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The Student Success Commons at York County Community College: Math

Welcome to the Math Section

Welcome to the SSC's math section

Welcome to the SSC's Mathematics Section

Here you can find dozens of resources to help you get through your math class. We have a collection of general math resources on this page, as well as pages dedicated to quantitative reasoning, statistics, and trigonometry.

 

Math Resources

Order of Operations: GEMDAS When evaluating mathematical expressions, be sure to follow the order of operations:

1) G: Groupings. These include parentheses, brackets, and braces.
2) E: Exponents. This includes roots and radicals.
3) M and D: Multiplication or Division. These both have the same "weight" so when you get to this step do whichever operation comes first when working from left to right.
4) A and S: Addition or Subtraction. These both have the same "weight" so when you get to this step do whichever operation comes first when working from left to right.

According to an experiment run by Dr. Peter Price of the Classroom Professor website, about 75% of students get the wrong answer by not using the order of operations. In his experiment Dr. Price posted the following brainteaser:

7 - 1 × 0 + 3 ÷ 3 = ?

Out of the 6,000 respondents, only 26% arrived at the right answer. Try out this problem for yourself and see what you get.
. . . . . . . . .
Did you get 8? If so, congrats, you're using the order of operations! If you got a different answer check out Order of Operations 101, an article from the Calculator Site linked below for a complete explanation about GEMDAS (also known as PEMDAS).

 Order of Operations 101

 You can also visit Khan Academy if you'd like more review and practice with the order of operations. 

Math Anxiety

How Drop-in Tutoring Works

Drop-in tutoring allows all students to work at their own pace with a tutor. It doesn't matter if you're 2 sections behind or a section ahead; it doesn't matter if it takes 30 minutes to work on one problem. We're here to help you at your level.

Not on campus during our drop-in hours but still need help? You can connect with us remotely by emailing us. Feel free to send over your questions, images of the problem(s) you're stuck on, and a math tutor will respond as soon as possible. The YCCC math tutors keep an eye on email requests Monday-Saturday (with the possible exception of holidays). We'll get back to you as soon as possible, but please allow up to 24 hours for a response during these days.

Zoom appointments are available on Fridays and Saturdays. Remote support and individual appointments are available on a first come first served basis so if you need math help, don't wait! We want to ensure you get the support you need, so be sure to reach out right away!

Math Tutoring 101

It's important that your math grade reflects your personal effort and abilities, which can sometimes be more difficult when all your homework, tests, and quizzes are online. Student Success Commons tutors are here to help you, but in a way that ensures your work is your own. If you seek help from a SSC math tutor, please first understand what you can and can't expect.

 

What can a math tutor do?
We can... We cannot...
Help you find new ways to approach a problem Give you solutions for a problem
Show you how to take and use good notes Teach you the material from scratch (you must attend class, watch instructional videos, and read your textbook!)
Provide support and encouragement Sit with you through every quiz or test
Work with you on examples to help you understand the steps and concepts Do assignments for you
Help you understand and interpret questions Walk you through step-by-step calculations for quizzes or tests
Show you how to use your calculator effectively Tell you if an answer to a quiz or test question is right or wrong before it's submitted

Contact Us

 

Have a Question?

Contact us now and tell us how the Student Success Commons can help you:

 

 

 

 

Student Success Commons at York County Community College

112 College Drive Wells, ME 04090
studentsuccesscommons@yccc.edu
207-216-4323


 

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