When it comes to middle school math, quite often, students are continuing their math learning journeys with gaps in their knowledge. Not only do middle school learners need to master algebra and geometry, but they also need to hone other skills that will let them compete in math competitions.
As you’re preparing for an upcoming math competition, there are lots of different skills you’ll need to be able to perform at your best. For middle-school learners, in particular, a math competition offers an early chance to put recently learned skills to the test.
As these children progress through their math education, they are expected to use not just their newly learned skills but also become faster and more confident in applying their previously learned skills to more complex problems. Luckily, there are some tips and tricks that can be learned to help these young learners
Percentages Trick
Fractions and percentages: two cousins in the math world. Finding the percentage of some numbers can be quite easy. On the other hand, finding the percentage of other numbers can be much, much more difficult. Did you know that there was a simple trick that can help middle-school learners calculate percentages quickly and excel in math competitions?
All you need to know is the following:
X% of A is the same as A% of X
Let’s try applying this with an example. Let’s say I wanted to find out what 6% of 80 was. Not an easy calculation to do in your head. Now, let’s swap the numbers and see if the problem becomes more simple.
Using the shortcut above, we look for 80% of 6. We know 80% is the same as ⅘, and it is much easier to calculate ⅘ of 6 (simply multiply 6 by 0.8) than it is to calculate 6% of 80 (dividing 80 by 100 and multiplying by 6).
As you can see, this trick can help you reduce the necessary calculations and give you an edge over your competitors during math competitions. Without the tip, we would have to make two calculations, whereas, with the tip in mind, we can do one simple calculation.
The Multiples of 9 Tip
Let’s take another quick look at another of my favorite math tricks and tips: the multiples of 9 tip. This one is even easier than the percentages trick.
The two individual numbers that make up the first 10 multiples of 9 {9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90} always add up to 9. Here are some examples:
9 x 8 = 72 → 7 + 2 = 9 9 x 4 = 36 → 3 + 6 = 9 9 x 7 = 63 → 6 + 3 = 9
This tip can help you make sure your multiples of 9 are correct, faster than the speed of light!
Of course, percentages, fractions, and multiples are not the only skills that middle-school students will need to excel in math competitions. They will need to cover a range of topics from the basics of algebra, through logical thinking, and all the way to geometry.
On top of this, middle school students often have to contend with oversized classrooms, where the needs of the individual students are often lumped together, with some students’ additional needs sadly falling through the cracks.
That’s where the Online Math Center comes in
Not only do we offer courses for young learners of all levels, but we have specific courses for middle school students, as well as courses tailored to prepare students for math competitions.
With classes no bigger than 5 students and led by our fully-qualified and experienced tutors, there is no danger of any topics falling through the cracks, as they might in a class of 15, 20, or even 30 students. Students can also avail of one-to-one tutoring, to reinforce some of the topics that may be tougher to grasp. We want every student’s concerns to be addressed and every student’s voice to be heard. We believe in a holistic approach to math tutoring and we’ve seen our students benefit greatly from this.
Our tutors have years of experience working with thousands of students. So far, the students have found the programs to be as fun as they are educational!
Contact us now to get started!
