Award-Winning Test Prep & Academic Tutoring in Los Altos Hills, CA

The main concepts were using Pythagorean theorem and calculating the volume of prisms and spheres. Previous concepts were also reviewed in anticipation of midterms. The student understood the material and was able to pick up the new concepts quickly. Additional study material for the midterm included memorizing the formulas to calculate volume.

For this session, we proceeded to the next chapter on rationals and exponents. We delved into rules to simplify equations with radicals and exponents. We then completed some problems to facilitate understanding.

Today we covered area between two curves and volume. The student was only nervous about applying the disc method but knows the calculus. He gained confidence after doing a couple of problems. Today we went over his home sets from a couple of chapters. Student was able to work through all problems with minimal help. He has improved drastically and knows his math quite well. Over all great session.

We took up where we left off last time and reviewed fractions. We changed complex fractions into improper fractions for the purposes of multiplying; we found common denominators for the purposes of adding and subtracting; we multiplied and divided fractions, even in the solution to a couple algebraic problems. He did a good job. He likes to do things in his head and feels that doing problems in steps means he is not very good. He takes his time on fractions so he thinks this means he is not an expert, but I want him to take his time and always do the steps in anticipation of more difficult problems in the future. In the last ten minutes I introduced some graphing to him. This allowed me to assess his knowledge. He knows the quadrants and how to graph pairs of numbers. He showed he could apply a linear equation and graph this. I found he has not been introduced to the idea of subtracting a negative or multiplying two negative numbers. He also did not understand how a larger line or a larger triangle did not affect the angle of the lines; I showed him similar triangles: those that had the same angles but were clearly bigger and smaller to help him see that angle and size are two different forms. My plan for the student is to continue to let him direct what we explore so that he is always interested in what we are doing, but also to try to push him further along towards a middle school level in whatever we are doing at the moment. At some point I will fill in the pieces of what we have not covered: I intend to move him towards a 7th grade understanding of algebra, geometry, probability, etc. We will always start at the lowest level and move upwards, and go backwards if we need to review.

During this session, we started reviewing for the student's final. We looked over an old test on functions that she did not do very well on and talked about her mistakes and anything that she was confused about. Then we looked back over the chapter and reviewed what defines a function, how to find slope, how to write equations in slope-intercept form, and how to find an equations if you're given two points. I stressed checking her work after each question. She did well with the concepts and I felt like we made progress.

We continued to do practice problems solving for single variables using fractions, decimals, and distribution. The student did well.