Tuesday 25 December 2012

Top Three Algebra Solver Apps from Apple Store

Algebra has been commonly viewed as a difficult subject only meant for higher grade students that too even with a higher IQ level. Many people even forget that Algebra is a logical problem solving skill of mind and we use it often on a daily basis for accomplishing many things in our life. Though it’s not possible for everyone to excel in Algebra solving, but they can certainly do better than average with regular practice and a little bit of hard work. For today’s tech savvy students apps are a great way to make them learn and have fun simultaneously. These Algebra solver apps can help you to a great deal to learn it in a fun and interactive way.

Below, I am going to sum up five best Algebra solver apps for iPhone, iPod and iPad that can really help students to get a higher score.  

“meStudying: Algebra 1″ by gWhiz, LLC

This app is developed by Flourida Virtual School, a pioneer in the virtual k12 education. This app contains the entire lesion of High school Algebra 1 with over 400 questions. It also has detailed explanation for every question and an instant feedback. Other features include a calculator, scratch pad and a large layout design for easy navigation. You can download the “meStudying: Algebra 1” app at a price of $4.99 from Apple’s iTune store.  

“Algebra Boot Camp” by Pocket Cocktails Inc.

“Algebra Boot Camp” is an interactive reference e-book which is based on a top-selling algebra book. Alistair Savage, the technical consultant of this app, has a Ph.D. degree in Mathematics from Yale University. In this app problems are broken down into small sections with colorful illustrations and instructions. This app contains a sidebar which has additional tips and reviews for every section. The menu is quite user friendly and easy for navigation. The app will cost you $2.99, a far less price than the Text book which comes at $25.  

“Algebra” by YourTeacher.com

This is a great app developed by “YourTeacher.com” for helping students in their Algebra home work. It is designed in such a way to give you the experience of a classroom with various video examples, interactive practice problems, challenge problems, multiple choice quizzes, practice worksheets, and review notes. To complete a lesson it can take around 20-45 minutes. It offers 12 chapters of multiple mini-lessons, including “Combining like Terms” and “Inverse Variation. It is priced at only $9.99, which is quite less than hiring a private tutor.

Thursday 20 December 2012

The Role of an Online Math Tutor in Today’s Competitive Edge

Studies have shown that in most of the cases students find it difficult to handle the pressure of their math home works. They almost struggle to find out a math solution and to finish the home work within a limited time period. In order to get it done properly some students even show anxiety symptoms before the starting of a math class which can really hamper their growth and career as well. So what is the solution of it? Well, the answer to this ultimate question lies in taking the help of an online math tutor.

The online tutoring industry has been growing at a super-fast pace over the past few years. Interestingly according to a recent report disclosed by GIA (Global Industry Analysts Inc.), a reputed market research firm, the private tutoring industry is going to surpass $102.8 billion by 2018. In this highly competitive edge, our present day education system is not sufficient to nourish and flourish the students accordingly. And for a subject like math, it is becoming increasingly important for students to study and grasp it. So taking the help of math tutors has become the need of the hour.

Taking help of math tutors online can be really beneficial to students and contribute to their growth and success. First of all it provides a highly personalized, cutting edge and secure environment for studying according to your convenience. So students don’t feel pressurized just to finish their home works. Instead they find it fascinating to study and experiment with new ideas beyond their class room subjects which in turn prepare them not only for completive exams but also for whole life.

However, as there is a dark side of everything, taking help of online tutors also has some draw backs. For example students tend to get distracted easily while studying in a virtual environment. Sometimes the phone will ring, somebody will ring the doorbell and if the TV is switched on to grab the attention, it is difficult for a student to be focused on the tutoring session. So it is the responsibility of parents to create a suitable environment and schedule a proper time for taking online tutoring. Besides it is also important to check and verify the background of the math online tutor before starting off. The parents also should be involved in making an individual study plan with the help of the online tutor and monitor their children’s progress regularly. In this way they can really assist their children to get a good score in entrance examinations and to get success in this competitive edge.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Online math help: Best way to improve your math skills

Online tutoring has been gaining popularity rapidly in recent years. According to a recent study by GIA (Global Industry Analysts Inc.), the global online tutoring market will go beyond $152 Billion by the end of 2015. Especially in developed countries like USA, UK, Canada and Australia it has become a key component of all mainstream education. Because traditional system of tutoring in these countries are quite high. So online tutoring seems to be a better option for parents who want to supplement their children’s education with a private tutor. When it comes to help in math subject, online help is an obvious choice for all.

