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Math Resources for Success


Success in your Mathematics class


Strategies for success

  • Attend class every day.
  • Visit your instructor’s office hours or ask for an appointment.
  • Form a study group with your classmates and meet regularly.
  • Study every day. A good rule of thumb is three hours of studying outside of class for every hour you spend in class.
  • Review your textbook or your notes before and after every class meeting.
  • Do not leave homework until the last minute. Give yourself plenty of time.
  • Practice solving extra problems. The textbook and Week in Review problems are good sources.
  • Be sure you are prepared to present full solutions to problems, not just answers.
  • Get help if you do not understand concepts presented in class.
 

Instructor Expectations of Students

Here are some behaviors that instructors expect of good students:

  • Attend class every day.
  • Arrive prepared to learn.
  • Read the course syllabus thoroughly and keep it handy for the entire semester.
  • Check your email or the instructor’s webpage every day. Most faculty email students or post important course information online.
  • When you email your instructor, be sure to use proper English. Include your full name and course section to expedite a response.
  • Be respectful of the learning environment. Enter or leave quietly if you must step out. Abide by the class policy for cell phone usage.
  • Ask questions in class. If you have a question, then it is likely that one of your classmates has the same question.
 

Student Expectations of Instructors

Here are some qualities that students can expect of their instructors:
  • Your instructors care about your learning.
  • They welcome your questions and want you to visit office hours.
  • They are aware of common student difficulties and have designed lectures or class activities to help you avoid errors and overcome challenges.
  • They have carefully selected homework problem sets to give you practice on the most important concepts.
  • They will keep you informed of any changes to the syllabus or schedule.


The Academic Success Center is a valuable resource for you to use towards a successful completion of your classes. 

Math Placement Exam (MPE)

All incoming freshmen and some transfer students are required to take a Math Placement Exam (MPE). The MPE is a 90-minute placement exam used to assess students' math skills. This is an important tool to help advisors determine which mathematics course students should take. Because of the large number of introductory mathematics courses at Texas A&M, there are two versions of the placement exam. The MPE each student takes depends upon the student's major and the MPE system is configured so most students are automatically directed to the appropriate MPE. 

For detailed information, please visit the Department of Mathematics' MPE information page. 

You can also see practice problems for the MPE at the Virtual Math Learning Center's MPE page.
 

 

Personalized Precalculus Program (PPP)

The Personalized Precalculus Program (PPP) at Texas A&M University is a three-week, fully online program designed to improve the success rates of prospective students who will be taking a calculus course at Texas A&M. The short sessions are designed to reinforce the prerequisite concepts and skills that are needed for students to be successful in calculus.  This type of on-demand learning is helpful for all students, particularly those students who have demonstrated weakness in their mathematical skill set as gauged by their score on the TAMU Math Placement Exam (MPE). We strongly encourage students who scored 70% or below on their MPE to enroll in a summer PPP session to strengthen their skills before taking their necessary math course in the fall semester. 
 
The PPP sessions are all synchronous and led by highly-qualified math tutors.  All tutors in the program have at least 5-years precalculus or calculus teaching experience at either the high school or collegiate level.  Because the sessions are “live,” all PPP participants are able to interact with the tutor via voice over IP, webcam, or text chat. In the nearly 10 years of PPP’s existence, students always report that the most valuable component of the PPP is having the tutors who work with the students daily for three-weeks.

For more information, please visit the PPP Web Site. 

Courses and Common Exams

Course home pages

Links to Common Exams database

Handouts

Math review flyers:

Success in Math
Order of Operations 
Rules of Exponents
 

Academic Success Center Tutoring

  • The mission of the Academic Success Center is to provide comprehensive resources that help all Aggies achieve their academic goals and realize their academic potential. 
  • The Academic Success Center has programs that teach study strategies, organization and time management, note-taking, test-taking strategies, and much more. 
  • You can visit the Academic Success Center's website to find out more about the services they offer.