Most typical online math tutor subjects
I have worked as an online math tutor for many years here and I have discovered that not all subjects are equal. For example, if you are an online math tutor looking to help in calculus, you might not see a lot of work available. But if you are looking for work as an online math tutor in statistics, you will never go hungry. The following seven subjects will cover areas that you should review and consider as you prepare for tutoring in math.
Algebra 1
What does it take to be a successful online math tutor? Well, the first step is to understand algebra 1 where there is tremendous work opportunity available. Online math tutors can only add things if the letters and their exponents are exactly the same. For example, 2x + 3x have the same common letter together. This can be added together to equal 5x. If you wish to add different exponents, it is impossible. Something like 2x3 + 5x2 would not combine because a square and a cube are being added together. This is fundamentally incompatible. So the basic concept to understand for an online math tutor is that like terms only can be added and subtracted from each other.
Online math tutors should also familiarize themselves with the invisible 1 as well as multiplying and dividing variables. Basically the invisible 1 means that if there are only letters without the number in front of it, it means that the number 1 is assumed. To multiply variables, just multiply and divide the like terms together as an online math tutor. It is also important to work from the left to the right just like when you read a book for the sake of consistency. When dividing variables, it is important to write them out as fractions. With variables, you must be willing to cancel the common letters and hold onto whatever is left. If you can master these simple approaches, you will be set for teaching others as an online math tutor.
Statistics
Statistics is the science of measuring and making sense of the data all around you through using your powers of organization, analysis, and interpretation. If you want to teach statistics as an online math tutor, there are some basic things you need to understand to get started. To apply statistical methods, online math tutors should be able to ask statistical questions where they expect to receive different answers from different people and not the same answer over and over again. Distribution and tendency of the answers also has to be taken into account and there has to be a divergence of opinion to measure the outcome. To teach students statistics as an online math tutor, you must be able to help them gather data and then identify clusters, peaks, and gaps in the data itself.
The nice thing for online math tutors to know about introductory statistics is that you don’t have to use p-values and advanced analysis techniques to communicate the basic fundamentals of the subject. For example, you can ask a student “how old are people famous entrepreneurs who start their first company?” Here are your steps to turn this into a teaching tool as an online math tutor. Ask the student if this is a statistical question by challenging them to consider if a variety of answers are possible. Next, challenge them to develop a dot plot with a labeled horizontal axis. There should be one dot for each representation of that age group. Your student can then identify clusters, gaps, and high points there in the provided data that you researched or researched with them. Finally, you can use your online math tutor analysis skills to consider the data as you go back to answer the original question.
Linear algebra
All online math tutors (and math tutors of any kind!) should appreciate that the theories of linear algebra are the most simple ones available. Linear algebra also happens to be one of the most important topics of study for computer science, physics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and the topic that I just discussed, statistics. So before beginning to teach your math student, I would recommend emphasizing to them the practical importance of mastering linear algebra. Doing so can make them a lot of money!
Things that you should focus on as an online math tutor include matrix multiplication, the calculation of a determinate, and determining eigen values. This will allow your students to appreciate both numeric operations and geometric intuitions surrounding linear algebra. As an online math tutor, your first goal should be to teach the foundational geometric understandings of linear algebra. Your student’s ability to complete computations and determine relevant uses will depend on mastering this core component.
Your success as an online math tutor teaching linear algebra depends on understanding why the numbers even matter in the first place and not appreciating how to calculate the numbers themselves since computers can already do that on their own. YouTube channel creator 3Blue1Brown proposes a curriculum focused on 10 different functions. First there is a consideration of vectors and defining them. Next, there are considerations of linear combinations, span and bases. The third section consists of matrices as linear transformation followed by matrix multiplication as composition.
Section five involves calculating determinants and inverse matrices/column space and null space in section six. Sections seven and eight consist of dot products / cross products and change of basis, respectively. Section nine for online math tutors can feature eigenvectors and eigenvalues followed by abstract vector spaces in section ten. With this kind of simple curriculum building using YouTube, you can build the foundation you need to succeed teaching students as an online math tutor and educating yourself as a citizen of the world.
ACT Math
Online math tutors know that ACT math is not necessarily about mastering concepts but more about using tips and strategies to boost your score as high as possible. Here are some basic concepts that any online math tutor should be willing to go over with their ACT students. First, your student should be able to cross multiply and consider proportions when solving word problems. Next, averages come into play with the following formula of Total / # = Average. Again, the goal is to think strategically and use cross multiplication since the word problem might request to solve for the total or the number of items being considered instead of the actual average. Working through real examples from the exam and then pointing out the similarities between the questions is the best strategy to helping a student as an online math tutor.
Overall, the most difficult questions for ACT math students come from areas that do not get coverage in a traditional math course. Online math tutors can sometimes miss these if they haven’t taken the test themselves. Examples of this include probability and statistics, sequences and series, physics, properties of numbers, standard deviation, polynomials. But you can already challenge your students by taking them to the last 10 questions of any practice ACT test since this where the most difficult questions can be found. The final step to being a good ACT online math tutor is to show the student how the other answer options are designed to trick them into choosing the wrong option. It is just as important for an online math tutor to know why the right answer is right as it is to understand why the wrong answer is wrong at this stage of study.
Geometry
To start teaching students as a geometry online math tutor, it is important to appreciate the vocabulary surrounding the subjects itself. Geo- means earth. -metry means measurement. This makes a lot of sense because geometry is a very general subject. Most of the time, the dots on labels are commonly understood as labels. Continuous markers connecting two different points are commonly known as line segments (not to be confused with lines). The points at the end of line segments are called end points, but online math tutors can change the terminology to make it more fun. Consistency is the most important. Finally, these basic ideas exist in one-dimensional space and are thus imperfect. These are basic points to teach geometry as an online math tutor.
Trigonometry
Any decent online math tutor knows that sine, cosine, and tangent are the basic functions determining the basis of trigonometry. With these tools, students can study triangles and especially right angle triangles. To get started, you can begin your online math tutor session by teaching students the story of Sohcahtoa. Sohcahtoa is an Indian princess and you can watch many videos about her to get the context to entertain your students. What is important in this case is your ability to extract the value of Sohcahtoa, which can be broken down by the syllables.
Soh cah toa means “sine opposite over hypotenuse,” “cosine adjacent over hypotenuse,” and “tangent opposite over adjacent.” When solving for any angle “theta,” the opposite of the angle is the length to consider. The hypotenuse is the opposite triangle length from the right angle. Trigonometry often does not get approached until upper levels of math, but the reality is that the subject is very approachable for online math tutors and their students. Feel free to approach it with confidence.
Microsoft excel
Now you may be thinking to yourself, “why are we teaching MS Excel as a math subject?” Well, MS Excel is one of the most practical subjects you could teach as an online math tutor. It is full of calculations, variables, and formulas in place for you to consider as you teach your students. To approach this, I would recommend marketing your online math tutor abilities in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing.
Other tips and tricks can be to use the advance transpose with the =transpose function followed by selecting the field and shift+control+enter. You can also show your student how to use slicers, which will be extremely useful in your statistics teaching as an online math tutor. For example, if you are considering the color, size, and quantity of an object, slicers can be extremely useful. Highlight the entire table, then click insert>table.
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