There are many advantages of taking online math help.

1. One of the major and immediate benefits of online Math tutoring is it makes learning more creative and interesting. With advanced things like whiteboard technologies online tutoring sessions have become more interactive and enjoyable.

2. Another important fact is the student can record and even save all the text files of online sessions and review it any time if he/she faces some doubts. This is not at all possible in traditional system of learning.

3. While tutoring online, student and the tutor, both can access to other valuable math resources that are available over internet which in turn can be learning as well as enriching experience for both of them.

4. Even parents can be involved in these online sessions and get an immediate feedback about the performance of their children.

5. At the end, as we know, this is the most convenient and affordable way to get a help in math.

If you are planning to hire a math tutor for your kid then you should consider My Tutor Store which is a one-stop-solution for all your math help needs and other subjects as well. This portal is a global leader in online tutoring having years of experience in this field. They provide both online and offline tutoring for all subjects from kindergarten to college level. All the tutors here are highly experienced with a minimum of Post-Graduation or a Master degree in their relevant subject. You’ll get one to one tutoring in all subjects and can clear all your doubts instantly. There are many packages to choose from that are specially designed for different IQ levels with a very affordable price.

Monday 17 December 2012

Getting Homework Help: Harmful or Helpful for Your Child?

Throughout the country, many voices have been raised against the over loading of homework. But we can’t deny the fact that Homework is an indispensable part of our education system since long time and still it remains. Even there are large percentages of people today who profoundly believe in it and support for its cause.

Research has already proved that children are more likely to succeed in study if their family takes active participation in their home work assignments and helps them to complete it. Even hiring an online tutor makes it easy to complete the assignments for parents and children as well .In fact it’s a two way opportunity for the whole family to interact, communicate and create better understanding about each other. Other benefits of assigning homework are:

• It helps the student to revise and practice what they’ve learned in class and prepares them for the next day.

• It teaches them to be self-disciplined and responsible

• It improves children’s memory and thinking skills

• It provides a more practical approach to study and to explore the subject more deeply in terms of projects, reports etc.

However it’s only the one side of the coin. When we analyze it practically, we get a different picture all together. To quote author Alfie Kohn “Homework is all pain and no gain”. In his book ‘The Homework Myth’, Alfie mentioned that “no study has ever found a correlation between homework and academic achievement in elementary school, and there is little reason to believe that homework is necessary in high school. In fact, it may even diminish interest in learning”. Even in certain families homework can be a burden in itself. Especially where both of the parents work outside which is quite common now days. In this case parents have to literally struggle to make their children complete their homework.

So what’s the end line then? Well, it lies in the fact that homework is doubtlessly an imperative part of our student life but teachers should be enough careful not to overload it. For example, the right amount of homework is directly proportional to the age and skills of a child. Research reveals that students up to second grade can gain from 20 to 30 minutes of doing homework while for third to sixth grade 30 to 60 minutes is enough. But from seventh grade onwards students should put an extra hour for doing homework. Parent’s involvement in children’s education can actually spark their enthusiasm for learning. Parents who are busy at work can take the help of online tutors. Especially for the subjects like Math, Science, English etc. Online tutoring is always a wise choice where children as well as parents can be involved from the comfort of their home.

Monday 10 December 2012

Algebra: An Art of Rational Thinking

Algebra is commonly viewed as a generalized arithmetic which is meant only for middle and high school level students. A more comprehensive definition says that it is a separate branch of mathematics in which letters and other symbols are used to represent numbers and quantities in formula and equations. Therefore today’s teachers regard it as the laws of number and imparting it in a wrong way into their students mind, restricting them to have a true understanding of the subject.

