minutes daily (Handphone alarm perhaps)
Reward yourself when you keep up with the habit
Have a chart to mark your consistency habit, something you can see daily.

Take actions now! And see for yourself how your consistency habit pays off!

Let me hear from you on how you tackle your challenge in learning Math. Leave your recommendations in the comment section below.

PS: My future post will be discussing about what should be done when you cannot see and understand Math. There is a really simple way which starts with A.