The GED Academy is part of a new breed of educational software. Through their innovative GED prep program, The GED Academy brings a virtual classroom to life on students’ computer screens… a classroom peopled with fellow students who struggle with real-life problems. One of the hardest subjects for many adult learners is math. The GED Academy saw the need to approach math in a way that students can really relate to.

From the first glance, The GED Academy is clearly different from conventional GED study preparation. With unit names like “Learning About Numbers” and “Understanding Shapes,” The GED Academy appeals to students who find terminology like “number operations” and “geometry” off-putting.

The philosophy is more than superficial. When you load a unit, what appears on the screen is not a math problem or a written introduction. It’s a classroom, with four students and a teacher sitting around a table. Leonard Williams, the instructor, begins a discussion.

Part of the course is learning how to learn. Through the virtual students, learners can examine students’ thought process. Students can see other students learning and connecting learning to their lives.

The first discussion in the math course is about what students hope to gain and how math can be valuable in their lives. “I’m not very good at math,” says Elizabeth, one of the virtual students. “My mind doesn’t work that way.” Elizabeth does struggle as she works through the program. Sometimes the teacher helps her, and sometimes other virtual students give their own perspectives on how to think through the problems.

Thinking is the key. That’s the most valuable thing students can learn… how to think through a problem, whether it’s math or any other subject. The virtual students find ways that math applies to their lives, like figuring out interest rates. When the students talk about probability, they start out joking about whether one of the virtual students, Maria, will date another. “I think the chances are a million to zero,” says Maria, to general laughter.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Leonard prompts. The students begin discussing the idea of odds, and soon they’re learning about probability. How does probability affect students’ lives? The lesson identifies probability in weather forecasting, the lottery, and even card counting.

The lessons are full of arguments. In the lesson on the metric system, one of the students complains about needing to learn a new system. “Why don’t everyone do it the same way? It just makes everything totally complicated.” Another student responds. Where she comes from, Mexico, they use the metric system, and it’s so much easier. The virtual students discuss everything: what is the point of studying particular ideas, what is the right answer to a problem, how ideas relate to their lives.

Learning means being involved. Identifying with the students and being interested in the discussion facilitates understanding. Beyond generating interest, seeing other people work through solving a problem adds a valuable dimension to the program… guiding learners through the process of thinking.

This week, in my newsletter blog, two people wrote to ask for more help on the math test. Whew! I know math is the hardest part of the GED for a lot of people. That’s why I’m writing with more GED math tips again…if you’re looking for your GED diploma, you’ll have to get through the math test.

What makes someone successful at math? Well, math is a different kind of thinking than reading or social studies. Other subjects focus on communicating with language, and thinking about what you’re reading. That’s something you do everyday…you listen to the TV, the radio, music…you read books, talk to people. So you’re used to thinking in terms of language, and understanding what someone else is trying to tell you. Math uses a different kind of language, and because you don’t use math language everyday, it’s harder to use.

The language of math isn’t just numbers. It’s about symbols, and rules for changing numbers in different ways. Graphing and geometry are part of the math language too…dealing with shapes, and showing patterns. The more comfortable you are with math language, the better you’ll do…that means practicing the basics. You should be comfortable with:

• Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing numbers in your head.
• The order of operations.
• Using estimation.
• Using fractions, decimals, percents, ratios, and interest.
• Answering math word problems.

If you’re really practiced in the basics of math, then you won’t have as many problems with the more difficult math. All math depends on the basics! The GED Academy passGED math program starts with a course called “Learning About Numbers” that goes through all the basics you’ll need for GED math.