“Algebra is only for Older Students”- A Myth

But our modern day scholars in mathematics believe that Algebraic formulas are not about laws of number, but it deals with the laws of rational human thinking which is discovered in the course of investigating on numbers. It has been proved that Algebra is a gateway to enhance the logical thinking ability of mind and higher mathematical learning. That’s why it is more essential for the elementary students to learn the basic algebraic concepts for the development of their brains. In fact young children are far more capable of reasoning thinking than what we adult can do and this is the right age when their brain can be developed to its fullest potential. So it is of vital importance that Algebraic concepts should be included in the elementary curriculum and the teachers should be properly trained for it.  

Algebra as a Mathematical Thinking Tool

“Algebra is a language. This language has five major aspects: (1) unknowns, (2) formulas, (3) generalized patterns, (4) placeholders, (5) relationships. At any time that these ideas are discussed from kindergarten upward, there is opportunity to introduce the language of algebra.” as quoted by Zalman Usiskin, the well known educator and director of the University of the Chicago School of Mathematics.

Algebra basics can be divided into three broad categories as problem solving skills, representation skills, and reasoning skills. It is amusing to know that these thinking tools are used in our daily lives as habits of mind on a regular basis.

Problem solving is all about deciding what and how to do in a particular given situation using tools like guess and check, make a list, work backwards etc. While mathematical representations can be expressed in many forms like visually (diagrams, pictures, graphs etc.), numerically (tables, lists etc.), symbolically, and verbally. The ability to create, interpret, and translate these representations can actually boosts the logical thinking of brain. Lastly, the reasoning ability which involves real life cases helps to identify patterns and relate them to a particular problem.

Thursday 22 November 2012

Some facts and fictions about Algebra

Algebra is an integral part of our life since beginning of human civilization. It is a quite common and compulsory subject for all students, at least up to the higher secondary level. Unfortunately many people believe that learning algebra sharpens and enhance the logical thinking ability of a person. Thus every young student is being taken as granted to be well versed and proficient in it. As a result of which one in every five students fails to qualify in final exams and develops an inferiority complex.

Some shocking figures

Most of the teachers and educators will agree to the fact that a major percentage of students are failing because of algebra only. Surprisingly 45 percent failed in Nevada in the year 2009 as disclosed by a national survey. In South Carolina it was 34 percent and 35 percent in West Virginia. It is also interesting to know that in the University of California only those applications are considers from students who have finished a three year study in Mathematics. Then what about those students who have excelled in the streams like Science, Arts or History? The word doesn’t end here. Even for clearing SAT entrance many colleges are setting up a high score like 700 on mathematics. But the reality is only 15 percent of students are able to achieve that score every year.

Solving Algebra can damage your brain cells

Yes, this is the fact. Recently researchers from Chicago University have revealed that for people who get butterflies in stomach in the name of algebra, they can hurt their brain cells during solving any algebraic problem.
Fourteen persons were studied who suffer from algebra anxiety with a fMRI machine that scans their brain activity. The research found a significant increase in activity in the posterior insular of their brain which is known for responding to threats and pain experience. So this is indeed an alarming situation.  

How to get the solution

Well, the thing is that we all want our children to be a math literate. Everyone should study at least the basic arithmetic. But going beyond that should always be an individual’s choice. I mean after a certain grade, Algebra should be an elective subject rather than mandatory and thus stop forcing youngsters to learn it at every level. This will create eagerness in students to study and explore further to know a subject. We can also take the help of online tutorials where students can enjoy learning Math in more interactive and amusing way.

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Ten ways to improve your Math skills

Math is a subject that is not everybody’s cup of tea. While some students can easily grasp it, there are few who always wonder how ‘x’ can be equal to any number. However there also exists another group who finds mathematics quite interesting but not able to go beyond a certain level. So here goes some tips ‘n’ tricks that can help them to cope with it:

Do not feel embarrassed to ask questions, however silly the question maybe. It is better to feel foolish than remain ignorant.

Understand Mathematical concepts. There is no point memorizing without understanding the logic behind the concept.

Write down mathematical formulas and go through it every day. As soon as you see a problem the mathematical equation should just pop into your mind. Everything takes time but if you try to put aside your aversion for the subject, you patience will be rewarded.

