| A geometry tutor has a particularly difficult job. While | | | | as well as the volume of certain solids (spheres, cones, |
| algebra is often said to be the first truly abstract | | | | cubes, etc.). |
| mathematical discipline that most students encounter, | | | | Whereas a calculus student could calculate these |
| geometry (which is usually taught the year after | | | | values on the fly by applying the principles of |
| algebra is taught) requires that the student begin | | | | integration, the average geometry student has not yet |
| learning to apply the relatively abstract concepts | | | | been exposed to calculus and must commit to |
| learned in algebra to real life problems involving shapes | | | | memory the formulae for all of the shapes and solids. |
| and volumes. | | | | A good idea for the geometry tutor is to use flash |
| Geometry is a very applied mathematical science and, | | | | cards and mnemonics to help the students retain the |
| as such, any college or university program in the | | | | many formulae that they must memorize. Another |
| natural sciences or engineering will require students to | | | | helpful tip for the geometry tutor is to make sure that |
| be well versed in geometry as well as its more | | | | they are familiar with the many geometrical proofs that |
| advanced cousin, trigonometry. | | | | the student will have to learn. Geometrical proofs are a |
| The effective geometry tutor must be able to help the | | | | fundamental component of geography, and the |
| math student bridge the chasm between the abstract | | | | geography teacher should make sure that his or her |
| and the concrete. Geometry in many ways is a | | | | student has a firm grasp of this important part of the |
| precursor of trigonometry and calculus in that it | | | | study of geometry. |
| requires students to think both in the abstract as well | | | | Geometry is a notoriously difficult subject for some |
| as the concrete. The effective geometry tutor must | | | | students to learn since it combines the concrete and |
| also deal with the fact that students who are studying | | | | the abstract. It is also very difficult because there is |
| geometry must use formulae that they are not yet | | | | more memorization involved in geometry than in |
| able to derive (most of the formulae used in geometry | | | | perhaps any other mathematical subject. A good |
| can only be derived using calculus). | | | | geometry tutor will help the student overcome both of |
| This means that geometry requires much more | | | | these difficulties by focusing on both the concepts as |
| memorization than any other mathematical discipline, | | | | well as the formulae of geometry. |
| with the possible exception of trigonometry. A | | | | As far as the calculating goes, geometry is no more |
| fundamental part of learning geometry is committing to | | | | difficult than algebra. The hard part for the geometry |
| memory the formulae for calculating the area of | | | | tutor is teaching the student how to learn exactly what |
| (shapes, square, rectangles, triangles, rhombuses, etc.) | | | | should be calculated. |