When you’re doing math, it’s essential to take things step by step and be accurate. That means, taking things slow and not feeling rushed. If you write out every step in a math problem, you’re less likely to make a mistake. Check that you’re not mixing up signs like < and >, or that you’re not missing negative numbers. Sometimes ORDER is very important in a math problem, you you need to pay attention to details. Sounds easy, but it’s actually hard! It takes practice to learn to concentrate on not missing details. At first, it will slow you down…but if you keep with it, doing one thing at a time and checking the details, you’ll be able to go quicker and still be accurate. Don’t try to go too fast and start making mistakes! One spelling mistake won’t spoil your essay…but one mistake with a number will give you a completely wrong answer in a math problem!

Now on to the harder stuff… the GED math test asks you to understand data and measurement. That’s because it’s important to real life… in the news, you find data about housing prices, gas prices, employment rates, and all kinds of other important information that affects your life. It’s all math, because it’s all about numbers. Measurement…well, you know that if you’re painting a room, building a shelf, or sewing a shirt, you need to use measurement! Here are some of the important things to learn about data and measurement:

• Units of measurement…for example, measurements of time (minutes, seconds, hours), length (inches, feet, miles), and quantity (cup, pint, quart, gallon)
• Metric units of measurement and the metric system
• Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing using different types of measurement
• How to measure different types of shapes
• Mean, median, and mode… how we find “average” numbers
• Simple, dependent, and independent probability… how we find out how likely something is to happen
• Reading and understanding data in tables, charts, and graphs

The GED Academy passGED math course on “Understanding Data and Measurement” covers all of these subjects. One question that people ask is how can I remember what I’m learning? Here are a few important hints:

1. Try to understand why we use different measurements and different ways to look at data…or why you’re supposed to do a math problem in a certain way. It will be easier to remember once you understand the reasons why! Then it makes sense…it’s understanding instead of memorizing. If you’re not understanding the concept, try restating it to yourself in your own words. Write down your own explanation of it… and write down questions about what you don’t understand.
2. Your memory is made to forget things you don’t use! The more you use information… especially in your everyday life… the better you’ll remember it. Here’s another memory trick… study something until you understand it and can do the problems. Then, put it aside for a short time… give your memory just enough time to start to forget. Try to do the same type of problem from memory. If you have to think a little bit to remember how to do it, you’ll strengthen your memory. Go back again after a longer time… and try to remember again. Keep going back to the same type of problem after a little longer time has passed. By doing this, you’re telling your brain, “hey, keep this memory somewhere it’s easy to get, because I’m going to need it again!” You’re building a path to the memory in your mind… so you can get at it quick during the test.

Probably the hardest part of the GED math test for most people is geometry and algebra. Remember to start with what you’re comfortable with, and practice each area until you’re ready to move on to the next. Focus on the basics…not the most complicated things. If you understand the basics, you’ll do well on the test. The passGED math course on “Basic Algebra and Geometry” covers all the algebra and geometry on the GED test. You should know:

• How to do math with integers (positive and negative numbers).
• How to do math with variables (unknown numbers, or numbers that change).
• How to solve inequalities (equations that use ‘less than’ or ‘greater than’ instead of ‘equal to.’)
• How to do math with exponents and roots (a number squared or cubed, or a square root).
• How to factor equations (how to find two numbers or math expressions that multiply together to equal an equation).
• About graphs of equations, how to make them, and how to get information from them.
• How to find the perimeter, area, and volume of a shape.
• About different types of angles and lines, including right angles.
• About the angles and relationships of different types of shapes.

Sounds like a lot, right? Well, it is… remember, this represents a lot of years of math in school! Instead of just focusing on one kind of math, the GED tests you on math you’d have throughout all your years in school. That’s one of the things that makes the math test hard… you’ll have maybe only one or two questions on one of these subjects. That’s why it’s important to know the basics and to understand the basic concepts.

Start at the beginning… and move up at your own pace, focusing on really understanding each part of the math. As you go along, go back and review what you’ve studied to remind your brain that you need to remember the earlier stuff!

Check out Curtis’s blog for more about the GED math test…and you can ask Curtis questions about math for the GED test.

Good studying!

For more information about the GED test and GED test preparation, visit The GED Academy at http://www.passGED.com.