Always double check the answer. Silly mistakes can easily be avoided as they can be detected by a second check. You may be good at Math, but ‘To err is human’.

To sharpen your Math skills, do mental math. When you buy things total up the amount mentally and give you a pat on the back when it tallies with the computer printout. You will definitely get a thrill knowing that you were able to total up the amount mentally, faster than an electronic device.

Memorizing multiplication tables will definitely help. . In good old days, the first thing in the morning was to chant the multiplication tables, but now with the advent of the calculator the mind is not being exercised.

Half and double is another good way to sharpen your Math skills. Take a random number, double it or half it; try to make a game of it.

Try to remember phone numbers. Mobile phones have made life easy but at the same time we have stopped exercising our brain. Our Math skills are fast disappearing with too much rest.

Another way is to try and solve Sudoku puzzles. It is a fun way to sharpen your addition and subtraction skills without boredom.

If you feel nothing works, take Math help from an online tutor.

A good online math tutor will be able to change your outlook and you will see instantaneous results.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

A checklist for parents before hiring an online tutor

Hiring online tutors for your child can be a crucial decision. Every child needs a tutor at some point of their educational career. Especially when the child steps into the middle and high school level, their course contents changes drastically both in quality and quantity as compared to the elementary level. So this is the time when your child may need some extra help in studies and your responsibility is to provide a good tutor to him/her.

Though there are many kinds of tutoring options available these days, I would personally recommend for hiring a tutor online. Of course, you will get a lot of benefits of online tutoring over other forms of traditional tutoring methods. Firstly your child will get an individual one to one attention from the tutor which would help to build self confidence in him/her. It’s a good opportunity for parents to get involved and monitor their child’s education as a child can take the online sessions from the home itself. Adding to that you’ll get all these benefits for quite a lesser fee in comparison to traditional form of tutoring. Howe ever one should be careful about choosing an online tutor.

Things to consider before hiring an online tutor:

Always prefer a local tutor with whom you can even meet offline when needed.

Ask for recommendations from your friends, colleagues or local teachers and always go for an experienced online tutor in the required subject.

Check all the original credentials for qualification. Even a criminal back ground checking is highly advisable. But do it only after you’ve finalized with a few as it will cost you a bit.

It’s not essential that a person with a good academic background should be a good tutor too. So you can demand for a demo class before actually hiring a person to assess his/her ability.

It’s good to have a detail discussion about your expectations; child’s individual needs etc. and make a proper tutorial plan before proceeding further. It also helps to set a goal for the tutor and ask him/her to achieve it.

Be clear about the pricing structure, rules for missing out sessions and other miscellaneous fees for study materials, practice tests etc.

However the most important of all is to discuss with your child about it. Let him know why you want to hire an online tutor for him and also listen to him carefully and respect his/her judgments. Because it’s vital for the student to become accustomed and in tune with the tutor.

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Online math help: Best way to improve your math skills

Online tutoring has been gaining popularity rapidly in recent years. According to a recent study by GIA (Global Industry Analysts Inc.), the global online tutoring market will go beyond $152 Billion by the end of 2015. Especially in developed countries like USA, UK, Canada and Australia it has become a key component of all mainstream education. Because traditional system of tutoring in these countries are quite high. So online tutoring seems to be a better option for parents who want to supplement their children’s education with a private tutor. When it comes to help in math subject, online help is an obvious choice for all.

There are many advantages of taking online math help.

1. One of the major and immediate benefits of online Math tutoring is it makes learning more creative and interesting. With advanced things like whiteboard technologies online tutoring sessions have become more interactive and enjoyable.

2. Another important fact is the student can record and even save all the text files of online sessions and review it any time if he/she faces some doubts. This is not at all possible in traditional system of learning.

3. While tutoring online, student and the tutor, both can access to other valuable math resources that are available over internet which in turn can be learning as well as enriching experience for both of them.

4. Even parents can be involved in these online sessions and get an immediate feedback about the performance of their children.

