Are you an adult struggling with basic math skills? You're not alone. 1 in 4 adults (25%) have difficulties using maths in everyday life.
But don't worry about any of that, you can start learning to maths at any stage of your life, as long as you are interested in the subject age doesn't matter. You can start at any age or time you choose. You don't even have to jump a specific level or learn all the way to advanced mathematics, you may as well start slow and with the basics!
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."
- Benjamin Franklin
Deciding Where to Start - Learning Maths as an Adult
Before you go ahead and enrol in a maths course or sign up for a whole load of lessons you may not even need, why don't you have a look at the list below.
I've created this list to help you figure out why you're going to learn maths:
- For making everyday tasks easier
- To get into a college course
- For work
Ok so if it's the first reason you may not need to take a whole course to learn maths, in fact, you could just sign up with a tutor and take the number of lessons that suit you.
The same actually applies to reason number 3, if you work in a specific job and you only need certain maths skills you may not need to undertake a whole course. A private tutor could support you with just the right material.
However, when it comes to getting into a college course, you may be required to hold a more general knowledge of all things mathematical... therefore signing up to a maths course to get your QQI level 4 or 5, in a College of Further Education would be a really good idea.
How Does Maths Make Every Day Tasks Easier?
There are so many ways we use maths in everyday life that we don't even notice. Below is a list of different ways we use maths every day:
- Shopping - The most obvious place where you would see the application of basic mathematical concepts is at a grocery store. i.e. discounts.
- Time Management - Now managing time is one of the most difficult tasks which is faced by a lot of people. An individual wants to complete several assignments in a limited time. Not only the management, but some people also are not even able to read the timings on an analogue clock
- In the Kitchen - In the kitchen maths is used for portion control, to maintain consistency in meal production, and to calculate food costs. Mastering math leads to better results in the kitchen through accuracy and consistency.
- Budgets - Being able to know how much money you have. How much you earn, how much you can afford to spend and how much you can save will really benefit you in the long term.
"Every culture has contributed to maths just as it has contributed to literature. It's a universal language; numbers belong to everyone."
- Daniel Tammet
How to Get Better at Maths
There are plenty of different ways that you can get better at maths. Here are a few of our favourites.
Online Tuition
Some people prefer to learn in a more structured way, so online courses are a brilliant option. You can find plenty of great online courses that can help you get better at maths. A good way to gain the basic maths skills you need for daily life is to take some lessons with a tutor online.
Without the pressure of the actual test looming over your head, you can relax and gain the skills that you need with the encouragement and support of a tutor who will correct and explain the work along the way.
YouTube videos
A quick search on YouTube reveals plenty of channels dedicated to helping adults improve their maths skills. YouTube creators have designed all kinds of entertaining and helpful ways to help adults get a handle on maths. Some of our favourites are Numberphile, Mathantics, and ProfRobBob. Oh and the best part about learning with YouTube as always, it's free.
Maths Apps
Apps and games have a great way of making learning fun and easy, by building on concepts slowly over time. That’s why so many people choose to learn languages with apps. So it only makes sense that there are apps for maths too.
Here are a few of our favourite apps for brushing up on your maths skills.
- BBC Skillswise – The BBC has designed this app to help adults grasp all kinds of skills, including maths, geography, and grammar. Play fun games and watch videos that will improve your practical maths skills.
- Math Brain Booster Games – Math Brain Booster Games allows you to set up your app in different training modes, improving your cognitive function and boosting your overall maths performance.
- Star Dash Studios – Star Dash Studios was designed by National Numeracy and helps you learn maths in the midst of a movie plot. It was originally designed to help 16 to 25-year-old gamers understand how maths can impact their lives, but people of all ages will enjoy playing.
Practice Maths Daily
As with anything, the more often you practice your maths skills, the better you will get and the more natural it will feel. If you only practice maths in fits and starts, you will likely lose your progress. You’ll have to spend loads of time reviewing the next time you resume your efforts, which will cut into your advancement.
Once you practice for at least a few minutes each day, play with the apps and games above and watch the YouTube videos. You’ll be amazed how quickly your maths skills can go from zero to 0ne hundred!
If you do find things are a little too tough on your own, remember you can always try working with a tutor. Superprof has loads of maths tutors across Ireland who give lessons both online and in person.
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