5. At the end, as we know, this is the most convenient and affordable way to get a help in math.

If you are planning to hire a math tutor for your kid then you should consider My Tutor Store which is a one-stop-solution for all your math help needs, algebra help, and other subjects as well. This portal is a global leader in online tutoring having years of experience in this field. They provide both online and offline tutoring for all subjects from kindergarten to college level. All the tutors here are highly experienced with a minimum of Post-Graduation or a Master degree in their relevant subject. You’ll get one to one tutoring in all subjects and can clear all your doubts instantly. There are many packages to choose from that are specially designed for different IQ levels with a very affordable price.

Online Tutors, the trend of 21st Century

Introduction

With the advent of Computer and Internet, the entire scenario has been changed drastically in the way we impart education to the next generation. Online tutors are increasingly in demand these days, ranging from competitive exams and higher studies even to the kindergarten level. Whether you need to solve algebra or to clear your doubts in science, these online tutors always come in handy for you. But do you know how it all started? Let’s take a look at it.  

History

It all goes back to 1960’s, when two professors from Standford University tried to teach in elementary schools for teaching math and reading. After following a couple of experiments, CompuHigh, the first online high school was founded in 1994. However the online tutoring business geared up its speed when No Child Left Behind Act(NCLB) was signed by President Bush in 2002. Online tutoring allows students the convenience of learning at their own place along with the flexibility of taking it at any scheduled times. Besides, another significant factor is online tutoring is far more cost effective as compared to the traditional face-to-face teaching. So it became the only viable option for economically challenged families to provide tutoring to their children.  

Benefits of Online Tutoring

Though online tutors can never replace the class room teachings. But they definitely work as a booster to a student’s learning process. A lot of research has already been done on this topic and some of the findings say’s:

1. They provide individual, one-to-one attention which helps weak students to perform better.

2. It helps to build confidence in shy students who are not comfortable in face-to-face teachings.

3. You can avail it any time according to your convenient time and place.

4. Online tutoring is like a boon for the poor students because of its cost-effective nature.

5. You can always clear your doubts instantly on any subjects.

However parents should always be careful about checking the quality and background of the service providers. Suppose you want to hire a best math tutor for your kid, then you should always check his/her online profile, reviews, references etc. You can even ask for a proof for his/her educational qualifications specializing in Math subject. And last but not the least, online tutors act like an interface between the parents and teachers. So parent’s involvement in all the activities of children is always appreciated.

Thursday 1 November 2012

Beating up the algebra anxiety



Algebra is only meant for those with a high IQ level. It’s not for the average students. Actually this is a common belief among people prevailing all through the generations. Rather I must say that it’s a “blind belief” which is constantly carrying forward to the next generations. Now it’s time to put a full stop to it and make a new beginning with a fresh thought.

First of all one should understand that no subject is a rocket science at least up to the college level and it can be learned provided it is taught in a proper way. Of course Algebra is a subject that needs a logical blend of mind which is again can be acquired through advanced teaching methods and regular practice. So in this scenario, today’s students are more privileged as they are getting more exposure in terms of online tutoring that is more convenient and affordable as well.

In Algebra, it is always a bad practice to go for the next chapter without grasping the previous one. That way you’ll hamper the logical thinking of your brain. And once it is formed it is difficult to get rid of that. Here comes the role of an online portal that is perfectly designed to cater to all your needs for online tutoring. It is specially focused on providing highly qualified Indian tutors having a passion for teaching and a neutral accent for English language all around the globe.

Some of the salient features of Mytutorstore:

1.      One-on-one Tutoring: This is the best thing that you can get from an online tutoring service. You can hire well experienced tutors and can learn at your pace with flexible schedules.

2.      Assignment/Home work help: With this feature you would be able to finish all your assignments/homework efficiently on time. Added to that it’ll enable students to devote these extra times in doing any research work or any other creative activity.


3.      Practice Tests for examinations: This is another important feature of Mytutorestore. It includes instant feedback on answers, exam tips & tricks, detailed explanations to the questions etc. which will help you to make a robust foundation in Algebra and other subjects as well to prepare yourself for national/state level exams.

And guess what? You can get all these benefits with a fee that is not at all heavy for your pocket and more of all you can avail it at any time with the comfort of your home.